EPA Hearing August 30th STRONGER OZONE STANDARDS - Stand Up - Speak Out for CLEAN AIR

Join BREATHE LA to stand up for clean air. The EPA will hold a public hearing in Los Angeles to gather public comment on its proposed revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone. The current standards have not been revised for some time and BREATHE LA believes the proposed standards are not health protective. It is vital that EPA hear from you, here are the details:

Date: Thursday, August 30, 2007

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

(Breaks from 12:30 PM to 2 PM for lunch and 6 PM to 7:30 PM for dinner)

Place: Wilshire Grand Hotel

Garden West Room

930 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90017

(213) 688-7777

To sign up for a speaking slot of up to 5 minutes, contact EPA staffer Ms. Tricia Crabtree at (919) 541-5688 or by email: crabtree.tricia@epa.gov.

Written comments will be accepted through October 9, 2007 and may be uploaded online at www.regulations.gov attn: Docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2005-0172. Send copies to your elected officials and Members of Congress.

The EPA is proposing a tighter 8-hour national air quality standards for ozone, with a range of 0.070 to 0.075 parts per million (ppm). This proposal falls short of the goal recommended by EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee comprised of independent ozone experts who, after reviewing all the evidence, strongly recommended much more protection. On August 30th, the EPA will take comment on a wider range, including the current level of the standard (0.084ppm), even though scientists and the EPA agree that the current standard does NOT protect public health.

Several industry groups representing the electric power, oil, automobile, and diesel engine industries have met with Bush administration officials about their opposition to strengthening (lowering) the standard. EPA needs to hear from YOU about why it is so important to have a strong public health standard. Smog affects real people with serious impacts. 10 million people living in Los Angeles County breathe too polluted air on too many days each year.

BASIC TALKING POINTS:

*BREATHE LA believes this is a step in the right direction, but does not go far enough. Ozone is the most widespread outdoor air pollutant and threatens the health of tens of millions of Americans. Setting a tighter new standard would increase protection for public health that could literally save lives.

*BREATHE LA believes the current EPA proposal falls short of the goal recommended by EPA's independent scientific experts. The panel of 22 independent scientists who reviewed all the evidence strongly recommended much more protection that EPA's proposal.

*BREATHE LA is particularly concerned that EPA has left the door open to choosing options that are simply not acceptable – specifically, the existing standard, which simply does not comply with the requirements of the Clean Air Act.

*The Clean Air Act requires that the EPA set a standard that protects public health with an adequate margin of safety. We urge EPA to follow the law and the science.

For additional information or directions, please call:

Julia Robinson Shimizu – 323-935-8050, ext. 233

Deborah Maxwell – 323—935-8050, ext. 256

We hope to see you there!