Clean air protections are worth fighting for, and I know this firsthand because when air quality is poor, I suffer. I had a double lung transplant in 2012, and while the surgery was definitely overwhelming, it made me reflect on my life and how I got to this point.
I was a former smoker and in my early twenties, I worked in a factory around fiberglass and asbestos for more than 10 years. I know a lot of respiratory damage was done during those years, but at this point in my life, it not about what made me sick, it is about how I manage my disease in an environment that that includes ozone and particle pollution.
I support the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to implement healthy air standards for all Americans. In particular, I applaud EPA for proposing new standards for reducing carbon pollution from power plants, which contributes to dangerous ozone pollution.
I hope that my friends and neighbors will think about the health of our children as well as loved ones with asthma and COPD and join me in supporting these proposed standards by voicing their support to EPA during this public comment period.
