Dear Editor:
The recent Supreme Court decision upholding the right of the EPA to set air quality standards based solely on health concerns was a victory for the people of New Jersey. It validated the EPA’s 1997 decision to set an eight hour standard for smog which recognizes the adverse effects of long-term exposure and better protects public health.
Nearly every community in New Jersey has a long way to go to reach these new air quality goals. While violations of the old one hour standard have been declining over the years, we have made little progress with respect to the new eight hour standard since 1994. Smog is still sending people to the hospital with respiratory distress and reducing the lung function of every single person throughout the summer.
New Jersey needs to take a more aggressive course in curbing smog levels. Cars and trucks emit large amounts of the toxic chemicals which form smog, accounting for well over a third of these emissions across the state. By requiring car manufacturers to sell their cleanest models within the state, as New York does, New Jersey could take a significant step toward cleaning the air.
Acting Governor DiFrancesco should instruct the DEP to adopt the same clean car program that New York has. He has a golden opportunity to fulfill the promise of this Supreme Court decision and protect our health for decades to come.
Travis Madsen, Clean Air Associate
New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG)
Editor’s note: The NJPIRG is the state’s leading public interest advocacy organization with over 20,000 citizen members.