Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined a group of his colleagues in raising concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to not strengthen air quality standards despite research showing air pollution’s link to higher Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality.

 “Today, EPA announced its decision to maintain current national ambient air quality standards that EPA’s own scientists say fail to protect public health – and that research links with higher COVID-19 mortality,” wrote Bennet and the senators. “The Environmental Protection Agency should be taking actions that will further protect health during this crisis, not put more Americans at risk.”

 The issue pertains to fine particulate matter, which can travel deep into the respiratory tract and worsen lung and heart health. Bennet and the senators continued: “Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, research showed that this standard for this air pollution does not protect public health. EPA’s own scientists found that the current level is inadequate in January…Now the Harvard public health study on fine particulate matter suggests that reducing this air pollutant could save lives by reducing COVID-19 mortality – yet EPA’s draft decision indicates that it will take no action to lower this standard.”

 Bennet and his colleagues are also calling for immediate answers from the EPA on what it is doing to enforce existing air pollution limits, improve air quality, and study the link between poor air quality and worse outcomes for COVID-19 patients.

 In addition to Bennet, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). 

 The text of the letter is available HERE. 

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