While we haven’t discussed air that much as a resource, here’s a local story on air pollution.
This past December, the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sued the EPA in federal court over health protection safeguards that limit fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) pollution. Extensive scientific studies have confirmed that fine particle pollution is linked to significant and widespread premature death from heart disease and lung disease, as well as health problems such as heart attacks, asthma attacks and bronchitis. These studies support the idea that there is no known safe level of exposure to fine particulate matter pollution.
Represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, Clean Air Carolina, the North Carolina Coastal Federation and Western North Carolina Alliance have requested that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia allow us to intervene in this crucial case. DENR’s actions could negatively impact all North Carolinians. According to June Blotnick, CAC’s Executive Director, “This lawsuit shows the extent to which DENR will go to as they prioritize the financial interests of industry over protection of the public’s right to breathe clean, healthy air. The current administration is intent on making us think we have to choose between jobs and clean air, which is just not the case.”