Press Release  AG Healey Urges Congress to Oppose Legislation to Delay Air Quality Standards That Curb Dangerous Ozone Pollution

BOSTON — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey today joined a coalition of 15 other attorneys general in calling on leaders in Congress to oppose pending legislation that would delay implementation of national air quality standards and weaken the longstanding review process for ozone and other pollutants that pose serious dangers to public health.  

In letters  sent to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, AG Healey joined attorneys general from New York, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection,  in opposing companion bills (S. 263 and H.R. 806) known as the Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017. The attorneys general argue that these bills represent a significant step backward in addressing the pervasive, nation-wide problem of ozone pollution, which puts at risk the health of children, the elderly and the sick, as well as anyone who spends time outdoors. 

“Ozone pollution not only exposes our most vulnerable residents to serious health risks, but also increases economic burdens to the state,” AG Healey said. “Delaying implementation of long-overdue, more-protective standards is a backwards step in our efforts to fight dangerous pollutants. We strongly urge Congress to oppose this legislation.”

Ozone is one of six common pollutants that are regulated under the federal Clean Air Act through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) establishment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or NAAQS. The states’ letters highlight the projected health and economic benefits of EPA’s 2015 ozone standards, including the example that achieving the primary (health-based) standard of 70 parts per billion of ozone in areas of the country outside of California will result in net annual public health benefits starting in 2025 of up to $4.5 billion, including preventing approximately 316 to 660 premature deaths; 230,000 asthma attacks in children; 160,000 missed school days; 28,000 missed work days; 630 asthma-related emergency room visits; and 340 cases of acute bronchitis in children. 

In addition to delaying implementation of EPA’s ozone standards until 2025, the proposed bills would also revise the Clean Air Act’s long-standing mandate that air quality standards for ozone and other “criteria” pollutants be based on up-to-date scientific evidence and focused solely on protecting public health and welfare. Under current law, the standards must also be reviewed and, if needed, revised every five years, but if the bills become law, review would be required only every 10 years and would also authorize the EPA to consider “likely technological feasibility” when setting air quality standards. Such considerations have always more properly been up to the states. 

AG Healey is committed to continue her office’s longstanding advocacy for more stringent ozone standards that science shows are needed to adequately protect the health of Massachusetts residents. 

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