For Immediate Release
American Public Health Association cheers new clean air standard for power plants
Statement
from Georges Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), Executive Director
Washington, D.C.,
March 27, 2012
— “The American Public Health Association welcomes a new standard for new power
plants released today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that will strengthen
the Clean Air Act, reduce carbon pollution and protect public health.
“Reducing
carbon dioxide emissions from power plants — the nation’s single largest source
of carbon pollution — will help limit the gases that contribute to climate
change, which poses serious, long-term health consequences.
“Climate
change and rising temperatures expose more Americans to conditions that result
in illness and death due to respiratory illness, heat-related stress and
insect-borne diseases. These maladies fall most heavily on our most vulnerable
communities, including children, older adults, those with serious health
conditions and poor people.
“APHA
applauds EPA for issuing this new standard and strengthening public health
protections under the Clean Air Act.”
For
more about APHA, visit http://www.apha.org.
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Founded in 1872, the APHA is the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world. The association aims to protect all Americans and their communities from preventable, serious health threats and strives to assure community-based health promotion and disease prevention activities and preventive health services are universally accessible in the United States. APHA represents a broad array of health providers, educators, environmentalists, policy-makers and health officials at all levels working both within and outside governmental organizations and educational institutions. More information is available at www.apha.org.
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