FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 14, 2013
Contact: Kim Davitt
Office: (406) 728-0368
Cell: (406) 546-7979
kdavitt@lungmtpacific.org
Montanans need healthy air, says Lung Association
New report finds outdoor air pollution and particulate matter cause lung cancer
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month
MISSOULA — November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month and the American Lung
Association in Montana is working to draw attention to those in Montana affected by lung cancer, as
well as air pollution, and highlight efforts to reduce their impacts.
In a letter to the Lung Association, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock wrote:
“I am pleased to recognize ‘National Lung Cancer Awareness Month’ in the State of Montana.
I commend the American Lung Association for their efforts to raise public awareness of tobacco
prevention programs, the importance of early diagnosis, and for their continuing research and
treatment of this serious disease.
I join the American Lung Association in honoring the Clean Air Act, and I encourage Montanans to
acknowledge November 2013 as ‘National Lung Cancer Awareness Month.’”
The issue of air pollution, in particular, has been a focus of the Lung Association in Montana.
A recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) found that air pollution is a carcinogen,
highlighting the importance of keeping the national Clean Air Act strong and up to date.
WHO added outdoor air pollution and particulate matter to a growing list of air pollutants known to
cause lung cancer. In Montana, nearly 500 people die from lung cancer each year. Nationally, the
number is 158,000.
During November – Lung Cancer Awareness Month – the Lung Association is urging Montanans to
speak up in support of two new Clean Air Act protections that will keep our air clean and our lungs
healthy. These new measures will clean up emissions from motor vehicles and limit the amount of
carbon pollution emitted by new power plants.
“Both of these Clean Air Act standards will save lives and help preserve the healthy air we enjoy
most of the year in Montana,” said Kim Davitt, initiatives manager for the Lung Association in
Montana.
Cleaner Gasoline and Vehicles
New standards that would reduce sulfur in gasoline from today’s level of 30 parts per million down
to 10 parts per million and set stronger tailpipe emissions limits for new cars and light trucks will
reduce air pollution to the equivalent of taking 33 million cars off the road, according to the Lung
Association.
When fully implemented, American Lung Association estimates that cleaner gasoline and vehicles
standards will annually prevent 15,000 asthma attacks, 3.3 million lost days at work or school, and
more than 2,500 premature deaths each year. The estimated economic and health benefits would
total between $8.5 billion and $22 billion annually in 2030.
“In Montana, with winter temperatures on the way, we have inversion conditions in many of our
valley towns,” Davitt said. “Cold air traps air pollution in the cities and we can have hazardous ‘bad
air’ days that pose a health risk, especially for people with asthma and other lung conditions.
Cleaning up vehicle emissions will go a long way to helping reduce pollution that gets trapped in our
valleys.”
Carbon Pollution from Power Plants
EPA’s recently proposed standards to limit carbon pollution from power plants built in the future is
an important effort to reduce the burden of increased temperatures on our health.
“Warmer temperatures contribute to smog, which is a risk for people with lung disease and for
children whose lungs are still developing,” Davitt said. “And we’ve seen in Montana, shorter winters
and longer summers contribute to a longer fire season, which results in serious air pollution in many
of Montana communities during the late summer and early fall.”
During its 40-year history, the Clean Air Act has resulted in pollution controls that safeguard our air
quality and save thousands of lives each year. It’s estimated that by 2020, Clean Air Act protections
will save $2 trillion in healthcare costs and 230,000 lives annually. “We must ensure that industry
keeps pace with technology and that life-saving innovation continues,” Davitt said.
According to a bi-partisan survey by the American Lung Association, voters strongly support the
update of clean air protections, and an astounding 72 percent specifically want limits on power plant
carbon pollution.
The findings also indicate 73 percent of Americans don’t feel they need to choose between health
and a strong economy – we can achieve both. And a 2-to-1 majority believes strengthening
safeguards against pollution will create, not end, jobs by promoting innovation.
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About the American Lung Association in Montana
The American Lung Association in Montana is a non-profit, voluntary public health organization,
working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease in Montana. Our
programs focus on the areas of air quality, tobacco prevention and cessation and lung health.
For more information about the American Lung Association in Montana or to support the work it
does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA or visit: www.lung.org/montana.