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Statement Of Lee Medart
Environmental Protection Agency
Aging Initiative Public Listening Session
Tampa, Florida
April 3, 2003
Lee Medart
HOLES IN THE GOVERNMENT'S ECONOMIC ANALYSES
for CLEAN AIR
for CLEAN AIR
The primary measure used in determining that the senior citizen was less valuable than younger citizens was that they had a shorter time to live. Therefore, it wasn't "economically" feasible to spend money on them such as cleaning up our air pollution. This analysis reduces the current clean-air standards by 2 1/2 times nationwide, which will adversely affect a large number of America's citizens as well as the senior citizens.
I remember when the Clean Air Act was passed forty years ago. I also remember the original intent was to clean up the dirty power plants that had been plaguing our air for the past twenty years. Now, many of these plants have been putting their pollutants into our air for more than 50 years and it seems you've opened a loophole to let it continue. I must comment that 40 and 50 years ago I was in the "younger generation."
Under the last administration, EPA sued power companies for violating New Source Review. In Florida alone, pollution from these companies has led to 230 premature deaths, 4,700 asthma attacks and 39,000 lost workdays each year. By the way, lost workdays are NOT a "senior citizen" concern. Why are we letting these polluters get away with this?
Air pollution harms ALL citizens of the United States. In fact the Centers for Disease Control has said that heart disease, cancer and stroke are worsened by air pollution. Today, more than 35 million Americans are 65 and over, a number that is expected to double by the year 2030, when more than 20 percent of our population will be in this age bracket.
Unfortunately, Administrator Whitman, your EPA doesn't seem to care. The list is getting long. You are gutting the Clean Air Act and New Source Review, our last existing defense against air pollution. You use this new "Senior Death Discount" that claims my life is worth 63% of a younger person's. You concoct this Clear Skies proposal that doesn't force real clean-up for another 15 years. It is clear letting "big business" polluters off the hook is more important that protecting the health of all American citizens as well as our environment. Remember I still vote!