Scientists Issue Scathing Review of EPA Ozone Proposal

On Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee issued a scathing criticism of the agency's proposal to leave air standards for ozone unchanged in the coming years. The criticism merely echoes the latest science that overwhelmingly shows that current standards for ozone are not protecting the health of children, seniors, those with asthma, and many others.

According to the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee:

• There is no scientific justification for retaining the current primary 8-hr NAAQS [National Ambient Air Quality Standard] of 0.08 parts per million (ppm) [80 parts per billion], and
  

• The primary 8-hr NAAQS needs to be substantially reduced to protect human health, particularly in sensitive subpopulations.

• A new standard should be set between 60 and 70 parts per billion, averaged over an 8-hour period, at least 10 and perhaps 20 parts per billion lower than the current standard.
  

For Denver's air quality, this already has serious implications. Ozone levels consistently rise to 60 ppb or more during the summer. Just because the standard hasn't changed, doesn't mean we shouldn't be concerned. For our health and that of our children, we obviously need much cleaner air in Denver.