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OPINION
Dirty air, unhealthy economy
From the August 6, 2004 Dallas Business Journal
Used with Permission
Front Lines
Doug Hawthorne

More than 137 million Americans breathe unhealthy air every day. In Texas, 38 counties fall below the Environmental Protection Agency's standards for healthy air, including Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties in North Texas. People living in these areas, as well as nearly half of America, are at risk of decreased lung function, respiratory infection, lung inflammation and aggravation of respiratory illness.

These ozone-related respiratory health problems account for $4 billion in health care costs each year, according to the Department of Energy. Nearly 50% of all hospital admissions for respiratory conditions on bad ozone days result from air pollution. Not only are the effects of air pollution harmful, they also can be deadly. Scientific research links air pollution to more than 70,000 deaths and countless cases of lung cancer, asthma, respiratory and cardiovascular illness.

But there are a host of other costly effects whose value remains more difficult to quantify. Each year, people with asthma collectively experience 134 million days of restricted activity, and nearly 125,000 children in our area have asthma, accounting for the No. 1 cause of school absenteeism. The bad air is bad for business, too. When Toyota was considering a location for a new truck plant, air quality was cited as a reason for eliminating our region-- costing the local economy thousands of jobs.

The sad reality is that air pollution is not a new problem. It has been recognized as a national crisis since at least 1975, when Congress passed amendments that adopted new approaches to regulation, such as national air-quality standards and statutory deadlines for compliance. Since that time, new amendments enforcing more stringent air quality rules have been added. Despite these federal efforts, the air in our communities is getting worse. The American Lung Association recently released a report ranking Dallas-Fort Worth as the 10th-worst metropolitan area in the United States for ground-level ozone -- up from 12th in just one year. Both Collin and Denton counties share a failing air quality grade. According to the EPA, transportation remains the largest single source of air pollution in our area.

Recognizing the potential negative consequences the region could face if clean air compliance is not achieved, including the disastrous possibility of North Texas losing federal highway funding, several local entities formed the North Texas Clean Air Coalition in 1993 to help address the issue. Members of the coalition include the North Texas Commission, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Dallas Chamber, the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority. Joining forces to help combat the air pollution crisis, the mayors of Dallas, Fort Worth and surrounding communities have made air quality a regional priority issue. With a unified voice, the message is clear: "Do your share to clean the air."

Clean air starts at home. Even the action of one individual makes a significant impact toward bettering our environment and our quality of life. Here are a few action steps North Texans can do to help clean the air:

• Drive less. Since about 55% of the precursors to ozone pollution in the Metroplex is caused by emissions from vehicles, driving less by carpooling, riding mass transit or combining trips will significantly reduce the toxic ozone-polluting chemicals.
• Maintain your vehicle. The emissions from one poorly maintained vehicle can equal those of 25 properly functioning vehicles.
• Pay attention to air pollution watch days. Because air pollution levels peak throughout the summer months, it is especially important to be mindful of ozone-reducing habits during this time.

Hawthorne is president and CEO of Arlington-based Texas Health Resources and a member of the North Texas Clean Air Coalition.
© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.