These special interests want Congress to halt the new safeguards. If that direct assault fails, they will pressure Congress to adopt legislation leading to extensive court review and many years of litigation before these standards can be fully implemented. I believe we cannot afford to shortchange protecting our children's health and that opponents of these protections will once again be shown wrong. The benefits will far outweigh the actual costs. Every parent should be watching this battle closely.
Kids are especially susceptible to harm from air pollution.
Their respiratory defenses are not fully developed and their airways are smaller than those of adults. Pound for pound, children need more oxygen and inhale more pollutants than adults. Dozens of studies have proven our current air quality goals are not strong enough. A recent study by the American Lung Association and the Harvard School of Public Health found emergency department visits and hospitalizations for respiratory problems doubled on days where the ozone level was high - even when the ozone registered below the current standard. At ozone levels 33 percent below the current standard, children at summer camp and healthy exercising adults suffer from shortness of breath, coughing, painful breathing and loss of lung function.