An easy action you can take to protect the air Utah’s children breathe
Photo courtesy of E P Kosmicki.
Utah families and health professionals have an opportunity to protect clean air for kids – an opinion piece in the Desert News outlines a crucial opportunity to get involved.
Trump’s EPA says greenhouse gases don’t endanger people. They’re attempting to undo the 2009 “endangerment finding,” which allows the Clean Air Act to regulate pollutants from burning fossil fuels, such as carbon dioxide and methane.
Utah is impacted because the rollback of regulations meant to protect the public’s health and reduce our impact on the climate crisis allowed for a delay of the closures of two of the dirtiest power plants in the US, right here in Utah.
As a concerned Utahn, you can protect the EPA’s ability to limit climate-heating pollution by signing onto this letter from the American Lung Association by TODAY, September 17.
If you are a HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, you can take action here in two ways: Urge leaders of your professional societies to join in opposing the repeal of the Endangerment Finding by September 17, and submit a public comment by September 22.
UPHE member, Sarah Schear, MD, MS in Salt Lake wrote in the Desert News, “As a pediatrician in Utah, I have the honor of witnessing the deep love parents have for their children: a mother who wakes up through the night to give her child with lung disease inhaled medicines, a father who recognizes a change in his child’s breathing and advocates for a transfer to the hospital’s intensive care unit.
“I am humbled daily by the bravery I see in Utah parents and by the dedication of the nurses, doctors and therapists I work alongside. Today, I’m asking for Utah parents and health professionals to join me in advocating to protect the health of Utah’s kids.
“Last month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a plan to end a policy called “the Endangerment Finding,” which is the scientific foundation for regulating greenhouse gas pollution to protect public health. This policy underpins clean vehicle standards, a key tool to curb the major source of air pollution within Wasatch Front communities. If successful, the repeal of this policy will directly harm the health and wellbeing of Utah’s children today and in future generations.”
Please take action TODAY! Your voice can make a difference.