EPA administrator Carol Browner recently prevailed in her effort to promulgate new air quality standards for ozone and particulate matter.
Since the proposed rules were announced last November, Carol continually (and cynically) has wailed about how important the rules were for public health, particularly children. Paraphrasing Carol, "the science demands we take action."
O.K, just for a moment, let's lose our heads and believe Carol. If she's right, by the time the rules are fully implemented (about seven years from now), there will have been:
- 105,000 more premature deaths;
- 1.75 million more aggravated asthma episodes;
- 1.75 million more acute respiratory problems in children (including aggravated coughing and painful breathing);
- 420,000 more cases of chronic bronchitis; and
- 63,000 more hospital admissions for respiratory problems.
[Estimates based on EPA claims made in its November 26, 1996 press release.]
So Carol, why aren't we implementing the rules immediately? Don't you care about "the children?" Exactly how do you sleep at night? What kind of public health crusader are you?
Oh yeah...I forgot. You already know these aren't claims of heath effects that will actually occur. It's just more EPA junk science!
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz....................
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