Heather Pendleton

Sue Maligie
Pols 155-21
Levi Watts
13 October 2017
Talking Points: Pollution

Policy Area: Pollution

Specific Policy Problem (issue): Air pollution in California is becoming more and more
prominent. The air quality in California, mainly Southern California, is an issue that needs to be
resolved. The amount of common air pollutants are harming the U.S. population and need to be
reduced.

Preliminary Policy Solution: The amount of common air pollutants needs to be reduced. In
2015 the EPA strengthened their ground-level ozone standards.
Common Air Polluters:
The EPA has already declared a war against common air pollutants. If states are found to
not be within the the standards set for common air pollutants, states are required to revise their
air regulations and set implementation plans to meet state standards. The reduction of Common
air pollutants is detrimental to our health and environmental well-being. The effects CAPs can
take on our health include eye, throat, and nose irritation, breathing difficulties such as asthma,
worsening preexisting of lung and heart problems, and increased risk of heart attack. The
environmental effects include acid rain, which happens in either liquid form (rain) or gaseous
form (fog) and is caused primarily by the release of fossil fuels into the atmosphere. Acid rain is
extremely harmful to wildlife, damaging trees and making water unsuitable for marine life.
Another effect is ozone depletion, ozone in the stratosphere is what protects the Earth from
harmful ultraviolet rays that come from the sun. The stratospheric ozone level is slowly being
destroyed due to the release of man-made chemicals (common air pollutants) into the
atmosphere. The depletion of the ozone layer will lead to skin cancer, cataracts, impaired
immune system and can damage light sensitive and reduce crop output.(Patrick)
A solution to common air pollutants is issuing restrictions on motor vehicles through the
EPA. In 2012 Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that called for 1.5 million zero-emission
vehicles by 2025 and the state has already started funding infrastructure initiatives to make that
happen.. This is because vehicles that burn fossil fuels (gasoline) are one of the biggest
contributors to the accumulation of air pollutants. Putting a limit on the amount of gasoline
powered automobiles should hopefully help reduce CAPs.
The main sources of common air pollutants are oil and energy companies. They
continuously fight against EPA regulations in order to stay successful and make profits. The last
thing they want is restrictions to be placed on their means of profits. There are many energy
company interest groups who are fighting the EPAs current regulations and lobbying for reform.

Climate Change:
The effects of climate change on the public's health are becoming increasingly prominent
as the air quality declines. As we can tell from recent environmental events, climate change leads
to extreme weather such as heat waves, drought, wildfires, flooding, and hurricanes. These
extreme weather patterns lead a wake of destruction in their path, not only for the people affected
by these events, but also on government agencies who have to use money to rebuild after a
catastrophe. Climate change alters the growth and production of certain plants and crops, which
is life threatening when you consider communities in third world countries who completely rely
on their crops as a source of food, it also impacts first world countries as prices for affected crops
go up. The U.S. Governments May 2014 National Climate Assessment came to the conclusion
that climate change was already causing losses and costs. Showing results of the damage it has
caused and the impacts it has had on infrastructure, ecosystems, and agriculture, and predicts an
incline in impacts across a wide range of communities, sectors, and ecosystem.
In 2015 the Clean Power Act was signed by president Obama. The CPA was
introduced in order to reduce carbon pollution that is released by power plants that are one of the
biggest contributors to air pollution. The bill claims to be fair and flexible and has strong, yet
achievable standards set for power plants. The CPA creates partnership between the EPA, states,
tribes, and U.S. territories, that allows the EPA to set a goal and states can decide how they
choose to meet this goal.
People still don't believe in climate change, especially our president. This affects policy
issues and digs us deeper into the climate change hole. American Enterprise is an interest group
that continually tries to undermine the credibility of scientific research on climate change and the
effects air pollutants have on it.

Interest Groups: Environmental Defense Fund and American Coalition for Clean Coal Energy

The environmental defense fund has multiple ways you can get involved with the
preservation of the environment. A few examples of this is their call to tell Scott Pruitt that
revoking the clean power act is unacceptable, asking us to not allow Trump to move policy
progressions backward. Another task they call to citizens to action on is disallowing Trump to
launch unsound and anti science information on the Clean Power Act that will also take away
from the progression our nation has made on the fight against climate change.

An action the EDF has played a role in is working strategically with members from both
parties and other organizations in order to create a balanced bill. That bill was the Lautenberg
Act of 2016, which set reforms on the old chemical-safety law. The EDF also has played a role
in reducing methane levels. They reduced methane emissions on 245 million acres of taxpayer
owned and tribal lands, saving lands, money, and protecting public health. The EDF was behind
the science advocacy that bred federal action against the senate who tried to repeal actions that
would limit methane emissions.

An interest group who is against my policy area is American Coalition for Clean Coal
Electricity (ACCCE). Just from their name, you can presume that they are supporters of dirty
energy that contains common air pollutants. Their mission is to advocate at the federal and state
levels on behalf of coal-fueled electricity and the coal fleet. This would also indicate that they
are willing to advocate against policies that are trying to better the air quality because it will
most likely put restrictions on coal electricity production. The ACCCE posted an article on their
website that commended that administration of the EPA for signing a proposal that would repeal
the Clean Power Act (CPA). The ACCCE stated that the CPA was illegal, expensive, and
ineffective.. and that would cause many coal power plants to be shut down, which would be an
issue regarding the electricity grid and its security and resilience.

Government Officials and Agencies:

Jerry Brown, California State Governor Governor jerry Brown is known to be an

advocate for protective environmental policy. Concerning air pollution policy
specifically, he recently signed legislation that targeted improving air quality in
disadvantaged communities. He also has signed multiple legislation that was aimed
toward zero-emission transportation, in hopes of reducing fossil fuels and their toxic
emissions. In 2013, Governor Jerry Brown pledged to putting 1.5 million
environmentally conscious vehicles on the roads by 2025.
United States Environmental Protection Agency The current administrator is Scott
Pruitt and he operates at the federal level. You would contact the EPA with questions
regarding policies, or an issue you may have with a certain policy. You can also contact
them if you are looking to draw their attention to an issue that you feel needs to be
addressed.

Sources

"Air Pollution: Current and Future Challenges." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 07
June 2017. Web. 12 Oct. 2017.
"About EPA." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 21 Aug. 2017. Web.

Barboza, Tony, and Chris Megerian. "Governor Signs Air Pollution Legislation." Los
Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2017. Web.

Bloodworth, Michelle. "ACCCE Welcomes Repeal of the Clean Power Plan." America's
Power. N.p., 10 Oct. 2017. Web

Meyers, John . "Gov. Jerry Brown signs new zero-emission laws." Los Angeles Times. Los
Angeles Times, n.d. Web.

Patrick, Deval L. Health and Environmental Effects of Air Pollution. Boston: Department of
Environmental Protection, n.d. Print.

Worland, Justin. "California Climate Change Policies Could Aid Public Health." Time. Time,
15 June 2017. Web. 10 Oct. 2017.