EPA Ozone Hearings

The Environmental Protection Agency held holding public hearings in states that are greatly affected by air pollution. One of the hearings was held in Los Angeles, on August 30, 2007 and the federal air pollution regulators welcomed any comments/complaints made by Los Angeles inhabitants.
Current health risks due to ozone smog have become so great that a child in Los Angeles can even play outside because he might pass out, claims one Los Angeles mother. Indeed "Los Angeles and the Central Valley have the nation's worst ozone smog."
The EPA is considering changing the ozone public health standards for the first time in a decade, but it is also considering leaving it as it is, stating that there is not enough scientific evidence that can prove that the current ozone standard is dangerous to our health. Those that differ state that the "human toll from air pollution is huge in terms of illness, emergency room visits, asthma attacks and even premature death...Total benefits of EPA's air pollution regulations outweigh the costs by as much as 40 to 1. (Wilson 2007).
Hearings like these will be held in upcoming months. Stephen L. Johnson, the US Environmental Protection Agency administrator has until March to decide whether to update the current ozone standard or not.
Wilson, Janet 2007. Residents speak of smog with passion; As it considers updating ozone standards, the EPA receives a California-style response at a hearing in Los Angeles: [HOME EDITION]. Los Angeles Times, August 31, http://www.proquest.com/ (accessed September 7, 2007).