Rural Communities Need Clean Air

New standards for particulate pollution fell short of fully protecting people and ignored scientific recommendations, as well as the American Medical Association, the American Lung Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, but the standards did reaffirm the fact that rural communities, like their urban counterparts, also need clean air to breathe.

An earlier U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal threatened to exempt rural communities, as well as mining and agricultural activities, from meeting standards for particulate pollution.

The new standards, while a giveaway to polluters, at least continue to leave rural communities with protection. For towns like Aspen, Breckenridge, Canon City, Crested Butte, Lamar, Pagosa Springs, Steamboat Springs, Telluride, and others that have struggled and are continuing to struggle with particulate pollution, the new standards at least continue to give citizens and local governments the tools to protect health. Even in rural communities, particulate pollution can be a serious problem. Check out our previous post on dust clouds in Pueblo County for an example.

The L.A. Times had a great story today about the need for stronger particulate standards.