Bill Would Protect Public Health with Better Air Pollution Data

(Washington, D.C. – July 13, 2022) U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today reintroduced the Public Health Air Quality Act of 2022, a bill that would strengthen air quality monitoring in communities near industrial sources of pollution.

“A lack of adequate air pollution monitoring is a direct threat to the health of millions of people who live with unhealthy air. The Public Health Air Quality Act would expand the number of air pollution monitors, especially at key industrial facilities, and prioritize placement of those monitors in communities in harm’s way.

“The Public Health Air Quality Act would also provide for expanded use of satellite data — a new and powerful resource that should be more accessible to communities — and ensure pollution data gets put to immediate use to protect public health.

“Expanding air pollution monitoring is especially important for communities of color and low-income communities that have for too long borne the burden of air pollution because of their proximity to high-polluting petrochemical facilities and other industrial sources.  If we hope to build a just, equitable and livable future for everyone, our communities and policy makers need better access to information that can hold polluters accountable, lead to community-empowered solutions, and end policies that create vulnerabilities.

“It is crucial that everyone has information about the air they breathe, and we thank Rep. Blunt Rochester, Sen. Duckworth and Congressional environmental justice leaders for their leadership in prioritizing the health of our communities.”

● Vickie Patton, General Counsel, Environmental Defense Fund