Reader Views on EPA ozone standard and air quality

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A collection of reader opinion letters published in The Tennessean discussing the EPA's new ozone standard and air quality in the Nashville area. The letters debate the merits of stricter air quality standards, with one writer criticizing the EPA standard as insufficient and calling for stronger climate action from legislators, while another expresses skepticism about environmental regulations.

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Reader Views

Nashville area challenged to reduce vehicles on road (04/07/2008)
Tighter ozone standard needed than EPA will apply (04/07/2008)
Region must keep improving air quality (04/07/2008)
State, local efforts needed to make goals (04/07/2008)

The EPA's new ozone standard and air quality in the Nashville area is about as important as Al Gore's global warming claims. Neither one makes any sense. We have a catalytic converter on the automobiles to change the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide.

Which one would you rather breathe? The emissions test is a way to get $10 more out of each car owner. The clean-air fiasco is a way for people like Al Gore and the tree-huggers to make money. When someone like myself, who doesn't go along with the propaganda, says anything, we are looked on as if we have said something against motherhood and apple pie.

Hershel Butts
Mt. Juliet 37122
unclehershel@bellsouth.net

I was very disappointed that the EPA's new ozone standard was not what scientist stated was necessary to significantly reduce the heart and asthma attacks caused by polluted air.

Stronger standards would easily pay for themselves if you calculate in the cost of hospital care due to our bad air pollution. It also highlights the larger problem that this administration is making scientific decisions conform to policy instead of basing policy on what science tells us is needed. The strongest example of this is the administration total lack of action on climate change.

I was happy to see stated in your article that the stricter air standards were supported by Sen. Lamar Alexander, but was disappointed that he did not call for the stricter standard that scientists had called for. This also seems to reflect the senator's position on climate change. He has stated that it is not a question of whether to act but how to act on climate change. But the "how" to act is the root of the problem, there are already strong comprehensive bills proposed that he could co-sponsor that follow the standards set by scientist.

Yet, Sen. Alexander has failed to support any of them. It is time for our administration and our own legislators to start worrying less about politics and more about what science says is needed to protect the health of our citizens.

Gil Hough
Knoxville 37914

We need to make the EPA's new ozone standard and air quality clearer to all Nashvillians. We should all know more about what these standards are. We should learn ways we can recognize poor quality air. Sometimes, we can recognize when the air is bad, but we would do well to recognize subtler signs, as well.

Hampton Howell
Nashville 37217