Trump Administration Gives Americans a Holiday “Gift” of More Smog
Statement of EDF Senior Attorney Rachel Fullmer – December 23, 2020
“Tens of millions of Americans live in an area with unhealthy levels of smog, and today’s decision by the Trump administration to leave inadequate protections in place risks their health and well-being.
“The administration is legally required to ensure that our national standards for ground-level ozone pollution are set at a level that protects public health, including a margin of safety for those who are especially vulnerable to smog. Smog exacerbates lung conditions like asthma and is linked to a wide array of serious heart and lung diseases. It’s especially dangerous for children, the elderly, people who work outdoors, and low-income communities or communities of color.
“However, instead of fulfilling his duty, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler rushed a decision to maintain our current standards – in spite of a large body of medical and scientific studies showing those standards are outdated and do not adequately protect public health.
“The administration just gave all Americans the extremely unwanted holiday gift of more air pollution. This action should earn the administration giant lumps of coal in their stockings, but the rest of us should not have to suffer from the air pollution that coal smokestacks create. The incoming Biden Administration should take immediate steps to reverse this harmful decision.”
- Rachel Fullmer, EDF senior attorney
With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org
Media Contact
Latest press releases
-
Trump Administration Will Not Enforce Vehicle Fuel Economy Standards, Imposing Costs on Americans
June 6, 2025 -
Groups Express Thanks and Support for California to Continue Driving Down Harmful Vehicle Pollution
June 5, 2025 -
Environmental Organizations Tell Court that New York Must Implement Its Delayed Climate Law
June 5, 2025 -
Zeldin EPA Moves Forward with Delaying Commonsense Pollution Protections
June 5, 2025 -
State Senate Vote Signals California Remains Committed to Consolidating a West-Wide Electricity Market
June 4, 2025 -
Houston-area Students Selected as Winners in Environmental Defense Fund Video Contest
June 2, 2025