Protecting your lungs is part of my Hippocratic Oath. As a medical professional, you cannot work effectively for the health of your patients without promoting the health of the community. I work on behalf of everyone with lungs, no matter their age - even the unborn!
That is why I oppose the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rollback of the cleaner cars standards.
Dr. Brent MorrisThe current cleaner cars standards would reduce emissions from cars and protect healthy air for all Americans.
There is no question air pollution harms health. Not one single study demonstrates beneficial effects from dirty air. Air pollution causes well-documented problems: childhood asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, COPD and more - all worsened by air pollution. Air pollution even shortens lives.
Compelling numbers of people in our community are at serious risk because of dirty air. Of the Chattanooga-Cleveland- Dalton population, more than 20,000 children are diagnosed with asthma (as are more than 75,000 adults.)
As a pediatrician, I tell parents to keep their children inside on high ozone days, as such exposure is unhealthy for their developing lungs and, for kids with asthma, dirty air can induce an asthma attack.
In the late 90's, Hamilton County had more than 55 bad air quality days annually, forcing Chattanoogans to breathe dangerous levels of ozone pollution. Thankfully, through the successful implementation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act, the metro Chattanooga area now has much cleaner air and meets the official limits on ozone pollution. This is significant progress.
Despite Chattanooga's dark history with dirty air, our air is cleaner now thanks to dedicated local and national efforts initiated and maintained through the Clean Air Act. Through their support of the Clean Air Act, we can thank Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker for being a part of that success. As former mayor of Chattanooga, Sen. Corker particularly should understand what cleaner air means to our city.
Unfortunately, this remarkable progress toward clean air for all in our community is threatened by the rollback of the cleaner cars standards that was announced on Aug. 2. Sensible emission standards for vehicles are critical for reducing harmful pollution and have delivered meaningful public health benefits. Now is definitely not the time to move backward in the fight for healthy air.
The history and science have not changed. We still need clean air!
What has changed is the commitment to public health and clean air by the Environmental Protection Agency. Ask Senators Corker and Alexander to stand up for our right to breathe clean by voicing their opposition to the administration's cleaner cars rollback. Our children should not have to hold their breath to see what they do.
Dr. Brent Morris, a pediatrician in Hamilton County, received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and has been in practice for almost 40 years.