{"id":16238,"date":"2019-05-02T04:31:30","date_gmt":"2019-05-02T04:31:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=16238"},"modified":"2019-05-03T07:12:16","modified_gmt":"2019-05-03T07:12:16","slug":"as-air-pollution-increases-in-some-us-cities-the-trump-administration-is-weakening-clean-air-regulations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/as-air-pollution-increases-in-some-us-cities-the-trump-administration-is-weakening-clean-air-regulations\/","title":{"rendered":"As air pollution increases in some US cities, the Trump administration is weakening clean air regulations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jason West<\/a>, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/a><\/em> and Barbara Turpin<\/a>, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Air pollution kills. In the United States, 1 of every 25 deaths<\/a> occurs prematurely because of exposure to outdoor air pollution. <\/p>\n

It kills more Americans than all transportation accidents and gun shootings<\/a> combined. More than diabetes or than breast cancer plus prostate cancer. More than Parkinson\u2019s disease plus leukemia plus HIV\/AIDS. And unlike diabetes or Parkinson\u2019s, deaths from air pollution are entirely preventable.<\/p>\n

We study air pollution and its interactions with climate change<\/a> and human health<\/a>. In our view, this problem does not receive the attention it deserves as a public health threat. No death certificate lists air pollution as the cause of death \u2013 rather, it is considered a risk factor, like smoking or obesity. But it influences several of the most important causes of death: heart attacks, strokes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. <\/p>\n

According to the American Lung Association\u2019s latest \u201cState of the Air\u201d report<\/a>, about 43% of Americans \u2013 140 million people \u2013 live in counties with unhealthy air. The report also shows that although air quality has improved since 1990, this trend may be starting to erode. In 2015-2017, more U.S. cities had days with high ozone or fine particle pollution than in 2014-2016. Whether conditions worsen or improve in the next few years depends strongly on decisions by President Trump and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler.<\/p>\n

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Progress through science-based regulation<\/h2>\n

The long-term news is good: Since 1990, U.S. air quality has improved. Controlling for population growth, air pollution-related deaths decreased by about 30% from 1990 to 2010<\/a>. Average life expectancy has likely increased by several months<\/a>, just from cleaner air<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These improvements result directly from emission controls on power plants, factories, motor vehicles and other sources, driven mainly by EPA regulations implementing the 1970 Clean Air Act and its 1990 Amendments<\/a>. These programs were supported by the development of new control technologies and different energy sources \u2013 for example, replacing dirtier coal-fired electricity with power produced from natural gas and wind. <\/p>\n

A central requirement in the Clean Air Act directs the EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards<\/a> based on the best available science. EPA\u2019s programs have been incredibly successful in improving air quality and reducing related deaths.<\/p>\n

\n \"\"<\/a>
\n Between 1970 and 2017, combined emissions of six common pollutants (PM2.5 and PM10, SO2, NOx, VOCs, CO and Pb) dropped by 73%, while the U.S. economy continued to grow, Americans drove more miles and population and energy use increased.<\/span>
\n EPA<\/a><\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Weakening air pollution controls<\/h2>\n

Despite this strong record, Trump and Wheeler are now taking what we and many other critics<\/a> view as unprecedented steps to challenge or weaken Clean Air Act regulations. President Trump claims to favor clean air<\/a>, but Wheeler and his predecessor, Scott Pruitt, have weakened enforcement of air quality regulations<\/a> and removed emission controls on oil and gas drilling sites<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s decisions to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement<\/a>, weaken proposed regulations on CO2 from power plants<\/a> and roll back fuel efficiency standards<\/a> for new motor vehicles are also harmful. These actions don\u2019t just hamper efforts to address climate change \u2013 they also slow transitions from coal<\/strong> to less-polluting electricity sources, and to cleaner, more efficient vehicles. This protracts air quality problems and harms health, particularly for children and the elderly. <\/p>\n

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