Local Expert Says Trump's Climate Regulations May Set Public Health Back 50 Years
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A local expert weighs in on President Donald Trump's orders to curb government enforcement of climate regulations.
People with asthma, COPD, and lung cancer have a tough road ahead, according to Dr. Gregory Kane, chair of the Department of Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
"My fear is that rolling back these regulations will ultimately hurt the very patients I try to take care of every day," said Kane.
Kane specializes in pulmonary disease, and says with these executive orders public health may be set back by 50 years to a time before the Environmental Protection Agency regulated industry.
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"Patients had profound issues related to breathing, in polluted communities, and profound issues with the safety of the water supply," he said.
Kane says America should be a worldwide leader in finding and using sustainable, renewable forms of energy instead of relying on fossil fuels.
Kane adds, "I'm worried about the increase burning of fossil fuels, and the negative effect it's going to have on my patient's breathing."