EPA rule changes put our health at risk

Thank you to [Chattanooga Times editorial page editor] Pam Sohn for raising awareness about the new cost-benefit rule the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently finalized and highlighting how Chattanooga has benefited from this policy.

EPA’s process changes for calculating costs-benefit analyses in regulatory decision-making will have dangerous implications for public health. The many benefits from regulating harmful emissions are already undervalued, and the proposed rule will place Americans at further risk for the harmful health effects of air pollution.

Half of Americans are still breathing unhealthy air, which can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks, respiratory harm and even early death. As if that weren’t enough, emerging science shows air pollution is linked to dementia, reproductive harm and increased death rates from COVID-19. Why is the EPA actively pursuing ways to discount the health benefits of pollution protections, especially when health benefits of pollution reduction are already undervalued?

The American Lung Association strongly opposes this rule and joins other health and medical organizations in asking the incoming administration to overturn it immediately.

Pollution reductions that save lives should be celebrated, especially at a time when we are reminded of the importance of lung health, and the connection between air pollution and COVID-19 death rates.

Christine Hart

American Lung Association in Tennessee