NJ’s First Air Quality Alert Day: Failure to Reduce Pollution and Fight Climate Change

The state Department of Environmental Protection has issued a “code orange” air quality alert for Ocean County towns today, while the wildfire risk still remains high.  The air quality alert means that air pollution and high ozone concentrations could be a problem for children, people with asthma, heart disease and other lung diseases and the elderly, according to the National Weather Service.

“It’s only early May and already we have an alert about the poor air quality. Usually we don’t see these days until mid-June, but it has been issued now because it is the second 90-degree day. With days like today if you are an a- risk person whether you have respiratory problems, asthma, or are a child, you know firsthand how bad the air is. Air pollution from natural gas pipelines, power plants, and automobiles is leading to serious health effects,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We are seeing more and earlier bad ozone days because of the failures to clean up pollution and fight climate change. This shows us how serious air pollution is and that the Murphy Administration’s must implement policies to reduce air pollution, protect our health, and fight climate change.”

Last year, the State of the Air report was released by the American Lung Association. In Mercer, Monmouth, Hunterdon, Middlesex, and Ocean Counties the county received an F for Ozone and have had dozens of High Alert Ozone Days that risk public health. Burlington and Somerset County’s air was not monitored, but it is likely an F given nearby county grades. North Jersey ranked as the 10th worst metropolitan area in the U.S. for ozone levels, the main ingredient in smog that can trigger asthma attacks in the estimated 650,000 state residents who suffer from the disease. In New Jersey, air pollution has led to asthma in children and adults, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Health problems will get worse as President Trump moves toward weakening clean air standards in an effort to boost the nation’s manufacturing sector.

” As more pipelines and power plants are built, we are seeing more pollution from natural gas in our air.New Jersey has some of the worst air in the nation. Almost every county that conducts monitoring has a failing grade for ozone. Ground level ozone is one of the worst air pollutants with one of the sources being car emissions. Air pollution can cause asthma attacks and put people with heart problems, lung problems or children at risk. Ozone not only has significant health impacts, but it is an irritant for people at risk it which can actually cause asthma attacks sending people to the hospitals. It is also linked to premature death through heart attacks or asthma attacks, said Tittel. “The Murphy Administration must take immediate steps to stop harmful projects like the PennEast Pipeline or the proposed Meadowlands power plant to project our health and keep our air clean.”

Carbon pollution is the main contributor to climate change and leading cause of breathing problems in New Jersey. Under the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan, the U.S would cut carbon emissions from power plants by 32% from the 2005 levels. The Clean Power Plan would help avoid 3,600 premature deaths, 90,000 asthma attacks in children and deliver total health benefits of $14 billion to $34 billion in 2030 to the American people.

“The repeal of the Clean Power Plan was, and is still, a direct assault on New Jersey’s clean air, directly affecting our lungs. It also hurts our economy and puts a burden on New Jersey businesses and citizens. Our businesses may have to work harder to meet reduction standards because of the impact of out-of-state air pollution. The CPP also would help establish green jobs. Clean air is an essential part of a healthy economy. It will not only reduce health costs and sick days for the residents of New Jersey, but investing in renewable will create jobs and protect our environment,” said Jeff Tittel.

President Trump is rolling back federal tailpipe regulations under the CAFE standard set by the Obama Administration. These standards would have reduced climate pollution by as much as 6 billion metric tons over the lifetimes of the vehicles sold in model years 2012-2025—the equivalent to carbon pollution from 150 typical coal-fired power plants for an entire year.

“The weakening of vehicle efficiency standards will directly impact public health in New Jersey. For a state like New Jersey, these changes will hit us right where we believe because cars and trucks are the biggest sources of air pollution. While New Jerseyans spend more money at the pump, we will see more asthma and respiratory problems,” said Jeff Tittel.

In New Jersey we can do more to reduce air pollution. This includes reentering New Jersey in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in a timely fashion as well as the US Climate Alliance. We can work towards transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2050 which would reduce the amount of fossil fuels releasing greenhouse gasses. We can electrify our state by encouraging more EVs and less diesel-powered automobiles.

“We need to do more in our state to reduce air pollution and protect ourselves from the environmental rollbacks of the Trump Administration that worsen our air quality and lead to more health effects. Clean air is an essential part of a healthy economy. Reducing air pollution will not only reduce health costs and sick days for the residents of New Jersey but investing in renewable will create jobs and protect our environment,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.