Investing in the future
To the Editor:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) newly announced Clean Power Plan is, in the words of Administrator Gina McCarthy, “an investment in a better future for all of our children.” With a promise to prevent up to 3,600 premature deaths, 90,000 asthma attacks and 300,000 days of missed work and school, it will enable us all to enjoy lifesaving benefits while we fight the ever-increasing health effects of climate change.
Cleaning up carbon pollution benefits public health immediately, as it will also cut emissions of other dangerous pollutants that lead to ozone and particulate matter. We can begin to see these immediate benefits if Massachusetts taking action today to comply with this necessary healthy air safeguard.
Healthy air is essential to life. Polluted air unfairly harms some more than others—children, older adults, kids and adults with asthma, people with COPD, heart disease, those who work or exercise outside and even low income communities. Dirty air threatens the health of someone in nearly every American family.
I urge our decisionmakers to not delay in putting the steps in place in Massachusetts that will allow us to achieve a healthier future for our families today.
Jeff Seyler
Boston
American Lung Association of the Northeast
President & CEO