Strengthening Federal Clean Air Standards

For Californians, not a day goes by without hearing whatsoever remark referring to smog or the grapheme of the broadcast they hap. One becomes accustom to shrugging such remarks off without a second thought after a while. Sure the straining is getting cleaner, manufactures and peck alike seem to be doing all they can do to clean up the fashion they breathe. bloodless air folks are starting to be labeled as reactionaries. As with every organized group there are those among them that be such labels, only if when it comes down to the air which people puddle to breathe very day, extra idiom is a good thing. federal and local anesthetic regulations on with ordinary computer backup are responsible for substantial gains in air tonicity in the last ten twelvemonths. Air quality in secondern California continues to improve, with 1995 registering some of the lowest levels in decades. heretofore Southern California still experiences the worst air quality in the nation requir ing continued diligence to meet air quality standards These betterments post the causa for continuing the battle for air quality instead of grounds for a pat on the back and job well done. national clean air standards should be strengthened. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) along with an arsenal of reputable agencies have drafted a curriculum k outrightn as the 1997 Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) in which detailed summaries dissembleing occurrent and future air quality measures are brought forward for critics and supporters alike to discern. It is in this design along with supporting facts regarding beneficial stinting gains and support from the health check community that make the case for continuous and stricter air quality standards.The 1997 AQMP sets after part the guidelines in which the Federal government should set standards for state and local governments along with private agencies to impose and enforce. The focus of the plan comes as a endpoint of p arvenue understanding regarding pollutants known as ozone and M10. This new tuition flows from measureless scientific studies. For example, Use of the most current air quality reading (1995), including special particulate matter data from the PM10 Technical Enhancement course of instruction . in that respect findings see direct links in ozone and the PM10 pollutants. In chapter trine of the plan one can find the scientific data establish on base year emission levels dating back to 1987 as they relate to current and future emission levels. Data clearly shows progress in Southern Californias quality of air in the ten year period between 1987 and 1997. The data also provides needed understanding of the major(ip) contributors to smog and other ozone depleting pollutants.Overall, total mobile source emissions account for 61 part of the VOC and 88 percent of the Nox emissions for these two pollutants The knowledge of this information has been a major factor in the suppress of thes e pollutants produced by the vehicles compulsive by millions everyday weather on the job or in force(p) tooling around town with the top down. While the information in this plan requires a good deal of scientific knowledge to understand the piece-wide message is clear. Populations are increasing which increases the demands placed on the environment.Without continual improvement regarding air quality there will be massive amounts of ozone depleting emissions created and unchecked in the environment. This plan should be imposed by the Federal government. It provides the manner for promising futures not only for the environment but the economy as well. Along with the benefits in improved air quality that will offspring form the implementation of the 1997 AQMP substantial gains in technology will be achieved in the areas of zero emission vehicles and the development of alternative fuels.On-road motor vehicles which embarrass passenger cars, light avocation trucks, medium duty v ehicles, heavy duty vehicles, and motorcycles, currently number approximately 10 million in the South Coast Air Basin. If this seems an alarming number of vehicles of which contribute 61 percent of the VOC and 88 percent of the Nox emissions in the air you better pose down. In 1995 these vehicles traveled more than 300 million miles per day, and by the year 2010, vehicle miles traveled is projected to be about 380 million miles per day . This is an alarming number of vehicles along with an alarming number of miles to boot.The implementation of the 1997 plan will require the sale of zero-emission vehicles beginning in 2003. This demand places ample pressure on the automotive industry to come up with satisfactory alternatives for the combustion engine. The technology gains from this industrial effort have already begun to show themselves at car shows throughout the country. All manufactures will benefit from this new technology, from those who produce the batteries that run them to manufacturers of the lightweight materials needed to produce such automobiles.The frequent reaps immediate gains from this technology such as the cell phones carried by thousands of people every day in Southern California. Some of the most celebrated technologies include nickel metal-hydride, lithium-ion, and sodium-nickel chloride. Nickel metal-hydride batteries are responsible for the ability to evermore charge ones cell phone battery without it developing a entrepot position resulting in limited to no use of the battery at all. Lithium-ion batteries provide extended use of m any battery operated items used in every day life such as flash lights, cameras, radiosHonda and Toyota have announced they will introduce pilot fleets of electric vehicles with nickel metal-hydride batteries in 1988 . The examples in technological advancements that result from stricter air quality controls are never-failing and cannot be fully realized without implementation of the controls described in the 1997 AQMP. As if the available information thus far were not enough to support the EPAs plans for air quality, the medical community has stepped forward to support efforts for cleaner air as well.The proposed plan clearly benefits air quality and the economy through advances in technology. Support from the medical community will convince the stragglers that dont discover air quality and technology will directly benefit themselves. Dr. Barry S. Levy, American Public Health Association president and an environmental health physician, called immediately for the adoption of EPAs proposed regulations to lower levels of particulate (soot) matter and ozone (a chemical that helps cause smog) in the air.This effort will protect children and adults from illness, disability and death, and reduce health wish costs by billions of dollars . Public health is of major concern when it comes to the environment. The air people breath daily is vital to their existence and the quality of that air is one of the major factors to their quality of life. According to DR. Levy, The proposed EPA standard are establish on well-designed scientific studies that link adverse health effect to the delicately particulate matter and ozone .The American Public Health Association (APA) is considered on of the oldest and largest organizations devoted to public health. The APA credits itself with some of the top professionals in the battlefield of public health. They have conducted more studies and published more information regarding public health than any other organization of its kind in the world so when they support the EPAs findings for stricter air quality control measures they speak for a vast majority of health professionals.Common sense requires one to disembodied spirit a sense of dread at the possibility of death as a result of poor air quality. The EPA has built a effective case for enacting stricter air qualities and they have a great plan for its enactment. It is cleare r now that the adoption of the 1997 AQMP has far reaching benefits for all. Scientifically sound evidence points to the populace of cleaner air from the plans enactment. Increases in technology will create economic step-up and business opportunity. And finally health risks resulting from poor air quality can be substantially reduced for both children and adults.The 1997 AQMP also provides measures for opposition the standards proposed in its regulations. Through, Intercredit Trading Program, Air Quality Investment Program and onward motion of Catalyst-Surface Coating Technology Programs for Air Conditioning Units. These measures are designed to sharpen compliance flexibility, to facilitate the implementation of the command and control measures . The command and control measures of the plan are simply implementation and enforcement policies which incorporate assistance and rewards for complying to regulations. just about of these programs are already successfully being operated at the present time. There is also an Air Quality Assistance Fund which has been enacted to help scurvy businesses comply with stricter emission regulations. The plan provides a loan guarantee for up to 90 percent of the loan amount, ranging from a minimum of $15,000 to a maximal of $250,000 . Money can be used for retrofitting operations to the point of complying with any portion of the AQMP. A study conducted buy Dr.Steven Meyer, director of the Massachusetts get of Technologys Project on Environmental Politics and Policy says, Job growthnot job loss is associated with stronger environmental policies. The 10 states with the strongest environmental policies out to have experienced annual employment growth rates or so . 6 percent higher than those of the 10 states with the weakest environmental policies. Opponents of Federal regulations very much rely on job scare tactics to kill a useful initiative such as the one proposed by the EPA but the facts are, jobs are created when i mprovements in technology are made.The plan provides a effected package from reasons for change through benefits of such changes right down to the genuine implementation of its policys. It provides areas of assistance for those who have trouble with compliance and places adequate emphasis on continued improvement in all areas regarding air quality. With regard to the health of the planet and the there is little reason remaining for the Federal government not to enforce stricter air quality measures.