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Air PollutionEPA eases up on power plant restrictions (Nov., 2002): In late November, 2002, the Environmental Protection Agency (under the Bush administration) eased up on requirements that utilities, refineries, and manufacturers install new anti-pollution equipment when modernizing their facilities. Several states in the Northeast reportedly plan to file suit over the EPA's decision, charging that the changes would further degrade air quality. EPA: Chronic exposure to diesel exhaust might cause cancer (Sept., 2002): An Environmental Protection Agency report concluded in Sept. 2002 that studies involving human occupational or animal exposure to diesel exhaust indicate strong evidence of a cancer risk. The report says, "Overall, the evidence for a potential cancer hazard to humans resulting from chronic inhalation exposure to (diesel emissions) is persuasive." Advocates have noted that children often ride to schools in diesel-powered buses, and they often wait inside the buses while the engine idles -- possibly leading to a buildup of exhaust inside the bus. American Lung Association report says 142 million Americans breathe unhealthy air (May, 2002): The American Lung Association's State of the Air 2002 report says 142 million Americans live in areas that have unhealthy air quality. Many of those people live in California -- the five worst counties for air quality are San Bernardino, Kern, Fresno, Riverside and Tulare. The five worst metro areas are Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, and Houston-Galveston in Texas. Smog linked to birth defects (December 2001): A study, reported in the Dec. 28 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggests that pregnant women exposed to high levels of ozone and carbon monoxide were three times as likely to give birth to babies with defective heart valves and cleft lips and palates. Several previous studies had linked air pollution to low birth weight, premature births, stillbirths and infant deaths. American Lung Association Says Air is Getting Worse (May 2001): The American Lung Association's "State of the Air 2001" confirms the previous year's report that "air pollution remains a major threat to Americans, contributing substantially to the nation’s ill health burden." One of the findings: "More than 30 million children under age 14 -- whose lungs are particularly vulnerable to the effects of ozone-filled air -- are living in counties that received an "F" in air quality. That’s 1.6 million more children who live in areas with "failing" air quality than last year." Emissions of carbon dioxide rising: In November, 2000, the Energy Department predicted that U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide will be 34 percent higher in 2010 than they were in 1990. Carbon dioxide is produced by the burning of coal, gasoline and other fossil fuels, and has been linked to global warming.
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