Dear John,

The air we breathe sets the standard for our health and wellness. However, dangerous types of air pollution — like soot — puts that in jeopardy. 

Soot, officially known as particle pollution, is a dangerous and deadly pollutant produced by power plants, vehicle tailpipes and industrial sources. Studies have found that soot causes thousands of deaths each year. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just proposed an update to our outdated and insufficient national protections for soot, but it doesn’t go far enough. Take action and urge Administrator Regan to set the strongest protections possible to slash health harming air pollution.

By submitting a public comment today, you can show your support for national standards that will clean our air, advance environmental justice and protect our health. 

Exposure to, and inhalation of, soot leads to increased mortality rates, hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room. It is also linked to a variety of heart and lung diseases, in addition to reduced lung development in children, higher rates of asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, cancer and early death.

Impacts like these are particularly felt in communities of color and low-income communities, which are more likely to be situated in areas with sources of this deadly pollutant. But stronger federal standards could change this, shrinking disparities and ensuring cleaner air for everyone. 

EPA’s proposed standards are a step towards a cleaner future, without the threat of particle pollution. But to protect everyone we need an even stronger commitment. Stronger standards that limit soot could protect the health of millions and provide clear, transparent, and urgently needed information to Americans across the country about pollution levels in their communities.

By strengthening their proposed standards, EPA could better protect our communities from soot — safeguarding the health of millions of people annually. Help fight for a cleaner future, submit a public comment today!

Thanks for your support,

Wes Rogerson
Manager, Grassroots Organizing & Activism