O The Weather Outside Is Frightful

As noted here, 13 states filed suit against the EPA in Philadelphia today to stop another Buscho assault on our health.

The purpose of the suit is to prevent the EPA from raising the acceptable level of soot emissions to 13 or 14 micrograms per cubic meter of air to the 15-microgram level that took effect yesterday.

This appeared in the story...

The (EPA's) own analysis found that lowering the level to 13 would have prevented 24,000 premature deaths per year from chronic respiratory disease and asthma attacks, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, one of the parties to the lawsuit.

"This case is just one more example of the federal government ignoring sound science in establishing environmental policy and watering down safeguards designed to protect the public," Pennsylvania DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty said in a statement.

And in case anyone thinks this is an apparently miniscule difference in the “acceptable level of smog” (I don’t know how any level of fog could be considered “acceptable”…to whom, I wonder? Certainly not me), I should provide this information from a report that appeared in the American Journal of Epidemiology that was reprinted in the Los Angeles Times (I cannot locate a date on this link, but I have a feeling that this information has been known for some time).

More than 12 other studies in the United States, Brazil, Europe, Mexico, South Korea and Taiwan have established links between air pollutants and low birthweight, premature birth, stillbirth and infant death, the Times reports. For instance, a team of U.S. and Swedish researchers reported earlier this year that pregnant women in several U.S. cities who were exposed to elevated carbon monoxide levels during their third trimester were 31% more likely than other women to give birth to underweight babies.

Another study by UCLA researchers published last year found that pregnant women exposed to elevated levels of microscopic particles during the final six weeks of pregnancy were 20% more likely to deliver a baby prematurely than women whose pollutant exposure levels were lower. In addition, a 1998 study by Brazilian researchers found that pregnant women exposed to high levels of nitrogen and sulfur oxides were 18% more likely than other women to have their pregnancies end in stillbirth. Researchers in that study also found evidence of carbon monoxide in the umbilical cords of nonsmokers, suggesting that air pollutants can reach fetuses through the umbilical cord. Carbon monoxide can cut off oxygen to a fetus, resulting in death, the Times reports.

Now someone would argue that there are other factors out there that can contribute to premature birth, and that would be correct, but given the fact that smog can be so damaging, I cannot possibly imagine why the EPA would want to raise the “acceptable” smog limit (actually, I take that back – I can: probably because some lobbyists, wealthy campaign donors or both cried about how they’re oppressed by that baaad government regulation again and how it’s destroying the American system of free enterprise).

As with other issues with a critical impact on our lives, I sometimes wonder why there isn’t more of a public outcry. That being said, I should point out this story that recently appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

I was initially intrigued by the title “GOP Failed To Leave Mark on Environmental Issues,” which I thought was kind of a curious way to put it. As I read the article, it appeared that the writer was almost apologizing over the fact that the Repugs could not have gutted existing environmental law in a more radical fashion.

Actually, I think the headline should be that the GOP was outsmarted on that front by a coalition of environmentalists and hunters/sports enthusiasts (and how often does that happen, anyway?), but that’s probably nit picking on my part (and based on their web site, I think it’s safe to say that the Center for the Rocky Mountain West based at the University of Montana was probably a key part of that process).

But of course, to keep the wingnuts happy, the article provides this quote and others to keep their lizard brains functioning…

"I just don't think the Republicans made the case that these changes could be made in an environmentally friendly way and in a way that would make a real difference at the pump or in terms of electricity prices," (Ben) Lieberman (of the Heritage Foundation) said.

That’s because no such case can be made unless done so disingenuously (and speaking of that, ThinkProgress provides this example of environmental demagoguery by the recently-defeated House Repug Richard Pombo of California).

There are so many reasons to do right by the environment (almost too much of a common sense issue to point out – almost). And the fact that so many of us did our part to one degree or another in opposition to the departing Congress and this administration and continue to do what we can should be a source of pride that should strengthen our resolve to carry on.