Clean Air News

As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.

PROVIDENCE—Danger in the Air, a new survey by Clear the Air and released September 23 by the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group (RIPIRG) shows massive air pollution problems in the Providence metropolitan area. Smog levels in the Providence-New Bedford-Fall River area exceeded EPA's 8-hour health standard 21 times and the 1-hour standard 2 times on 18 days in 2003, ranking the city 8th worst for smog pollution among major U.S. metropolitan areas.

"The Providence-New Bedford-Fall River area made the top 10 list that no one wants to be on," said Matt Auten, Clean Air Associate with RIPIRG. "Last year we suffered the 8th worst smog pollution in the nation and children with asthma, senior citizens, and others with breathing problems are suffering the most," continued Auten.

This report comes as the Bush administration prepares to finalize weak and delayed air pollution standards for power plants in the Eastern U.S., while opening up new loopholes in the law. The Bush plan would prevent future cleanup efforts, weaken protections in parks and wilderness areas, and let power plants emit more than 1.5 times more smog- and soot-forming pollution than the Clean Air Act allows.

"Time and again the Bush administration has favored big energy companies over science and public health. The administration should reverse course and clean up dangerous power plant pollution," said Sheila Dormody, Rhode Island Director of Clean Water Action.

Meanwhile in Rhode Island, Governor Carcieri took a step towards reducing air pollution in May when he committed Rhode Island to adopting the California "Clean Cars Standard." The standard reduces air pollution by setting tough emission standards for new cars and by putting an increasing number of hybrid and ultra low polluting vehicles on the road. Cars are the largest source of air pollution in Rhode Island. "Governor Carcieri took a big step in the right direction by adopting the Clean Cars Standard," Auten said. "Now Governor Carcieri has the chance to become a leader on air pollution by making a long term regulatory commitment to cleaner cars and by pushing for strong regional pollution control programs."

As sunburn affects the skin, smog burns the lungs and airways, affecting even a healthy person's ability to breathe and causing a host of respiratory problems, including asthma attacks, increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, and decreased lung function.

"The RI Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is very concerned over the adverse health consequences of our poor air quality due to smog, automobile emissions and other pollutants," said Dr. Andrew Snyder, Vice President of the Rhode Island chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Children suffer greatly from air pollution and we have seen almost epidemic rises in asthma. Air pollution greatly increases pediatric morbidity and accelerates the rising crisis of healthcare costs. As pediatricians, we support further Federal and State regulations that will truly improve our air quality," Snyder finished.

Danger in the Air: Unhealthy Levels of Air Pollution in 2003 is RIPIRG's fifth annual analysis of air quality based on a survey of environmental agencies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Key findings include the following:

· Smog levels in the Providence-New Bedford-Fall River metropolitan area exceeded EPA's 8-hour health standard 21 times and the 1-hour standard 2 times on 18 days in 2003, ranking the city 8th for the worst smog pollution among major metropolitan areas.
· Nationally, smog levels in 40 states and the District of Columbia exceeded EPA's 8-hour health standard 4,583 times and the 1-hour health standard 684 times on 187 days in 2003. Ozone levels in 2003 were similar to those in 2000 and 2001; in contrast, 2002 was a hot and dry summer, leading to record high ozone levels.
· Nationally, soot levels exceeded EPA's year-round health standard in 53 metropolitan areas in 20 states in 2003, and soot levels exceeded EPA's 24-hour health standard 106 times on 39 days in 13 states.

The report also includes preliminary smog data for 19 states and the District of Columbia for 2004, which, like 2003, has been a relatively mild and wet summer. Yet, ozone levels still exceeded EPA's 8-hour health standard 602 times including 8 times across Rhode Island.

"We can't depend on the weather to protect us from polluted air," said Molly Clark, Director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association of Rhode Island. "Instead we need to reduce the amount of pollution coming from cars and power plants," Clark continued.

Auten called the Bush administration's record on air pollution "dismal," noting that President Bush reversed his campaign pledge to cap global warming pollution from power plants within the first 60 days of his administration and has promoted numerous policies to weaken clean air protections, including the most significant rollback of the Clean Air Act in the law's 34-year history.

The entire Danger in the Air report will be available on RIPIRG's website, www.ripirg.org.