Although the United States has done much to improve air quality, state and federal air quality standards continue to be exceeded to the detriment of public health and the environment throughout the country. More than half the toxic air pollutants across the United States originate from vehicle exhaust. And more than l00 million Americans live in areas that fail to meet the public health standards set some 16 years ago. Vehicle emissions have major health impacts, especially on people with asthma, whose symptoms are exacerbated by nitrogen oxides, ozone, and fine particulates. The US EPA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have all classified diesel exhaust as a probable human carcinogen.
Vehicles also contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, or smog.
When inhaled, ozone can cause acute respiratory problems, aggravate the symptoms of asthma, and cause inflammation of lung tissue. In New York City, the report found that over 100,000 emergency room visits and over 36,000 respiratory hospital admissions over the course of a single summer were attributable to ozone. Studies conducted by New York University Medical Center found similar results, not only in New York City but in Buffalo as well. Despite the improvements in reducing emissions from vehicles since the 1970s, nonattainment of the goals set by the EPA for ground-level ozone continues to be a significant problem. New York State has a pressing need to reduce vehicle-related air pollution Selecting and implementing strategies that can be most effective in reducing air pollution is of exceptional importance in New York State.