September 7, Dear Senator:

Transcription

1 Office f Gvernment Relatins Rbert G. Weymueller, Directr Fran DuMelle, Assciate Directr 1101 Vermnt Avenue N.W. Suite 402 Washingtn, D.C (202) September 7, 1982 Dear Senatr: It is n the basis f ur knwledge f the adverse health effects f air pllutin that the American Lung Assciatin has placed as a high pririty the reauthrizatin f a strng Clean Air Act. We believe that the bill adpted by the Cmmittee n Envirnment and Public Wrks will preserve the public health principles f the Clean Air Act and ensure timely attainment f the Natinal Ambient Air Quality Standards in all regins f the cuntry. The ALA endrses the Cmmittee bill and urges yur supprt f it when it is cnsidered by the full Senate. The preservatin f the public health principles f the Clean Air Act and its prgrams t prtect against the adverse health effects f air pllutin can be demnstrated by reviewing the fllwing prvisins f the Cmmittee bill. I. The Health~Based Standards The essential public health cncepts embdied in the Natinal Ambient Air Quality Standards are retained in the Cmmittee bill including: a definitin f an adverse health effect which prtects all ppulatin grups, including sensitive ppulatins; standards with an adequate margin f safety; and standards develped based n the identificatin f and prtectin frm adverse health effects, with csts f pllutin abatement cnsidered separately. Natinal Headquarters: 1740 Bradway, New Yrk, N.Y James A. Swmley, Managing Directr

2 2. The standard-setting prcess is retained. In the 1977 amendments t the Act, Cngress established a panel fr scientific advice n air quality issues, the Clean Air Science Advisry Cmmittee. This surce f independent scientific review is imprtant. The prper rle f the panel 'is advisry and shuld remain s. II. Hazardus Air Pllutants The Cmmittee bill retains and strengthens the Clean Air Act's prgram fr cntrlling hazardus air pllutants. While fewer peple are expsed t hazardus pllutants, the ptential adverse effects are iikely t be far mre serius. The bill retains the current law's definitin f a hazardus air pllutant and the prgram's precautinary public health plicy. The bill strengthens the prgram 'by: directing EPA t cmplete review f at least 40 chemicals within the next five years and determine which are hazardus; directing EPA, in chsing the chemicals, t give the highest pririty t the 37 substances it has studied fr s lng--especially thse shwn t cause cancer in humans r animals; designating these chemicals as hazardus by law if EPA fails t make decisins as directed and bliging the agency t set standards fr them; and requiring all surces emitting hazardus air pllutants t use technlgy at least as gd as the best already in use. III. The Nnattainment Prgram The Cmmittee bill maintains effective measures fr meeting the health-based Natinal Ambient Air Quality Standards in urban and industrial areas where air pllutin still reaches unhealthy levels, while respnding t the need f sme areas fr deadline extensins.

3 3. The bill: prvides fr deadline extensins where needed: extensins f n lnger than 3 years t Decembe~, 1985 fr areas unable t meet the NAAQS fr sulfur dixide, particulate matter, and xides f nitrgen; extensins t December 1992 fr areas with the mst severe aut related pllutin, unable t meet the NAAQS fr zne and carbn mnxide; and extensins wuld nt be permitted unless all surces are using Reasnably Available Cntrl Technlgy (RACT) mderates requirements fr new surces while maintaining the principle that new surces in nnattainment areas must be subject t mre effective cntrls: requires all new r mdified statinary surces t use.b st Available Cntrl Technlgy (BACT); and prvides alternatives t the ffset requirement. mderates the scpe f the Inspectin/Maintenance Prgram fr in-use autmbiles by restricting the requirement t areas with the mst severe carbn mnxide and zne pllutin; and gives EPA discretin in impsing sanctins t determine the extent f funding cut-ffs apprpriate in given instances. IV. Interstate Transprt and Acid Precursr Reductin The Cmmittee bill adpts a prgram f actin t reduce sulfur dixide emissins. The primary purpse f this amendment is t reduce atmspheric lading f xides f sulfur frm statinary surces such as pwer plants, which have been identified as the main surces f pllutants that transfrm t acid rain and fineparticulate sulfates.

4 4. Hwever, cntrl f xides f sulfur will als have psitive health benefits. Fine particulates such as suspended sulfates, which are transfrmatin prducts f xides f sulfur, have been identified as causing adverse health effects, especially in sensitive individuals such as thse with lung r heart disease. Under the bill: by 1995, annual sulfur dixide emissins in the 31 states east f and brdering the Mississippi River must be reduced by 8 millin tns belw 1980 levels; and by 1995, all sulfur dixide reductins already required by the 1980 State Implementatin Plans must be achieved. The Cmmittee bill allws fr maximum flexibilty and equity in achieving the emissin reductin gal: the Gvernrs have the respnsibility fr allcating the emissin reductins amng the States and, within the States, amng utility and industrial surces; if the Gvernrs fail t agree n an interstate allcatin, the bill prvides a frmula which allcates emissin reductins accrding t each State's relative cntributin t the prblem; and prvides fr flexibility in accmmdating the emissins f new surces. V. The Mbile Surce Cntrl Prgram The Cmmittee bill maintains the prgram t cntrl emissins frm mbile surces--the basic aut emissins standards and the prvisins t ensure that in-use autmbiles achieve thse standards. The Cmmittee's decisins reflect careful cnsideratin f the drastic impact relaxatin f the mbile surce cntrl prgram wuld have n achieving the health-based standards, especially in thse areas f the cuntry with severe aut-related pllutin. The bill wuld:

5 -.. s. retain the 3.4 gram per mile (gpm) standard fr carbn mnxide and the 1.0 gpm standard fr xides f nitrgen; simplify the high altitude prg~am by requiring nly 3% f the new cars sld at high altitude t meet the same standards as at sea level; enact int law the 0.2 gpm standard fr particulate matter fr 1986 and later mdel diesel cars; cdify int law, the standards fr light-and heavyduty trucks set by EPA; and retain the existing assembly-line testing and premarket certificatin prgrams. The Clean Air Act has led t substantial imprvement in the quality f air in ur mst plluted regins while preventing deteriratin f air quality with America's cntinued grwth. The Senate Cmmittee bill prvides a sund mechanism t ensure timely prgress twards clean and healthful air fr all Americans. s;:~~t 6-ruf~ Margaret Garland Chairman, Natinal Air Cnservatin Cmmissin MG/bej