Comment submitted by Izzy Richards
AnonymousOpposeIndividual
Summary: Izzy Richards, a first-year medical student, opposes the removal of the Ohio Air Nuisance Rule. The commenter argues that the rule is a necessary tool for protecting public health from air pollution and that its removal would primarily benefit polluters while endangering patients with respiratory conditions.
Dear U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
I am a first year medical student, and I am writing to oppose the adoption of the Proposed Approval of the Ohio Air Nuisance Rule Removal. As a medical student, it is clear that environmental determinants of health have a huge impact on outcomes for patients. Air pollution specifically exacerbates asthma, COPD, and other respiratory conditions, burdening the public health infrastructure and endangering lives. The ANR is an essential tool to allow communities to push back against unhealthy levels of air pollution when the EPA cannot or will not intervene on their behalf. The risk of eliminating this rule far outweighs the benefits, as this could result in greater danger to public health, safety, welfare and property damage. The removal of this rule only benefits polluters, who are more likely to slip past regulatory efforts that rely on polluters’ own reporting and monitoring. Please consider my plea on behalf of my future patients to halt the removal of this rule.
Thank you,
Izzy Richards