Fw: One for the O3 docket

Tricia Crabtree to: Tricia Crabtree 01/12/2010 04:39 PM

From: alexbalboa_us@yahoo.com

To: Gina McCarthy/DC/USEPA/US@EPA

Date: 01/08/2010 07:28 PM

Subject: Concerns

Alex Balboa

1996 Waverly Drive

Bel Air, MD 21015-1100

January 8, 2010

Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Rm. 6101A

Washington, DC 20460

 Assistant Administrator McCarthy:

I was reading the latest news media article "EPA proposes nation's 

strictest limits on smog Large segments of the U.S. would be over limit" 

(January 8, 2010) with great interest. Please review and implement an 

action plan to thoroughly address this extremely troubling issue. Media 

reports continue to underscore the alleged widespread and overwhelming 

levels of smog pollution throughout Harford County and/or the State of 

Maryland at all levels with little action to address this significant 

issue, despite strong documentation indicating such problems exist. 

Please contact the appropriate stakeholders/personnel to turnaround these 

growing issues and concerns. Please coordinate, collaborate and cooperate 

on Federal, State and/or local jurisdictional levels in addressing these 

concerns potentially impacting adversely public health, policy, finances, 

trust, confidence, ecosystem, environment and quality of life issues. 

Thank you for your time in this matter and hope to hear from you soon. 

Sincerely, Alex Balboa 1996 Waverly Drive Bel Air, MD 21015-1100

...The Environmental Protection Agency proposed the nation's 

strictest-ever smog limits Thursday, a move that could put large parts of 

the country in violation of federal air-quality regulations. ...The EPA 

proposed allowing a ground-level ozone concentration of 60 to 70 parts per 

billion, down from the 75 parts per billion standard adopted under 

President George W. Bush in 2008. ...Obama administration officials and 

environmental groups say the new standards align with the levels 

scientists say are needed to safeguard against increased respiratory 

diseases, particularly in children, and that they could eventually save 

$100 billion in heath costs. The EPA said compliance costs could be up to 

$90 billion nationwide. ...The EPA's proposal could lead to cleaner air in 

Maryland, where the Baltimore area once was considered second to Los 

Angeles as the smoggiest place in the country. Though air quality has 

improved greatly in recent years as a result of pollution controls imposed 

at the federal and state level, it is still worse in most of the state 

than what the EPA is considering as the new safety threshold for human 

health. ...A 65-ppb standard - the middle of the proposed range - would 
avert 1,700 to 5,100 premature deaths nationwide in 2020, compared with

the 75-ppb standard, the EPA estimates. The agency says the stricter 

standard would prevent 26,000 more cases of aggravated asthma and more 

than 1 million days when people miss work or school. ...The EPA also 

proposed setting a "secondary standard" to protect plants and trees from 

repeated smog exposure during growing season, a move environmentalists 

said would boost national parks, forests and sensitive ecosystems. ...EPA 

Administrator Lisa Jackson said the agency was "stepping up to protect 

Americans from one of the most persistent and widespread pollutants we 

face. ... Using the best science to strengthen these standards is a long 

overdue action that will help millions of Americans breathe easier and 

live healthier." ...Environmentalists praised the agency for proposing 

regulations that match the unanimous recommendations of an EPA science 

advisory committee. ..."We applaud EPA for listening to health 

professionals and scientists, and proposing a rule that provides real 

protection for millions of people," said Bruce Nilles, director of the 

Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign. "This rule will help ensure that all 

major sources of pollution get cleaned up." ...Maryland counties over 

suggested limit Maryland counties where ozone levels were higher from 

2006-2008 than the range of limits under consideration by the EPA: 

...•Anne Arundel ...•Baltimore ...•Calvert ...•Carroll ...•Cecil 

...•Charles ...•Frederick ...•Garrett ...•Harford ...•Kent ...•Montgomery 

...•Prince George's ...•Washington ...Baltimore City's ozone levels 

exceeded the lower limit the EPA is considering, of 60 parts per billion, 

but were just under the higher limit of 70 parts per billion.

Sincerely,

Alex Balboa

4104200982

Alex Balboa sent this message via Congress.org, which uses the Capwiz·XC 

system. Congress.org is a free public service of Capitol Advantage and 

Knowlegis, LLC. You may access Congress.org here: http://congress.org