Fine particulate matter pollution, also known as soot, particle pollution, or PM2.5, is a dangerous pollutant that comes from many sources, including power plants, cars and trucks, diesel engines, and wildfires. Soot pollution is one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide, contributing to tens of thousands of deaths per year in the United States alone.
In January, EPA proposed new National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for soot—but the proposal doesn't go far enough in protecting our children and communities from avoidable harms.
Moms have fought for our children's right to breathe clean air for over a decade because we know that air pollution harms nearly every aspect of our health. Join us in calling on EPA to finalize soot pollution standards that follow the science and protect our children.
As a parent, I am writing to urge you to finalize strong fine particulate matter pollution standards that follow the science and protect our children.
We need standards of 8 μg/m3 for annual levels and 25 μg/m3 24-hour levels, as recommended by leading medical groups. Stronger standards will help prevent emergency room visits and hospitalizations, respiratory illness, heart disease, preterm and low birth weight babies, and deaths—and they will help prevent the stress and trauma for families that happen every time a loved one falls ill.
The burden of dirty air isn't distributed evenly. Communities of color and low-income communities bear a disproportionate share of the health harms of particle pollution, as they are often located near pollution sources like high-traffic roads and heavily polluting industrial facilities. Stronger standards could significantly reduce the burden on these communities.
We cannot afford to pass up this chance to address particle pollution with the strongest possible standards. This may be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to save lives, to protect the health of our children and communities, and to advance environmental justice.
Please finalize the strongest possible standards for fine particulate matter pollution. Our children deserve nothing less.
