Congressman joins Detroit community to raise concerns about EPA's proposed standards on soot
(CBS DETROIT) - Michigan Congressman Shri Thanedar joined members of the faith community to raise concerns about the EPA's new proposed standards on soot.
Currently, the agency is considering changing the standard to between 9-10 micrograms per cubic meter. Concerned community members are asking the EPA to go even further to make the standard 8 micrograms per cubic meter.
The group referenced a study by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, which recommends the standard be at 8, claiming it could save up to 20,000 lives a year.
"This is an urgent civil rights issue," said Detroit resident Victoria Kovari.
Kovari knows first hand the effects of pollution. She was one of many apart of 1990s class action lawsuit that led to the closure of a manufacturing plant.
She and others claimed the company was releasing pollutants that led to health issues.
"They had been emitting terrible pollutants," she said. "The smell of that place was horrible. I developed asthma. My son developed asthma."
Kovari is now joining the fight for better soot standards.
"Some of the most polluted zip codes in Detroit and Michigan are in Southwest Detroit. We believe it will save lives by strengthening those soot standards," she said.
Thanedar, who represents Michigan's 13th District, said he spoke with the EPA about the soot proposal and about holding polluting companies accountable.
"I'm co-sponsoring, sponsoring legislation currently that will ask for stricter guidelines and ensuring the corporate polluters are prosecuted to the fullest extent," he said.
The EPA sent CBS News Detroit this statement in response to concerns to the proposed soot standards:
EPA is proposing to revise the level of the primary (health-based) annual PM2.5 standard from 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3 ) to a level within the range of 9.0 to 10.0 µg/m3, based on scientific evidence that shows the current standard does not protect public health with an adequate margin of safety, as required by the Clean Air Act (CAA).
· While proposing to revise the primary annual standard, EPA is soliciting comment on revising the level as low as 8.0 µg/m3 and up to 11.0 µg/m3 .
The EPA's full rationale for its proposed decisions, including its consideration of the available scientific and technical information, as well as input from the public and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), is described in detail in the proposal. Regarding the annual PM 2.5 standard, all CASAC members agree that the current level of the annual standard is not sufficiently protective of public health and should be lowered. Regarding the level of the annual PM 2.5 standard, the majority of CASAC members find that an annual average in the range of 8-10 μg/m3 would be appropriate. A minority of CASAC members find that a range of 10-11 μg/m3 for the annual PM 2.5 standard would be appropriate. Further details can be found in the CASAC's report: https://casac.epa.gov/ords/sab/f?p=113:0:7492003953039:APPLICATION_PROCESS=REPORT_DOC:::REPORT_ID:1094
We are not responding now to views on the proposal, rather we are taking comment on it through March 28. Here is a link to a summary Fact Sheet.
