A new study from Johns Hopkins University shows that had President Obama backed more stringent smog standards last year, 67% more lives would saved than under the current standard. Some 2,450-4,130 deaths each year would have been prevented if a standard of 70 parts per billion were established. The majority of these would be in greater Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.
The EPA’s scientific advisors recommended a new standard of 60-70 parts per billion for ozone. If the even more stringent standard had been established 5,210-7,990 lives would be saved annually.
Environmental Health News notes that the study says that these averted deaths would be on top of “millions of cased of asthma attacks and other acute respiratory problems…as well as millions of days of missed school.”
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