The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a rollback of standards aimed at reducing carbon emissions from power plants. This announcement has prompted a response from Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association.
Wimmer stated, "Emissions from power plants are driving climate change and making air quality worse, putting millions of lives at risk. Communities nationwide are already experiencing the health toll of the changing climate. More frequent and intense extreme heat events, storms, floods, and wildfires, and longer allergy seasons, are resulting in more asthma attacks, respiratory symptoms, and more emergency room visits."
He emphasized that these standards not only reduce carbon emissions but also decrease other harmful air pollutants. According to Wimmer, they serve as a critical tool for mitigating the negative health impacts associated with dirty energy sources.
"As the health of people around the country is being harmed," Wimmer continued, "it is unconscionable that our leaders would deliberately work to undo steps already in place to help prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Repealing these standards would ignore the overwhelming scientific evidence and the strong public support for protecting health."
Wimmer warned that reversing these measures would leave the nation less prepared and compromise air safety. He noted that vulnerable groups such as children, older adults, pregnant women, and those with chronic health conditions could be particularly affected.
"We call on EPA to reconsider this deeply harmful proposal," he urged. "We must move forward, not backward, on air and health protections. The health of our families, our neighborhoods, and future generations depends on it."
