Don’t Meddle With the Clean Air Act

Ventura County has been struggling for years to find solutions to our air pollution problem. The county is designated as an area with a severe air quality problem, and residents are forced to endure the adverse health effects of polluted air.

Recently, under court order, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a plan (known as the FIP, for federal implementation plan) that sets precise timelines to bring the county into compliance with the Clean Air Act and its health-based standards for air quality. However, Congress--with the support of our congressman, Elton Gallegly--is trying to revoke this plan. If the plan is repealed, controls over federal and interstate sources of air pollution will be eliminated, forcing local sources that have been trying to reduce emissions to bear an even greater burden of future reductions.

Any delay in attainment will result in increased costs, both monetary and otherwise, to Ventura County residents--including increased health-care needs and harm to agricultural productivity. To pick only one example, a study showed that the Valencia orange crop in 1986 was reduced by 17% due to ozone air pollution.

Congressman Gallegly is ignoring these costs as he ignores the needs of people and businesses in Ventura. Instead of listening to demands for clean, safe air and assistance in controlling all sources of emissions, he is maintaining his past objections to an earlier federal proposal, which has since been modified and now has the support of members of business and industry as a necessary means to help state and local agencies reach attainment of clean air standards.

STAN GREENE, Ojai. Stan Green is president of Citizens to Preserve the Ojai.