Wednesday, June 25, 2003
CONTACT: Eric Cheung
(215) 567-4004, x237

Philly Region Baking in Air Pollution
Air Quality Experts Speak Out on What Philadelphia-Area Residents Need to Know About Air Quality Alerts

Philadelphia, PA - For the second day in a row, the Philadelphia region today experienced dangerously bad air quality, caused by pollution in large part from old, dirty power plants. Philadelphia has experienced two Red Alert Days since Tuesday, with more expected for the rest of the week. The alerts come as the Bush Administration is moving to put new loopholes in the Clean Air Act that will mean even dirtier power plants and even worse air pollution days.

"The Philadelphia region will be broiling again this summer - but as it turns out, the temperature is only the start of our problems," said Eric Cheung of Clean Air Council. "When it comes to what's really hurting our health and our children, it's not the heat - and it's not even the humidity. It's the air pollution. The last thing in the world we should be doing is making it worse."

Air pollution alerts are necessary when high temperatures and bright sun "cook" air pollution into unhealthful ozone smog. Children who participate in outdoor activities, adults who engage in strenuous outdoor exercise, the elderly, and those with asthma or other respiratory diseases are especially at risk from ozone exposure. Ozone smog can cause serious health impacts, triggering asthma attacks and, according to the latest science, possibly causing the onset of asthma in otherwise healthy children.

"President Bush needs to come to Philadelphia and explain to us why he supports a plan that will put more pollution into the air - when we're already choking on what we're breathing now," said Cheung.

Clean Air Council makes daily ozone forecasts available on its website at www.cleanair.org. Founded in 1967, Clean Air Council is committed to the belief that everyone has the right to breathe clean, healthful air.