1        DAVID PETTIT:  I BELIEVE IT IS, YES.

            2        MS. WEGMAN:  OKAY.  THANK YOU.  MR. HANNON HAS A

            3    QUESTION.

            4        DAVID PETTIT:  SURE.

            5        MR. HANNON:  ALONG THE SAME LINES, WITH THE STUDY AT

            6    60, AND LET'S ASSUME THAT IT'S A VALID STUDY THAT SHOWS

            7    THAT THERE IS ADVERSE EFFECT AT 60, HOW DO YOU RECONCILE

            8    THAT WITH NOT RECOMMENDING LOWER THAN 60

            9    ORGANIZATIONALLY AND RECONCILE IT WITH CASAC

           10    RECOMMENDING UP TO 70?

           11             I THINK WHAT MY QUESTION THEN LEADS TO IS,

           12    WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO EVALUATE A STUDY AT

           13    THAT -- A SINGLE STUDY AT THAT LEVEL IN LIGHT OF ALL OF

           14    THE OTHER EVIDENCE AROUND IT, BOTH THE EPI STUDIES ABOVE

           15    AND BELOW IT, THE OTHER CLINICAL STUDIES, IN COMING TO A

           16    RECOMMENDATION OF 60 OR WITHIN 60 TO 70?

           17        DAVID PETTIT:  WELL, YOU KNOW, I HAD THAT SAME

           18    THOUGHT, AT LEAST THE FIRST THOUGHT YOU EXPRESSED, WHEN

           19    I READ THAT 0.60 FIGURE AND THE CASAC STUDY IS -- SO WHY

           20    ARE THEY AT 70 IF THEY HAVE THIS RESULT AT 60?

           21             YOU KNOW, IN DEALING WITH EXPERT WITNESSES OF

           22    ALL KINDS FOR MANY YEARS, SORT OF MY GENERAL TAKE IS ONE

           23    DAY A POINT DOESN'T TELL YOU MUCH OF ANYTHING THAT YOU'D

           24    BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING.  UNLIKE MANY OF THE SPEAKERS,

           25    I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THE SCIENCE OF THIS FIELD.  I'M NOT

                                                                                199

            1    A PHYSICIAN OR A SCIENTIST OR AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST, AND I

            2    DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL STUDIES OUT THERE AT

            3    60 OR NOT.

            4             I THINK IF THE STATE OF THE SCIENTIFIC RECORD

            5    IS -- IT'S MY OWN OPINION, IF THERE'S ONE STUDY AT 60,

            6    I'M REALLY NOT SURE THAT YOU'RE LOCKED IN SUCH THAT YOU

            7    HAVE TO GO TO 60 OR LOWER; BUT I THINK THAT IF THERE'S A

            8    RANGE OF STUDIES AND A TREND DOWNWARDS OF 70, THAT IF

            9    EPA COMES OUT AT 70, YOU DO HAVE A PROBLEM UNDER THE

           10    MARGIN OF SAFETY.  AND WHETHER A COURT AT SOME POINT IS

           11    GOING TO SAY, "YOU'VE ABUSED YOUR DISCRETION BECAUSE

           12    IT'S, YOU KNOW, 68 RATHER THAN -- OR IT'S, YOU KNOW, 69

           13    RATHER THAN 65," I DON'T KNOW.  I CAN'T READ WHAT THE

           14    COURTS ARE GOING TO DO.  BUT I WOULD AGREE WITH ONE DATA

           15    POINT, THAT'S NOT THE END OF THE STORY.

           16        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU BOTH.

           17             OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE POLLY CHU AND RON MC

           18    GILL.

           19             IS MS. CHU HERE?

           20        RON MC GILL:  HELLO, MY NAME IS RON MC GILL, AND I'M

           21    HERE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE I THINK THE CURRENT

           22    STANDARD IS TOO HIGH AND DOESN'T PROTECT OUR HEALTH.

           23             I WANT TO START WITH A LITTLE STORY.  MY FRIEND

           24    SEAN, HE WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH ASTHMA.  HE NOW HAS

           25    TO USE HIS INHALER FIVE TO TEN TIMES A DAY, AND HE IS MY

                                                                                200

            1    AGE, 28 YEARS OLD.  I JUST THINK THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

            2    HE'S AN OTHERWISE HEALTHY PERSON, EXERCISES A LOT, AND

            3    THIS IS WHAT HE ENDS UP WITH THE AIR HE'S BREATHING.

            4             SO I LIVED IN SEATTLE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THEY

            5    HAVE CLEAN AIR LEGISLATION AND CLEAN AIR VEHICLES FOR

            6    COMMUTER NEEDS AND, LIKE, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, AND I WOULD

            7    HOPE THAT WE COULD GET SOMETHING CLOSE TO THAT HERE.

            8             TO START WITH THE SCIENCE, I PROPOSE, ACTUALLY,

            9    LIKE THE GENTLEMAN EARLIER THAT CAME UP, THAT WE SHOOT

           10    FOR A HIGHER BAR HERE AND MAYBE A .050 PARTS PER

           11    MILLION.  AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, CORPORATIONS IN THE

           12    PAST HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO TAKE THE FINE.  SO IF WE SHOOT

           13    FOR .050, WE'LL PROBABLY GET POINT 060.

           14             SO ANYWAY, I'M BRINGING UP THE ASTHMA BECAUSE

           15    IT'S JUST ONE OF THE LIGHTER EFFECTS OF THIS POLLUTION

           16    DESCRIBED AS A SUNBURN IN THE LUNGS, AS PEOPLE HAVE

           17    POINTED OUT EARLIER.  BUT OZONE, ALSO, HAS BEEN KNOWN TO

           18    YOU KNOW CAUSE PREMATURE DEATH IN INFANTS AND LONG-TERM

           19    REPEATED EXPOSURE OF HIGH LEVELS CAN LEAD TO REDUCED

           20    LUNG CAPACITY, HOSPITALIZATION, AND DEATH IN SENIOR

           21    CITIZENS.  CHILDREN ARE HIGHLY AT RISK AND THAT'S A

           22    TERRIBLE THING.  THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE BORN INTO

           23    THIS.

           24             THE PRESSURE FROM BIG OIL AND OTHER

           25    CORPORATIONS SEEMS TO BE THE DRIVING FACTOR IN THE

                                                                                201

            1    CURRENT LEVELS.  AND WITH THAT SAID, I MEAN, IN THE PAST

            2    THEY GOT US AT PUTTING SEATBELTS IN CARS THAT IT WOULD

            3    SHUT DOWN BIG AUTO, BUT IT DIDN'T.  IT JUST PROTECTED A

            4    WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE.  I THINK OVER AND ABOVE ALL OF

            5    THIS, THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY, I MEAN, I DON'T WORK

            6    FOR THE EPA.  YOUR MIDDLE NAME IS PROTECTION AND I WOULD

            7    HOPE YOU LIVE UP TO THAT.

            8             I TOOK A DAY OFF WORK, AND I'M PAYING PARKING

            9    TO BE HERE TO ARGUE FOR WHAT YOUR OWN ADMINISTRATOR HAS

           10    SAID, STEVEN JOHNSON, THAT THE CURRENT STANDARD DOES

           11    NOT, IN FACT, PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AT ALL.

           12             SO TO FINISH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW,

           13    IN THE WORDS OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, "THE TIME IS

           14    RIGHT" -- "IT'S ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT."  SO

           15    PLEASE MAKE THAT TIME NOW.  THANK YOU.

           16        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME

           17    TO COME TODAY.  WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY.

           18        RON MC GILL:  THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

           19        MS. WEGMAN:  IS POLLY CHU HERE?

           20             NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE MELONIE MAGRUDER AND JANE

           21    AFFONSO.

           22        MELONIE MAGRUDER:  I'LL GO FIRST SINCE JANE HASN'T

           23    SHOWN UP.

           24             HELLO, THANK YOU.  MY NAME IS MELONIE MAGRUDER.

           25    I LIVE HERE IN L.A.  I'M, I GUESS, WHAT YOU WOULD CALL

                                                                                202

            1    ONE OF THE CONCERNED CITIZENS.  I WANTED TO SPEAK TO

            2    YOU.  MS. WEGMAN, MR. HANNON, MR. HABER, THANK YOU SO

            3    MUCH FOR BEING AVAILABLE TO US.

            4             WELL, I CAME HERE TODAY WITH A BUNCH OF TALKING

            5    POINTS THAT THEY GAVE TO US ALL OF WHICH I'M PRETTY SURE

            6    YOU'VE HEARD AT INFINITUM.  SO BASICALLY, THE REASON I

            7    AM HERE TODAY IS FOR THESE PEOPLE.  THEY'RE MY CHILDREN.

            8        MS. WEGMAN:  BEAUTIFUL.

            9        MELONIE MAGRUDER:  THANK YOU.  THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

           10    THEY'RE NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL.  THEY'RE VERY BRIGHT,

           11    THEY'RE PASSIONATE, AND THEY'RE, SOME DAY, GOING TO BE

           12    LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, IF THEY GET THE CHANCE; BUT

           13    THEIR FUTURE HEALTH DOES CONCERN ME.

           14             THIS SUMMER ALONE, YOU CAN SEE MY SON DUTCH, HE

           15    LIKES TO PLAY BASKETBALL.  ALLEN IVERSON IS HIS HERO.

           16    HE WANTS TO GO INTO THE NBA, SO HE'S OUT PRACTICING

           17    EVERY DAY.  AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF DAYS THIS SUMMER

           18    WHEN HE CAME IN AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, MOM, IT KIND OF

           19    HURTS TO BREATHE."  AND SURE ENOUGH, IF YOU'RE OUT ON

           20    THE HIGH OZONE DAYS RUNNING AROUND, LIVING YOUR LIFE, AT

           21    THE END OF THE DAY, YOU CAN'T TAKE A DEEP BREATH HERE.

           22    YOU GET ABOUT THIS FAR, AND THEN IT STARTS TO FEEL LIKE

           23    YOU'RE DROWNING, BUT YOU KNOW THAT.  YOU'VE HAD ALL OF

           24    THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE.

           25             YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE HERE

                                                                                203

            1    TODAY, I CAN IMAGINE.  IF YOU DRIVE UP HIGHWAY 101, YOU

            2    DON'T SEE A BLUE SKY.  YOU SEE A BROWN SKY.  IF YOU

            3    STAND UP AT, SAY, GRIFFITH PARK OBSERVATORY AND LOOK OUT

            4    OVER THIS WONDERFUL CITY, IT'S LIKE THERE'S A LAYER OF

            5    BRAWN COTTON SITTING OVER EVERYTHING.

            6             SO THE SCIENCE IS IN.  THE EVIDENCE IS IN.  THE

            7    ANECDOTAL STORIES ARE ALL IN.  IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING

            8    ABOUT IT BECAUSE IF THIS IS WHAT IT'S LIKE NOW WHEN YOU

            9    HAVE THIS EXPLOSION OF KIDS SEEING RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS,

           10    INCLUDING MY CHILDREN, THEN WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE

           11    IN THE YEAR 2035 WHEN THE POPULATION OF CALIFORNIA IS

           12    EXPECTED TO DOUBLE TO 65 MILLION PEOPLE?  AND THE COST

           13    THAT THAT IS GOING TO EXERT ON OUR SOCIETY IN

           14    HEALTHCARE, IN EVERY OTHER WAY, IS GOING TO BE

           15    INSURMOUNTABLE.

           16             SO WHEREAS YOU PROBABLY HAVE RESISTANCE FROM

           17    CERTAIN CORPORATE INTERESTS TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT

           18    AFFECTS THEIR BOTTOM LINE, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT IT

           19    ANYWAY, AND PROBABLY IN A MUCH WORSE WAY BY THEN.

           20             SO THE TIME TO CHANGE THINGS IS NOW BECAUSE

           21    THE -- THE SCIENCE EXISTS TO REVERSE THIS THING THAT IS

           22    HAPPENING TO THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE.  IT WILL TAKE

           23    COURAGE TO IMPLEMENT IT, BUT I THINK THAT THERE IS A

           24    HUGE, HUGE POPULOUS THAT WILL SUPPORT YOU IN DOING THAT.

           25    AND THEY ARE THE PEOPLE THAT, LIKE MY FUTURE

                                                                                204

            1    GRANDCHILDREN, AND I WANT GRANDCHILDREN, SO LET'S TRY

            2    AND MAKE A WORLD THAT THEY CAN COME INTO AND PLAY

            3    BASKETBALL OUTSIDE ON A SUMMER DAY AND BE ABLE TO

            4    BREATHE.

            5             SO THAT'S BASICALLY ALL I HAD TO SAY.  THANK

            6    YOU.

            7        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

            8        JANE AFFONSO:  SO I'M JANE AFFONSO, AND I'D ALSO

            9    LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS TIME.  I COME TO YOU

           10    AS A PERSON, AS A CITIZEN, AND ALSO I HAPPEN TO SERVE AS

           11    CO-CHAIR OF THE SOCIALIST CONCERNS COMMITTEE OF THE

           12    SOUTH COAST INTERFAITH COUNSEL, NON-PAID POSITION.  SO I

           13    TOOK THE BUS HERE TODAY, TOOK OFF WORK.  I'M ALSO

           14    INVOLVED IN AN ORGANIZATION CALLED ENVIRONMENTAL

           15    PRIORITIES NETWORK, WHICH IS RELATED TO THIS INTERFAITH

           16    GROUP.

           17             WE -- AS AN INTERFAITH GROUP, THIS IS MADE UP

           18    OF 250 CONGREGATIONS AND OTHER PLACES OF WORSHIP IN THE

           19    LONG BEACH, SAN PEDRO, AND SOUTH BAY AREA.  SO AMONG THE

           20    AREAS THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED BY THAT AIR FROM THE PORT

           21    AND FROM TRUCKS.  AND WE SUPPORT THE COALITION FOR CLEAN

           22    AND SAFE PORTS, AND WE'RE VERY AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING

           23    TO THE WEAKEST AMONG US.  SO I COME TO YOU FROM A FAITH

           24    TRADITION.

           25             SOME OF THE UNIVERSAL THEME TRAITS OF FAITH

                                                                                205

            1    TENANTS OF LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AND CREATION CARE AND

            2    JUSTICE AND CARING FOR THE WEAKEST AMONG US.  AND I WAS

            3    IN A MEETING LAST MONTH WHERE WE WERE HEARING AN UPDATE

            4    ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE PORTS, AND I WAS SO

            5    DISTURBED TO HEAR THAT, FROM A REGULATORY STANDPOINT,

            6    THE EPA WAS BEHIND BOTH THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES

            7    BOARD AND THE AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT.  I THINK OF THE

            8    GRAND LEGACY OF THE EPA AS BEING AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER

            9    FOR SETTING STANDARDS FOR CLEAN AIR, AND I WAS JUST SO

           10    FRUSTRATED AND I'M SURE YOU ARE TOO.

           11             SO I URGE YOU TO TAKE THE COURAGE AND BE BOLD

           12    AND SET A WONDERFUL STANDARD.  AND I ALSO WANT TO REMIND

           13    YOU THAT THIS IS ALL A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD AND THAT

           14    YOUR GRANDCHILDREN WILL ASK YOU WHAT YOU DID IN ORDER TO

           15    STOP THIS GENERATION OF CHILDREN WITH DAMAGED LUNGS AND

           16    THE PREMATURE DEATHS.  I MEAN, IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART.

           17             AND I WANT TO SAY THAT MY GRANDFATHER WAS THE

           18    HEAD OF THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY IN PENNSYLVANIA WHEN

           19    I HAPPENED TO BE GOING TO SCHOOL THERE, AND I CAN

           20    REMEMBER HAVING A LONG -- SEVERAL LONG DISCUSSIONS WITH

           21    HIM.  YOU KNOW, HE WAS A STOCKHOLDER OF PETROLEUM

           22    STOCKS, AND HE WAS SURE THAT POLLUTION DID NOT CAUSE

           23    CANCER.  AND YOU CANNOT HAVE THAT SAME ANSWER AND WHEN

           24    YOUR GRANDCHILDREN COME TO YOU AND ASK WHAT YOU DID TO

           25    BE A LEADER.  I HOPE THAT YOU CAN BE PROUD.  THANK YOU.

                                                                                206

            1        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.

            2             OUR NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE POLLY CHU AND KELLY

            3    DAVIS.

            4        KELLY DAVIS:  POLLY IS STILL NOT HERE.

            5        MS. WEGMAN:  THERE SHE IS.

            6        POLLY CHU:  HI.

            7        MS. WEGMAN:  HI.

            8        POLLY CHU:  MY NAME IS POLLY CHU, AND I'M A MOTHER,

            9    ARTIST, AND TEACHER, AND I THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE

           10    TODAY TO LISTEN TO COMMENTS ON THE EPA'S PROPOSAL TO

           11    REVISE THE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY STANDARD FOR OZONE.

           12    THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

           13             I AM HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO TIGHTEN THE

           14    POLLUTION STANDARDS FOR OZONE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.  I

           15    WAS FORTUNATE THIS SUMMER TO SPEND A MONTH IN IRELAND

           16    WITH MY FAMILY.  I WAS FORTUNATE BECAUSE, NOT ONLY WAS

           17    IT BEAUTIFUL THERE, BUT THE AIR IS STRIKINGLY CLEAN AND

           18    CLEAR THERE.  IT'S AMAZING.  THE SKY IS, LIKE, SO

           19    INCREDIBLY REAL, YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

           20             MY HUSBAND, DAUGHTER, AND I WERE FORTUNATE TO

           21    BREATHE TRULY CLEAN AIR FOR A MONTH, AND WE COULD ALL

           22    FEEL THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF THIS.  WE DID NOT

           23    EXPERIENCE THAT FEELING OF WELL-BEING WHEN WE SPENT A

           24    MONTH IN CHINA.  WE DON'T EXPERIENCE IT HERE.

           25             CLEAN AIR SHOULD NOT BE A PRIVILEGE OR A

                                                                                207

            1    LUXURY.  PLEASE TIGHTEN THE POLLUTION STANDARDS FOR

            2    OZONE TO THE STANDARD OF BETWEEN .06 AND .07 PARTS PER

            3    MILLION RECOMMENDED BY THE EPA CLEAN AIR SCIENCE

            4    ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  BETTER YET, MAKE THE STANDARD EVEN

            5    SMALLER THAN RECOMMENDED.  PLEASE ALSO ELIMINATE THE

            6    ROUNDING LOOPHOLE.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

            7        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

            8        KELLY DAVIS:  MY NAME IS KELLY DAVIS.  I AM A MEMBER

            9    OF A FEW ONLINE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, BUT MY REAL -- MY

           10    ONLY REAL AFFILIATION IS WITH CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL

           11    OF LAW.  I'M A STUDENT THERE, AND I ACTUALLY AM MISSING

           12    MY LAND USE CLASS FOR THIS.  I DON'T HAVE ANY KIDS.  I

           13    WASN'T BORN IN L.A.  LUCKILY, I GREW UP IN NORTHERN

           14    CALIFORNIA WHERE I COULD BREATHE FRESH AIR.

           15             I DON'T HAVE ASTHMA, BUT I'VE LIVED IN SOUTHERN

           16    CALIFORNIA FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS.  I CAN TELL YOU I DROVE

           17    IN FROM CORONA TODAY, AND I HATE, HATE DRIVING INTO L.A.

           18    BECAUSE I SEE THAT BROWN AND I ROLL UP ALL MY WINDOWS,

           19    WHICH, BY THE WAY, I LIKE TO DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS

           20    OPEN, BECAUSE I THINK, OH, MY GOSH, IT'S GOING GET IN

           21    HERE.  AS SOON AS I OPEN THE DOOR, IT'S GOING TO JUST

           22    FILL MY LUNGS AND I DON'T WANT THAT.

           23             AND THE REASON I CAME HERE, I -- I DIDN'T EVEN

           24    KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY WHEN I SAT DOWN, BUT THE

           25    MAIN POINT OF ME BEING HERE IS THAT I'M ANGRY.  I AM

                                                                                208

            1    FURIOUS THAT THE LAST TIME THAT THE EPA CHANGED ANY

            2    REGULATIONS WAS TEN YEARS AGO.  NOW, LOOKING AT THIS

            3    FACT SHEET, NOTHING'S EVEN GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL WHAT,

            4    2013?  SO ANYTHING FIGURED OUT WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR

            5    SO, ISN'T EVEN GOING TO GO INTO PLACE UNTIL 2013?

            6    THAT'S SIX YEARS.  AND EVEN THEN THERE'S A -- I THOUGHT

            7    THAT THERE WAS A RANGE FROM 2013 TO 2030 WHERE PEOPLE

            8    WOULD HAVE TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.  THAT'S HUGE.

            9             BY THEN, .060 ISN'T GOING TO BE GOOD ENOUGH ANY

           10    MORE.  BY THEN, .060 IS GOING TO BE THE .085 OR WHATEVER

           11    IT IS TODAY.  IT'S GOING TO BE BAD AT THAT POINT,

           12    ESPECIALLY WITH L.A. AND ALL OF THE OTHER CITIES IN

           13    CALIFORNIA GROWING AS QUICKLY AS THEY ARE.  BLESS YOU.

           14        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU.

           15        KELLY DAVIS:  AND YOU ARE IN A REAL POSITION TO MAKE

           16    HUGE CHANGES AT THIS POINT.  I MEAN, THE STANDARDS THAT

           17    WERE IN 1997 WERE GREAT FOR THAT POINT, BUT IT'S BEEN

           18    TEN YEARS AND A LOT HAS CHANGED.

           19             THERE'S NOW A NEW PASSAGE BETWEEN THE PACIFIC

           20    OCEAN AND THE ATLANTIC.  HELLO, DOES THAT NOT SCARE

           21    ANYBODY ELSE THAT THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE BUT IT'S

           22    THERE NOW?  THIS IS -- I MEAN, THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING

           23    SO FAST THAT WE CAN'T EVEN COMPREHEND IT.  SO I DON'T

           24    KNOW ALL OF THE FACTS.  YOU'VE HEARD ALL OF THE

           25    INFORMATION.  YOU HAVE ALL OF THE DATA.  YOU HAVE ALL OF

                                                                                209

            1    THE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION.

            2             WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS FOR ALL OF YOU,

            3    EVERYBODY IN THE EPA, TO GET ANGRY THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE

            4    AND BREATHE IN THIS AIR IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.  WE SHOULD

            5    BE SETTING STANDARDS FOR BREATHABLE LIMITS BY THE TIME

            6    2013 DOES COME AROUND; AND IF IT DOES HAPPEN TO BE .060,

            7    WHICH I'VE HEARD EVERYBODY SAY, THEN GREAT.  MAYBE THAT

            8    SHOULD BE THE HIGH MARK.  AND MAYBE INSTEAD OF HAVING

            9    THE LIMITS GO FROM .060 UP TO .070, HAVE THE HIGH LIMIT

           10    BE .060.

           11             WE HAVE ZERO EMISSION CARS NOW AT THIS POINT.

           12    CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SIX YEARS FROM

           13    NOW?  TEN YEARS FROM NOW?  WE WILL HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.

           14    SO I IMPLORE YOU ON MY SELFISH BEHALF AS A BREATHING

           15    CALIFORNIAN TO PLEASE SET THE STANDARDS AS LOW AS

           16    POSSIBLE.  THANK YOU.

           17        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU.  I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT

           18    WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE CHANGE THE STANDARDS IS THAT PEOPLE

           19    START THINKING ABOUT EXACTLY THE ISSUES YOU'RE TALKING

           20    ABOUT IN TRYING TO IMPROVE TECHNOLOGY.  SO EVEN THOUGH

           21    IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A LONG WAY IN THE FUTURE, THINGS DO

           22    START HAPPENING ONCE STANDARDS CHANGE.  SO --

           23        KELLY DAVIS:  I HOPE SO.

           24        MS. WEGMAN:  -- IT'S NOT THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT

           25    UNTIL 2030 SOMETHING TO IMPROVE.

                                                                                210

            1        KELLY DAVIS:  THAT'S GOOD.  ALL RIGHT.  THANK YOU.

            2        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU FOR COMING.

            3             OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE NICOLE LUCAS-HAIMES AND

            4    TAMARA WATKINS; ARE EITHER OF THEM HERE?

            5        TAMARA WATKINS:  I'M HERE.  OKAY.  EXCELLENT.

            6             MY NAME IS TAMARA WATKINS, AND I WANT TO FIRST

            7    THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT

            8    THE CONCERNS OF THIS OZONE PROBLEM.

            9             IT REALLY UPSETS ME AND SADDENS ME WHEN I LOOK

           10    OUT MY WINDOW AND I JUST SEE ALL OF THE THICK SMOG IN

           11    THE HORIZON.  I'M LOOKING OVER THERE, AND I'M THINKING,

           12    WOW, IT'S SO DIRTY IN OUR AIR.  I SEE IT ON THE HORIZON,

           13    AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF

           14    THAT MOUNTAIN IS LOOKING BACK IN MY DIRECTION THINKING

           15    THE SAME THING.  SO I REALIZE THAT I'M ENGULFED IN IT AS

           16    WELL.

           17             I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH

           18    AND LOOKING AT FACTS FOR THE AIR QUALITY IN CALIFORNIA

           19    BECAUSE I WAS UNDER -- BECAUSE I WAS MADE AWARE OF THE

           20    SITUATION, HOW BAD IT REALLY IS, AND IT REALLY SCARES ME

           21    THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING SICK AND DYING FROM AIR

           22    POLLUTION.  IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY DO

           23    SOMETHING ABOUT.  THESE STEPS ARE PREVENTABLE AND

           24    UNNECESSARY.

           25             I HAVE ALLERGIES MYSELF, AND MY EYES BURN

                                                                                211

            1    REALLY BAD.  SOMETIMES WHEN I'M OUTSIDE AND I'M DOING

            2    PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, THE AIR IS SO HEAVY THAT I GET

            3    EXHAUSTED.  I'M A JOGGER.  I CAN COMPLETELY FEEL THE

            4    DIFFERENCE WHEN I'M JOGGING ON THE TREADMILL AND WHEN

            5    I'M JOGGING OUTSIDE.  WHEN I'M OUTSIDE, I CAN'T JOG FOR

            6    A LONG LENGTH OF TIME.  I COUGH WHEN I COME BACK INSIDE.

            7    I FEEL EXASPERATED AND THAT I DON'T EVEN WANT TO DO

            8    ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE ENTIRE AFTERNOON.  WHEN I JOG ON

            9    THE TREADMILL, I DON'T HAVE THOSE TYPE OF SYMPTOMS

           10    AFTERWARDS, SO I KNOW IT'S THE DIRTY AIR.

           11             I ALSO -- I MOVED HERE FROM CHICAGO, AND I

           12    THOUGHT IT WAS NO BIG DEAL TO MOVE FROM ONE BIG CITY TO

           13    THE NEXT; BUT IN DOING SO, I DEVELOPED ACNE.  I NEVER

           14    HAD ANY SKIN PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS, AND I ATTRIBUTE THAT

           15    FOR THE POOR QUALITY OF OUR AIR HERE.  IT'S FILTHY.

           16    THOSE CHANGES WERE, LIKE, VERY INSTANT.  I -- I FELT

           17    THEM WITHIN THE THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, AND I JUST

           18    CAN'T IMAGINE LIVING HERE FOR A LONG LENGTH OF TIME AND

           19    NOT BEING AFFECTED MORE DRAMATICALLY, OTHER THAN JUST

           20    GETTING A FEW PIMPLES HERE AND THERE AND HAVING A SLIGHT

           21    COUGH.

           22             I'M SCARED I'M LITERALLY GOING TO GET LUNG

           23    CANCER OR SOME TYPE OF LUNG DISEASE BECAUSE I LIVE IN A

           24    CITY THAT THE AIR QUALITY IS SO POOR.  SOME PEOPLE MIGHT

           25    BE THINKING, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST LIVE SOMEWHERE

                                                                                212

            1    ELSE?  WELL, THAT'S NOT AN OPTION FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

            2    YOU KNOW, THEY JUST CAN'T LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.  YOU

            3    KNOW, MY JOB IS HERE.  I HAVE FAMILY HERE AND FRIENDS,

            4    AND IT'S NOT FEASIBLE FOR ME, AT THIS TIME, TO CHANGE

            5    EMPLOYMENT AND CHANGE CAREERS BECAUSE THE AIR QUALITY IS

            6    DIRTY.

            7             IT'S UP TO THE EPA TO, YOU KNOW, UPHOLD THE LAW

            8    AND INFLICT STRONGER AIR POLLUTION STANDARDS.  IT'S NOT

            9    TO BE BEHOLDEN TO THE CORPORATIONS.  IT'S TO WORK FOR

           10    THE PEOPLE.  AND RIGHT NOW I JUST FEEL THAT WE'RE KIND

           11    OF GETTING SLIGHTED BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE A

           12    PROFIT.  BUT THERE'S NO PROFIT IF YOUR CONSUMERS ARE

           13    DROPPING OFF LIKE FLIES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BREATHE.

           14             SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE AIR

           15    QUALITY, AND I REALLY DO HOPE YOU DO THE RIGHT THING AND

           16    ENFORCE STRICTER OZONE RESTRICTIONS.  EVEN THE FACT OF

           17    HAVING THIS HEARING IS KIND OF APPALLING TO ME TO BEGIN

           18    WITH BECAUSE THERE SHOULD BE NO ARGUMENT, NOR DEBATE, ON

           19    HAVING CLEAN HEALTHY AIR FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE UNITED

           20    STATES.  THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE BEST NATIONS

           21    IN THE WORLD, AND WE NEED TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR EVERYONE

           22    ELSE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SIT

           23    HERE AND LET OUR CITIZENS SUFFER BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT

           24    TO CLEAN UP OUR AIR AND WE WANT TO BE BEHOLDEN TO

           25    CORPORATIONS.  IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.  THANK YOU.

                                                                                213

            1        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND

            2    SPEAKING TO US.

            3             AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT WE DO WANT TO HAVE

            4    PUBLIC HEARINGS TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND THAT IS

            5    PART OF OUR RULE MAKING PROCESS, AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT

            6    PART OF IT FOR US, SO THANK YOU.

            7        TAMARA WATKINS:  THANK YOU.

            8        NICOLE LUCAS-HAIMES:  HI, MY NAME IS NICOLE

            9    LUCAS-HAIMES, AND I'M A MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN.  LUKE IS

           10    SEVEN ALMOST EIGHT, AND MAX IS THREE.  AND THEY'RE

           11    ENERGETIC HEALTHY ACTIVE GREAT KIDS, AND I'M VERY

           12    GRATEFUL.  I'M ALSO VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU TODAY FOR

           13    HOLDING THIS HEARING BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT

           14    THAT AN AVERAGE CITIZEN, LIKE ME, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO

           15    SPEAK TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO HOLD A LOT OF POWER OVER

           16    THE DAY-TO-DAY QUALITY OF OUR LIVES.

           17             I KNOW THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM MANY EXPERTS ON

           18    OZONE POLLUTION, AND SCIENTISTS AND MEDICAL

           19    PROFESSIONALS, I KNOW, HAVE TALKED TO YOU TODAY WHO KNOW

           20    MUCH MORE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THAN I.  SO I'M, INSTEAD,

           21    JUST GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU AS A PARENT FROM MY HEART.  I

           22    SUSPECT THAT YOU HAVE CHILDREN OR CHILDREN IN YOUR

           23    FAMILY, RELATIVES AND THAT, LIKE ME, YOU WANT THE BEST

           24    FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND YOU PROBABLY SPEND COUNTLESS HOURS

           25    THINKING ABOUT HOW TO EDUCATE THEM AND HELPING THEM WITH

                                                                                214

            1    THEIR HOMEWORK AND HELPING PICK THE BEST SCHOOL FOR

            2    THEM, AND YOU DO IT BECAUSE YOU CARE.

            3             I IMAGINE YOU PROBABLY SPEND A LOT OF TIME

            4    FINDING THE RIGHT DOCTOR FOR YOUR KID AND SPEND A LOT OF

            5    TIME THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S THE BEST COURSE OF CARE IN

            6    CASE THEY GET SICK.  AND I ALSO IMAGINE THAT IF YOU'RE

            7    LIKE ME, YOU THINK A LOT ABOUT WHAT GOES INTO YOUR KID'S

            8    BODY.  YOU PICK YOUR MEALS CAREFULLY AND THAT'S WHY I'M

            9    HERE TODAY.  BECAUSE YOU PLAN YOUR KID'S DIET CAREFULLY,

           10    AND I, TOO, CLEARLY DEEPLY CARE ABOUT WHAT GOES INTO THE

           11    BODIES OF MY CHILDREN.

           12             HERE IN LOS ANGELES, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE

           13    DANGEROUSLY HIGH LEVELS OF OZONE.  209 DAYS A YEAR.  209

           14    DAYS A YEAR, AND THIS DATA IS FROM THE AMERICAN LUNG

           15    ASSOCIATION.  SO IMAGINE THAT MORE THAN HALF THE TIME

           16    THE AIR GOING INTO THIS LITTLE GUY'S BODY IS

           17    UNACCEPTABLE.  SO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS TO MY

           18    CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND ALL OF THE ENSUING IRONIES WHEN I

           19    SAY TO THEM, "HEY, LET'S GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY."

           20             SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO IMAGINE RIGHT NOW

           21    THE BEAUTIFUL FACES OF YOUR OWN CHILDREN AND TO ENVISION

           22    A SCENARIO WHERE THE EPA DOES NOT STRENGTHEN THE OZONE

           23    STANDARDS -- THE OZONE SMOG STANDARDS.  WHAT ARE YOU

           24    GOING TO SAY TO THEM WHEN THEY SAY, "HOW COME?"

           25             ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO SAY, "WE DIDN'T HAVE

                                                                                215

            1    THE POLITICAL WILL"?  "THE INDUSTRY FORCES WERE JUST TOO

            2    POWERFUL.  WE DIDN'T BELIEVE THE CLEAN AIR ADVOCATES.

            3    THE BATTLE WAS TOO HARD TO FIGHT."  I DON'T THINK THOSE

            4    ARE THINGS YOU WANT TO COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.

            5             NOW IMAGINE THOSE FACES AGAIN AND ENVISION A

            6    SCENARIO WHERE EACH ONE OF YOU HAS WORKED HARD TO PASS

            7    THE TOUGH OZONE SMOG MEASURES WE NEED INSURING THAT ALL

            8    OF THE CHILDREN OF THE COUNTRY CAN BREATHE CLEAN AIR.

            9    WHAT MIGHT YOU SAY TO THEIR LITTLE FACES NOW SHINING

           10    WITH ADORATION, "HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO GET THIS DONE?"

           11    THINK OF THOSE WORDS.

           12             AND YOU'D SAY, "WELL, WE WORKED HARD, AND WE

           13    FOUGHT HARD BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU AND WE CARE AND WE CARE

           14    THAT EVERYONE'S GOOD, AND WE FOUND THE WILL TO FIGHT."

           15    AND I TRUST YOU GUYS WILL DO THAT.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR

           16    TIME.

           17        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING, AND THANKS

           18    TO MAX ALSO.

           19             OUR NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE SERGIO MONTEIRO AND

           20    SAMEERAH SIDDIQUI.

           21        SERGIO MONTEIRO:  OKAY.  SO THERE ARE A FEW POINTS

           22    THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IN HERE, TECHNICAL ASPECTS,

           23    POLITICAL ONES, AND ALSO AS HUMAN BEINGS.

           24             THE TECHNICAL ASPECT IS --

           25        MS. WEGMAN:  WOULD YOU JUST MIND STATING YOUR NAME

                                                                                216

            1    FOR THE --

            2        SERGIO MONTEIRO:  SORRY.  I THOUGHT I SAID IT

            3    BEFORE.

            4             MY NAME IS SERGIO MONTEIRO.  I AM A RETIRED

            5    PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS.

            6             SO THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS ARE VERY SIMPLE,

            7    EXTREMELY SIMPLE ACTUALLY.  THE GROUPS THAT WANT TO

            8    OBFUSCATE ON THE ISSUE, THEY CON ME WITH A LOT OF WORDS

            9    TO MAKE IT VERY COMPLEX THINGS.  THEY DO THE SAME THING

           10    WITH THE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IN IRAQ, WHETHER OR

           11    NOT THERE IS GLOBAL WARMING, WHETHER OR NOT WE DAMAGE

           12    OUR LUNGS WITH THE CIGARETTES, AND SO ON.  AND YOU CAN

           13    PUT A LOT OF WORDS TO THAT, BUT THEY'RE ALL GARBAGE.

           14             WE CAN'T VERY EASILY SEE THE TRUTH, AND IT'S

           15    VERY SIMPLE DATA WHICH PROBABLY YOU HAVE.  OZONE IS AN

           16    UNSTABLE MOLECULE.  IT HAS TOO MANY OXYGENS.  IT WOULD

           17    BE LIKE IF YOU HAVE -- ANY MOLECULE HAS A NUMBER OF

           18    ATOMS THAT IT FEELS GOOD.  LIKE A SHOE THAT IS TOO

           19    LARGE, IT DOES NOT FEEL GOOD.  A SHOE THAT IS TOO SMALL,

           20    IT DOES NOT FEEL GOOD EITHER.  THERE IS A CORRECT SIZE.

           21             THERE IS NO (INAUDIBLE), BUT THE O2 IS A

           22    MOLECULE THAT WHEN IT BREAKS, IT WILL REACT WITH

           23    WHATEVER IS AROUND.  IT WILL REACT WITH THE TISSUE IN

           24    THE LUNG OR IN THE EYES OR ON THE SKIN.  THE LUNG AND

           25    THE EYES ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE BECAUSE THEY ARE

                                                                                217

            1    WET.

            2             THE NUMBER, YOU CAN PUT IT DIFFERENT WAYS.

            3    APPROXIMATELY TEN TO THE POWER OF TEN ATOMS IN A CUBIC

            4    CENTIMETER.  WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ONE PART PER

            5    MILLION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 10 TO 13 ATOMS.  WHEN YOU

            6    GO TO ONE PART PER MILLION, THEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 10

            7    TO 12 ATOMS.  WELL, THERE IS ONE BILLION OR 10 TO THE 9

            8    PEOPLE ON EARTH.  SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 1,000 TIMES

            9    MORE ATOMS IN ONE CC THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR LUNG IF YOU GO

           10    TO PUT ONE PART PER MILLION.  SO THIS IS NOT A SMALL

           11    NUMBER.

           12             MOREOVER, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS REACTING

           13    WITH A SURFACE WHICH HAS MUCH LESS ATOMS THAN IN THE

           14    VOLUME.  WHEN IT GOES TO THE LUNG, AND THE LUNG WAS MADE

           15    TO HAVE AS LARGE A SURFACE AREA TO REACT AS READILY WITH

           16    THE AIR AS POSSIBLE, AND THERE IS 500 MILLION YEARS OF

           17    EVOLUTION BETWEEN PROVING THAT AND THE SYSTEM ARE

           18    EFFICIENT.  SO MOST OF THIS OZONE THAT WE BREATHE WILL

           19    REACT.  I GOING TO DIE OF THAT?  WELL, I'M NOT CREATING

           20    THIS.  THIS IS ME BECAUSE I LIVE HERE.  WHEN I TRAVEL,

           21    IT DISAPPEARS, REALLY, WHEN I LEAVE THE CITY.  STILL

           22    VERY HEALTHY, SO I'M GOING TO KEEP LIVING, BUT IT'S NOT

           23    GOOD.

           24             SO THEN I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE POLITICAL

           25    ISSUES, THOUGH I COULDN'T FINISH THE TECHNICAL ARGUMENTS

                                                                                218

            1    IN HERE.  THE THING IS, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE

            2    INTERESTS IN COMPANIES AND SO ON THAT WANT TO MAKE

            3    MONEY.  BUT THE QUESTION THAT WE AS HUMAN BEINGS HAVE TO

            4    ASK IS THE FOLLOWING:  ARE WE GOING URGE TO MAKE MONEY

            5    FOR SOME COMPANIES OR WE SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST?

            6    AND I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE A RIGHT TO

            7    (INAUDIBLE) TO EXIST AND IT IS CRAZY.  IT IS LUNACY TO

            8    MAKE A COST-BENEFIT ASSESSMENT.  THERE IS NO COST

            9    BENEFIT.  PEOPLE SHOULD NOT DIE SO THAT SOMEBODY ELSE

           10    MAKE MONEY.

           11             SIMPLY FINISH IT UP.  THAT'S A WARNING.

           12        MS. WEGMAN:  YEAH, WARNING, ONE MINUTE.

           13        SERGIO MONTEIRO:  SO THEN TO FINISH, I'D LIKE TO ASK

           14    YOU WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AS A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE?  I'M A

           15    RETIRED PROFESSOR NOW, BUT WHEN I WAS A PROFESSOR I

           16    NEVER THOUGHT THAT MY DUTY.  I WAS PAID BY THE STATE.  I

           17    NEVER ASSUMED THAT MY DUTY WAS TO GO TO THE CLASS AND

           18    JUST TALK, TALK, TALK TO THE STUDENTS.  MY DUTY WAS FAR

           19    MORE THAN THAT.  I HAD A MORAL OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE

           20    THAT THE STRUCTURE WAS GOOD.  IN SOME WAYS YOU PEOPLE --

           21    FINISH, OKAY.

           22             SO YOU SHOULD DO YOUR BEST TO MAKE THIS AFTER

           23    THE POINT OF 06 IS TOO LARGE.  YOU SHOULD MAKE IT .05 OR

           24    .04.

           25        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  THANK YOU FOR

                                                                                219

            1    COMING.

            2             THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MILAN, AND I DON'T KNOW THE

            3    LAST NAME.  OKAY.  AND IGOR KAGAN.

            4        IGOR KAGAN:  MY NAME IGOR KAGAN.  I'M HERE AS A

            5    CITIZEN THAT LIVES AND BREATHES IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

            6             A FEW WEEKS AGO, I WAS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT

            7    KAISER.  I'M OKAY.  IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT, AND I WAS

            8    STRUCK -- I STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER

            9    PATIENT WHO HAD BEEN WAITING THERE A WHILE.  IT TURNS

           10    OUT THAT THE GIRLS I WAS SPEAKING WITH HAD ASTHMA.  SHE

           11    HAD COME TO THE E.R. BECAUSE SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE

           12    BREATHING DUE IN TO THE POLLUTED AIR AROUND HER HOME IN

           13    THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF

           14    HERE.

           15             WHAT REALLY STRUCK ME ABOUT OUR CONVERSATION

           16    WAS NOT SO MUCH HER WORDS BUT THE FEAR IN HER EYES AS

           17    SHE SPOKE ABOUT STRUGGLING TO BREATHE.  I HAD DERIVED

           18    TWO THINGS FROM OUR ENCOUNTER.  I REALIZED HOW LUCKY I

           19    WAS NOT TO SUFFER FROM LUNG DISEASE, AND TWO, HOW SCARY

           20    IT IS TO WORRY ABOUT EVERY BREATH THAT YOU TAKE.

           21             WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE REASON I'M HERE TODAY,

           22    TO SHARE WITH YOU MY PERSPECTIVE AS A RECENT COLLEGE

           23    GRADUATE AND SOMEONE WHO WILL BE FORCED TO LIVE WITH THE

           24    DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE WAY, WAY INTO THE FUTURE,

           25    HOPEFULLY.

                                                                                220

            1             TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THIS ENTIRE PROCESS

            2    SEEMS PRETTY ABSURD TO ME.  WE KNOW THAT OZONE IN THE

            3    AIR IS HARMFUL AT ANY LEVEL AND THAT IT CAUSES MANY

            4    NEGATIVE IMPACTS, SUCH AS IRRITATION TO THE LUNGS,

            5    INCREASED RISK OF ASTHMA, AND EVEN PREMATURE DEATH.  WE

            6    KNOW THAT THEY'RE CONSISTENTLY HIGH LEVELS OF OZONE IN

            7    THE AIR.  I GET THE AIR QUALITY REPORTS EVERY DAY IN MY

            8    E-MAIL, AND IT'S ALWAYS MODERATE TO UNHEALTHY.  IF I

            9    RECEIVED MODERATE TO UNHEALTHY GRADES IN SCHOOL, I

           10    WOULDN'T BE SPEAKING TO YOU AS A COLLEGE GRADUATE.

           11             WE KNOW THAT THE CLEAN AIR ACT REQUIRES ALL

           12    SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION TO BE PROTECTED, NOT JUST THE

           13    HEALTHIEST PEOPLE.  WE KNOW THAT STUDY AFTER STUDY HAS

           14    DEMONSTRATED THE HIGHLY DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS OZONE HAS ON

           15    OUR HEALTH.  EVEN YOUR OWN SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS HAVE

           16    RECOMMENDED STRONGER STANDARDS.  WITH ALL THESE SMART

           17    PEOPLE CALLING FOR YOU TO LOWER THE STANDARDS, IT JUST

           18    SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER.

           19             SO WHAT'S STOPPING YOU?  IT'S NOT THE ECONOMIC

           20    COSTS BECAUSE YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT THOSE CANNOT BE PART

           21    OF YOUR CONSIDERATIONS; AND EVEN IF THEY COULD, THE

           22    ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF COMPLIANCE FAR OUTWEIGH THE COSTS.

           23    IF IT'S THE FACT THAT YOU'RE NOT 100 PERCENT SURE THAT A

           24    STRONGER STANDARD WOULD BE BETTER, THEN HAVE YOUR FUTURE

           25    GENERATIONS TO BE SAFE RATHER THAN SORRY.  THERE CAN

                                                                                221

            1    ONLY BE A BENEFIT TO LESS OZONE.

            2             SO, PLEASE, DO THE RIGHT THING.  PROTECT OUR

            3    RIGHT TO CLEAN HEALTHY AIR FOR TODAY AND FOR THE FUTURE.

            4        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

            5        MILAN:  MY NAME IS MILAN, M-I-L-A-N, OF QUANTUM

            6    Q-U-A-N-T-U-M, WIZDOM.ORG.  I AM A RESEARCHER

            7    SPECIALIZED IN UNDERSTANDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ORIGINS

            8    OF BOTH CANCER AND AUTISM.  THE RESEARCH I'VE CONDUCTED

            9    HAS LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY IDENTICAL.

           10             SO WITH REGARD TO WHAT YOU'VE ASKED US TO DO

           11    TODAY, WITH RESPECT TO THE MARGINS OF SAFETY DESIRED BY

           12    THE PROPOSED OZONE STANDARD, I WOULD AGREE WITH THE

           13    REVIEW OF SOME COMMENTS TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT NAAQS

           14    REVIEW WHEN A MORE COMPLETE BODY OF EVIDENCE IS EXPECTED

           15    TO BE AVAILABLE.  I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT ON DISCLOSED

           16    FACTORS, SUCH AS THE EFFECT OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY FROM

           17    OZONE, YOU ADDITIONALLY CONSIDER THIS IN DETERMINING THE

           18    APPLICABILITY OF ANY ONE MONITORING LEVEL WITHIN A SET

           19    OF STANDARDS, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE IS NO INDOOR AIR

           20    QUALITY RULE.

           21             THE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF MY RESEARCH WOULD

           22    INDICATE THAT THE CAUSE OF BOTH CANCER IN HUMANS AND

           23    AUTISM OCCURRING IN THE MOTHER'S FETUS DURING THE

           24    NINE-MONTH GESTATIONAL PERIOD ARE BOTH CREATED BY

           25    INTERACTIONS COMING FROM SO2 IN OZONE AS WELL AS MERCURY

                                                                                222

            1    AND PM.  I BELIEVE THAT UNTIL A STANDARD IS SET FOR

            2    LEVELS OF INDOOR HOME AIR POLLUTION, WE WILL NOT

            3    COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE OUTDOOR

            4    TO INDOOR INFILTRATION RATES THAT ARE OCCURRING.

            5             MY RESEARCH INDICATES HIGHLY SUSPECT INDOOR AIR

            6    POLLUTION AND THE LEVEL OF OZONE, SPECIFICALLY SO2,

            7    OXYGEN ROBBING POLLUTANT, MAY REQUIRE A FURTHER

            8    ADJUSTMENT ONCE A LEVEL OF SICKNESS ORIGINATING INSIDE

            9    OF THE HOME CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THIS.

           10             I'M BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE

           11    BODY OF EVIDENCE THAT THE COLLECTIVE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF

           12    AT THIS POINT REALLY ONLY GOES TO LUNGS AND A LITTLE BIT

           13    TO HEART.  SO I UNDERSTAND I'M BRINGING YOU FRESH NEW

           14    EVIDENCE.

           15             I QUESTION THE MONITORING SYSTEM FOR OZONE TO

           16    SELECTIVELY IDENTIFY POSSIBLE AMOUNTS OF MERCURY IN THE

           17    AIR AT GROUND LEVELS AS THE CAMERA RULE HAS NOT BEEN

           18    ADEQUATELY ENFORCED.  IT MIGHT BE SIGNIFICANT TO

           19    SEQUESTER TOXIC MERCURY VAPOR INFLUENCE WITHIN THE OZONE

           20    VAPORS.  I CAN'T EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH BECAUSE ALTHOUGH

           21    PUBLIC DOCUMENTS STATE THAT THERE'S ONLY TEN PING PONG

           22    BALLS OF MERCURY PER FOOTBALL FIELD SUPPOSEDLY, AS

           23    PRINTED IN "BAKER CENTER PUBLICATION, PUBLIC POLICY

           24    SERIES VOLUME 1," I STRONGLY BELIEVE FROM MY STUDY

           25    THERE'S A LOT MORE MERCURY IN THE AIR.  AND ALTHOUGH WE

                                                                                223

            1    HAVE A CAMERA RULE, I BELIEVE WE CAN DO MORE WORK, EVEN

            2    WITHIN OZONE, TO IDENTIFY THAT MERCURY.

            3             SO MY STUDIES INDICATE HIGH SUSCEPTIBILITY TO

            4    BOTH INDOOR MERCURY AND SO2 COMING FROM OUTDOOR OZONE.

            5    THE RESULTS OF MY RESEARCH CONDUCTED WITHIN 120-MILE

            6    RADIUS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGHOUT 2005, 2006, AND

            7    2007 INDICATE A HIGH LEVEL OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

            8    GATHERING IN A SPECIFIC AREAS OF HOMES AT SPECIFIC

            9    TIMES.  I WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC PATTERNS OF

           10    TOXIC INFLUENCE AT 100 PERCENT CONSISTENCY TO BOTH

           11    CANCER PATIENTS AND TO BACKDATE IT OVER 15 YEARS TO

           12    WHERE PREGNANT MOTHERS OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN SLEPT AT THE

           13    TIME OF THEIR PREGNANCY.  THE PATTERNS FORMING AUTISM IN

           14    UTERO WERE IDENTICAL TO THOSE FORMING CANCER IN HUMANS.

           15        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU.  EXCUSE ME.  THANK YOU VERY

           16    MUCH.

           17             IF YOU HAVE STUDIES -- PUBLISHED STUDIES THAT

           18    SUPPORT YOUR POSITIONS, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THOSE FOR THE

           19    RECORD.

           20        MILAN:  I HAVE THE SUBMITTING INFORMATION.

           21        MS. WEGMAN:  OKAY.  IF YOU COULD.  THANK YOU BOTH

           22    VERY MUCH.

           23             OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE STEPHANIE MOLAN AND

           24    SAMEERAH SIDDIQUE.

           25        STEPHANIE MOLAN:  HI, I'M STEPHANIE MOLAN.  I'M A

                                                                                224

            1    SENIOR FIELD REP FOR ASSEMBLYMAN TED LIEU, AND HE'S

            2    PREPARED A STATEMENT THAT I'M GOING TO READ FOR YOU

            3    TODAY.

            4             SO FIRST, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING THIS

            5    OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHARE OUR THOUGHTS HERE TODAY.

            6             AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A DISTRICT WITH SOME OF

            7    THE POOREST AIR QUALITY IN CALIFORNIA, I DEEPLY CARE

            8    ABOUT OUR AIR QUALITY.  IN THE 2006, 2007 CENSUSES IT

            9    WAS DETERMINED THAT FOUR OF THE MOST POLLUTED ZIP CODES

           10    AND FOUR OF THE MOST POLLUTING FACILITIES EMITTING TRI

           11    CHEMICALS ARE LOCATED IN THE 53RD ASSEMBLY DISTRICT.

           12    ASTHMA RATES ARE VERY HIGH AMONG MY CONSTITUENCY AND

           13    CONTINUE TO RAISE IF WE DO NOT RESERVE THESE TRENDS.

           14             IT IS FOR THIS REASON AND MANY OTHERS THAT I AM

           15    PROMOTING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REDUCE POLLUTION AND

           16    ENCOURAGE A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR MY CONSTITUENCY AND

           17    CALIFORNIANS AS A WHOLE.  LAST YEAR THE GOVERNOR SIGNED

           18    LAND MARK LEGISLATION, AB32 AUTHORED BY NUNEZ AND

           19    PAVLEY, WHICH ESTABLISHED AGGRESSIVE GOALS TO REDUCE

           20    CALIFORNIA'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

           21             MY ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION AGENDA SUPPORTS

           22    AB32'S EFFORTS BY ADDRESSING AREAS OF TRANSPORTATION AND

           23    CONSTRUCTION.  THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR IS RESPONSIBLE

           24    FOR MORE THAN 40 PERCENT OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS,

           25    WHICH IS MORE THAN ANY OTHER SECTOR.

                                                                                225

            1             THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S VEHICLE FLEET IS ONE

            2    OF THE LARGEST PUBLIC FLEETS IN THE WORLD.  STATE

            3    AGENCIES OPERATE NEARLY 73,000 VEHICLES USING

            4    APPROXIMATELY 46 MILLION GALLONS OF GASOLINE AND 9

            5    MILLION GALLONS OF DIESEL PER YEAR.  I'VE AUTHORED

            6    AB236, WHICH WOULD DEMONSTRATE CALIFORNIA'S LEADERSHIP

            7    AND COMMITMENT TO THE REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS

            8    EMISSIONS AND DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL BY REFORMING ITS

            9    VEHICLE PRACTICES TO ACHIEVE A GREENER STATE FLEET OF

           10    VEHICLES FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND WOULD ALLOW

           11    CALIFORNIA TO BE A SHOWCASE FOR THE USE OF CLEAN LOW

           12    CARBON ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY VEHICLES AND FUELS.  IT WOULD

           13    DEMONSTRATE TO AUTO MAKERS AND FUEL PROVIDERS THAT

           14    THERE'S A STRONG AND STEADY MARKET FOR CLEANER VEHICLES.

           15             ANOTHER AREA WHERE I FEEL WE CAN GREATLY REDUCE

           16    OUR IMPACT ON OUR AIR IS THROUGH GREEN BUILDINGS.

           17    BUILDINGS HAVE A STAGGERING IMPACT ON THE NATURAL

           18    ENVIRONMENT AND ON GLOBAL WARMING.  NATIONALLY,

           19    BUILDINGS ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY 40 PERCENT OF TOTAL

           20    GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ACCOUNTING FOR THE RELEASE OF

           21    600 TIMES OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE ANNUALLY

           22    AND EACH YEAR RESULT IN ALMOST 30 MILLIONS TONS OF

           23    WASTE.

           24             WE CANNOT EXPECT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN MITIGATING

           25    CLIMATE CHANGES AND MEETING THE AB32 GOALS UNLESS WE

                                                                                226

            1    MAKE GREEN BUILDINGS COMMONPLACE.  THE AVERAGE GREEN

            2    BUILDING USES 32 PERCENT LESS ELECTRICITY, SAVES 359

            3    METRIC TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS ANNUALLY, AND USES 30

            4    PERCENT LESS WATER AND THAT IS JUST THE TIP OF THE

            5    ICEBERG.  IN SAVING IN CO 2 EMISSIONS FROM ONE BUILDING

            6    ALONE EQUATES TO 70 PASSENGER CARS DRIVEN OVER A YEAR.

            7    THIS IS WHY I'VE AUTHORED FOUR GREEN BUILDINGS OVER THE

            8    PAST TWO YEARS.

            9             AB888 REQUIRES THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL

           10    PROTECTION AGENCY TO COORDINATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SET

           11    OF COMMERCIAL GREEN BUILDING GUIDELINES WHICH MUST BE AT

           12    LEAST AS STRONG AS THE UNITED STATES GREEN BUILDING

           13    COUNSEL'S LEAD COLD STANDARDS.  COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

           14    CONSTRUCTED AFTER JULY 1, 2012 WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MEET

           15    THESE GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS.

           16             I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE EPA TO INCREASE THEIR

           17    STANDARDS OF AIR QUALITY.  WE CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP

           18    ABUSING OUR EARTH AND OUR HEALTH.  THIS GENERATION IS

           19    SEEING A SHIFT IN THE WAY OF BUSINESS AND INDIVIDUAL

           20    PEOPLE CHOSE TO WORK AND LIVE IN THE WORLD.  I THINK THE

           21    EPA NEEDS TO LISTEN TO THEIR OWN SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS AND

           22    SET THE BAR HIGHER IN REGARDS TO OUR AIR QUALITY.

           23             THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY THOUGHTS.

           24    SINCERELY, ASSEMBLYMAN TED LIEU AND HIS STAFF.

           25        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU, AND PLEASE, THANK THE

                                                                                227

            1    ASSEMBLYMAN FOR HAVING YOU COME TODAY.

            2        MR. HABER:  JUST ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION, PLEASE.

            3             COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT

            4    CITIES THE 53RD DISTRICT INCLUDES?

            5        STEPHANIE MOLAN:  THE 53RD DISTRICT IS WEST OF THE

            6    405 AND ABOUT SOUTH OF THE 10.  SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT

            7    OF WEST L.A., SOUTH OF SANTA MONICA THROUGH THE BEACH

            8    CITIES, VENICE, HERMOSA BEACH, REDONDO BEACH; AND THEN

            9    AS THE 405 KIND OF CURVES, WE CURVE WITH IT.  SO WE HAVE

           10    TORRANCE AND LOMITA AS OUR BOTTOM END.  SO WE GO ALL THE

           11    WAY UP TO THE PV HILLS.  SO WE HAVE A LOT OF COASTLINE.

           12    WE HAVE THE 405 FREEWAY AS WELL AS LAX AND PRETTY MUCH

           13    SANTA MONICA AIRPORT IN THERE AND THE TRACKS THAT GO

           14    DOWN TO GO TO THE PORTS.  WE GET ALL OF THAT POLLUTION

           15    TOO, SO IT'S SCARY.

           16        SAMEERAH SIDDIQUI:  GOOD AFTERNOON, REPRESENTATIVES

           17    OF EPA.  MY NAME IS SAMEERAH SIDDIQUI, AND I'M HERE ON

           18    BEHALF OF CLERGY AND LADY UNITED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE,

           19    AN ASSOCIATION OF INTERFAITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND

           20    CONGREGATIONS DEDICATED TO SUPPORT THE STRUGGLES OF THE

           21    WORKING POOR AS WELL AS SUPPORTING COMMUNITY BENEFICIAL

           22    PUBLIC POLICIES.  I THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS PUBLIC

           23    HEARING ON THE OZONE STANDARD AS IT IS AN ISSUE OF DIRE

           24    CONSEQUENCES FOR ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES HERE IN SOUTHERN

           25    CALIFORNIA.

                                                                                228

            1             AMONGST THE MANY ISSUES RELIGIOUS LEADERS HELP

            2    THEIR MEMBERS COPE WITH, ONE ISSUE OF PARTICULAR AND

            3    GROWING CONCERN IS THE INCIDENTS OF RESPIRATORY DISEASES

            4    IN OUR COMMUNITIES.  WHAT IS MORE DISCONCERTING TO US

            5    ABOUT THIS TREND IS THE RATE OF NEW ASTHMA CASES

            6    DIAGNOSED EACH YEAR AMONG OUR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY

            7    AMONGST CHILDREN WHO RESIDE NEAR OUR PORT COMPLEXES OF

            8    LONG BEACH AND LOS ANGELES WHERE NOX EMISSIONS FROM

            9    SHIPS AND DIESEL TRUCKS CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE

           10    PROBLEM OF AIR POLLUTION.  HOSPITAL CHAPLAINS IN THESE

           11    AREAS LAMENT THE INCREASING NUMBER OF CHILDREN THEY

           12    VISIT EVERY WEEK WHO ARE HOSPITALIZED FOR DAYS AT A TIME

           13    DUE TO SEVERE AND PROLONGED ASTHMA ATTACKS.

           14             MOTHERS IN SOME OF OUR CONGREGATIONS ARE FORCED

           15    TO SPEND MANY HOURS AWAY FROM WORK TO CARE FOR THEIR

           16    ASTHMATIC CHILD WHO MISSES SCHOOL BECAUSE -- WHO MISSES

           17    SCHOOL JUST BECAUSE TAKING THEM OUTSIDE COULD TRIGGER

           18    ANOTHER ASTHMA ATTACK.  FURTHER STILL, SOME AREA SCHOOLS

           19    ARE CONSIDERING INSTALLING ALARM SYSTEMS TO ALERT

           20    TEACHERS AS TO WHEN AIR POLLUTION LEVELS ARE TOO HIGH

           21    AND, THEREFORE, TOO TOXIC FOR CHILDREN TO SPEND THEIR

           22    RECESSES OUTSIDE ON PLAYGROUNDS.

           23             BUT BOTH YOU AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS SIMPLY A

           24    PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE TO POSSIBLY PREVENT ASTHMA ATTACKS

           25    DURING SCHOOL HOURS, BUT IT DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS OR

                                                                                229

            1    REDUCE THE SOURCE THAT WOULD SET THESE ALARMS OFF IN THE

            2    FIRST PLACE.  ONCE THE BELL RINGS FOR CLASSES TO BE

            3    DISMISSED, OUR CHILDREN WALK HOME INHALING AIR THAT IS

            4    DAMAGING TO THEIR LUNGS, AND AS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN, WILL

            5    REDUCE THEIR LUNG FUNCTION.

            6             AS PEOPLE OF FAITH, WE UNDOUBTEDLY CRAVE THE

            7    WELL-BEING AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF OUR FAMILIES, FRIENDS,

            8    AND NEIGHBORS.  AT THE SAME TIME WE RECOGNIZE OURSELVES

            9    AS RATIONAL BEINGS WITH THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHOICES AND

           10    THE CAPACITY TO EFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE IN OUR

           11    COMMUNITIES AND THE NATION.  WE AT CLUE, THEREFORE, ASK

           12    THE EPA TO ACT IN A MANDATED CAPACITY TO PROTECT OUR

           13    HEALTH AND REVISE THE PROPOSED OZONE STANDARD TO 0.06

           14    PARTS PER MILLION.

           15             OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH ALLIES

           16    ADVISE THAT LOWERING THE OZONE STANDARD TO A LEVEL JUST

           17    SUGGESTED WOULD DO MUCH MORE TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF

           18    THE MOST SENSITIVE MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS

           19    CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY WHO SUFFER THE GREATEST HARM

           20    FROM AIR POLLUTION.

           21             IN CLOSING, WE SINCERELY REQUEST THE EPA TO

           22    HEED SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE ACCUMULATED OVER THE PAST TEN

           23    YEARS AND EXPERT TESTIMONY PRESENTED HERE TODAY AND SET

           24    THE OZONE STANDARD AT THE RECOMMENDED 0.06 PARTS PER

           25    MILLION.  THANK YOU.

                                                                                230

            1        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

            2             WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COMMENTS READ -- COMMENTS

            3    OF JONAH RAMIREZ, WHO WAS GOING TO BE HERE TODAY BUT WAS

            4    UNABLE TO BE HERE.  LINDA WYRE WILL EXPLAIN TO US THE

            5    SITUATION.

            6        LINDA WYRE:  THANK YOU.  JONAH DESPERATELY WANTED TO

            7    TESTIFY TODAY, BUT HIS MOTHER DEVELOPED A SERIOUS

            8    MEDICAL CONDITION YESTERDAY; AND THEREFORE, BECAUSE THEY

            9    LIVE IN SAN BERNARDINO, NO ONE IN THE FAMILY COULD DRIVE

           10    HIM HERE.  HIS SCHOOL WAS ALL PREPARED.  IT WAS A VERY

           11    BIG EVENT, SO THEY FAXED THEIR TESTIMONY TO US TODAY.

           12    SO I WOULD BEG YOUR INDULGENCE TO STRETCH YOUR

           13    IMAGINATION THAT I'M NOT A WOMAN OVER 60.  I'M AN

           14    11-YEAR-OLD VERY CUTE, ARTICULATE BOY.

           15                 "TODAY I SIT HERE AND TESTIFY TO YOU NOT AS

           16             AN 11-YEAR-OLD BOY BUT AS A VICTIM, A VICTIM OF

           17             POLLUTION, A VICTIM OF THE AIR THAT I BREATHE."

           18             I SHOULD SAY THESE ARE INDEED JONAH'S WORDS.

           19    NO ONE WROTE THIS FOR HIM.

           20                 "I AM A YOUNG BOY WHO'S BEEN FORCED TO GROW

           21             UP WAY TOO FAST.  I HAVE ASTHMA.  I WAS NOT

           22             BORN WITH ASTHMA.  I DEVELOPED IT BY LIVING IN

           23             SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA.  YOU SEE, THE PLACE

           24             I CALL HOME IN SAN BERNARDINO, THE PLACE WHERE

           25             I HAVE ALWAYS FELT SAFE, FELT FREE TO RUN

                                                                                231

            1             AROUND, PLAY, AND BE MYSELF RECEIVED FAILING

            2             GRADES THIS YEAR IN ALMOST ALL CATEGORIES FROM

            3             THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION STATE OF THE AIR

            4             REPORT.

            5                 "WITH THIS SAID, I BELIEVE IT IS FAIR TO

            6             SAY THAT I FEEL AS IF MY GOVERNMENT IS

            7             RESPONSIBLE FOR MY DEVELOPING LUNG DISEASE.

            8             THE LAWS SEEM WAY TOO LENIENT TO ME.  OUR

            9             CURRENT LAWS PERMIT HEAVY EXHAUST, SMOKE, AND

           10             DEBRIS TO BE CONSIDERED SAFE.  SAFE?  IF THESE

           11             PARTICLES THAT I BREATHE EVERY DAY ARE SO SAFE,

           12             THEN WHY DO I DEPEND ON DAILY MEDICATION AND A

           13             FAST RELIEF OF MY INHALER TO DO SOMETHING THAT

           14             EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DO, SIMPLY TO

           15             BREATHE.

           16                 "I AM BEGGING YOU TO MAKE CHANGES.  NOT

           17             LITTLE CHANGES AND CERTAINLY NOT OVER THE NEXT

           18             20 YEARS.  BUT BIG CHANGES.  BIG CHANGES TODAY.

           19             I AM SURE YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE REFERRED TO AS

           20             THE GOVERNMENT THAT IS TOO CONCERNED WITH

           21             ISSUES THAT REQUIRE A COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION

           22             TO TAKE A STEP, A LEAP, IF YOU WILL, FORWARD IN

           23             THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO MAKE WHAT I KNOW THAT

           24             YOU KNOW IS THE IS THE RIGHT CHOICE.  LET'S

           25             STAND UP FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.  LET'S MAKE MY

                                                                                232

            1             DREAM OF BREATHING CLEAN, POLLUTANT-FREE AIR A

            2             REALITY.

            3                 "I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY LUNGS.

            4             JONAH RAMIREZ."

            5        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU, AND PLEASE, CONVEY TO JONAH

            6    HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE HIS TESTIMONY.  OKAY.

            7             ARE YOU MARK GERAGHTY?

            8        MARK GERAGHTY:  YEAH.  GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M MARK

            9    GERAGHTY.  I'M AN ATTORNEY HERE IN LOS ANGELES.  THIS IS

           10    ACTUALLY THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE

           11    THIS, THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER APPEARED BEFORE ANY

           12    AGENCY, AND I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT CONSIDER MYSELF AN

           13    ACTIVIST.  BUT LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, I'VE BECOME MORE

           14    AND MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, GLOBAL

           15    WARMING, AND IN PARTICULAR LIVING IN LOS ANGELES, THE

           16    AIR IN THE L.A. BASIN.

           17             IN TRYING TO KIND OF DECIDE ON THESE TYPES OF

           18    ISSUES.  I HAD TO LOOK BACK TO WHAT I DO AS A LAWYER,

           19    AND I LOOKED TO SEE IF I CAN FIND SOME OBJECTIVE

           20    INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP THAT HAS KIND OF LOOKED AT THE ISSUE

           21    AND TRIED TO DECIDE WHAT THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO

           22    WHATEVER THE PROBLEM MAY BE.  WHAT THE APPROPRIATE

           23    RESPONSE SHOULD BE.

           24             I CAME ACROSS A LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO THE EPA

           25    BY YOUR SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE WHICH APPEARS TO

                                                                                233

            1    BE, FRANKLY, VERY CRITICAL OF THE EPA'S APPARENT

            2    INTENTION NOT TO FOLLOW THE VERY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT

            3    THEY GOT.  SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF OBJECTIVE

            4    SCIENTISTS -- I ACTUALLY HAPPEN TO KNOW SOME OF THESE

            5    SCIENTISTS FROM MY FIELD OF PRACTICE, AND THESE ARE NOT

            6    LIBERAL GUYS.  THESE ARE DOWN-THE-MIDDLE KIND OF GUYS,

            7    AND TO IGNORE -- AS APPARENTLY THE INTENT MAY BE, TO

            8    IGNORE WHAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING TO YOU, TO ME, IT'S

            9    JUST UNCONSCIONABLE, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL RECONSIDER

           10    AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL PUT PUBLIC HEALTH FIRST.  THANKS.

           11        MS. WEGMAN:  IF I COULD JUST LET YOU KNOW ONE THING.

           12        MARK GERAGHTY:  SURE.

           13        MS. WEGMAN:  OUR PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE PRIMARY

           14    HEALTH STANDARD IS -- DOES INCLUDE PART OF THE

           15    RECOMMENDATION WE GOT FROM THE CLEAN AIR SCIENTIFIC

           16    ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, WE

           17    HAVEN'T IGNORED IT.

           18        MARK GERAGHTY:  COMPLETELY.

           19        MS. WEGMAN:  WE HAVEN'T.  WE HAVEN'T.  THE LOW END

           20    DOES INCLUDE THEIR UPPER END.

           21        MARK GERAGHTY:  THANK YOU.

           22        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.  WE

           23    APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

           24             AT THIS POINT WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS

           25    SCHEDULED UNTIL 4:30, SO WE'LL TAKE A BREAK UNTIL 4:30

                                                                                234

            1    UNLESS THERE IS SOMEBODY HERE SCHEDULED TO SPEAK WHO

            2    WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK NOW RATHER THAN LATER.

            3             SEEING NO ONE IN THAT CATEGORY, WE'LL TAKE A

            4    BREAK UNTIL 4:30.

            5             (WHEREUPON A 45-MINUTE BREAK WAS TAKEN.)

            6        MS. WEGMAN:  WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR NEXT WITNESS

            7    NOW, IF SHE IS READY.  VERONICA ZENDEJAS.

            8        VERONICA ZENDEJAS:  MY NAME IS VERONICA ZENDEJAS,

            9    AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA STATE SENATOR JENNY

           10    OROPEZA, WHICH REPRESENTS THE 28TH SENATE DISTRICT, AND

           11    I HAVE A BRIEF STATEMENT ON HER BEHALF.  SHE'S IN

           12    SACRAMENTO IN SESSION, SO SHE COULD NOT COME, SO IT'S A

           13    BRIEF STATEMENT.

           14             BASED ON CURRENT SCIENTIFIC DATA, AS WELL AS

           15    THE BACKING OF NUMEROUS PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCACY GROUPS

           16    AND ORGANIZATIONS, SENATOR OROPEZA SUPPORTS YOUR REVISED

           17    OZONE STANDARD OF .60 PPM.  AS WE ARE AWARE, OZONE

           18    EXPOSURE CAN HARM EVEN THE HEALTHIEST LUNGS CAUSING

           19    SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS.  STUDY AFTER STUDY HAS PROVEN

           20    THAT THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN HIGHER

           21    CONCENTRATIONS OF OZONE IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AND INCREASED

           22    RESPIRATORY AILMENTS, AILMENTS SUCH AS CHILDHOOD ASTHMA

           23    AND SENIOR RESPIRATORY DISTRESS.

           24             THE 28TH SENATE DISTRICT INCLUDES COMMUNITIES

           25    THAT EACH AND EVERY DAY ARE AFFECTED BY CANCER-CAUSING

                                                                                235

            1    EMISSIONS FROM THE PORTS OF LOS ANGELES AND LONG BEACH,

            2    LAX, THE RAIL YARDS THAT RUN THROUGH, AND ARE ADJACENT

            3    TO THE CITIES OF LONG BEACH, CARSON, AND THE COMMUNITY

            4    OF WILMINGTON.  THERE ARE SCHOOLS IN LONG BEACH LOCATED

            5    NEXT TO FREEWAY ON-RAMPS THAT HAVE PLAYGROUNDS OFTEN NOT

            6    USED BY CHILDREN BECAUSE OF POOR AIR QUALITY.  SOME OF

            7    THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE THE HIGHEST ASTHMA RATES IN THE

            8    COUNTRY.

            9             IN 2005, THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY HEALTH

           10    DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A HEALTH SURVEY AND FOUND THAT IN

           11    THE LONG BEACH HEALTH DISTRICT 20 PERCENT OF CHILDREN

           12    YOUNGER THAN 18 HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ASTHMA.

           13    COMPARE THAT TO 13 PERCENT IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

           14    AND TEN PERCENT NATIONWIDE.

           15             EPA DO YOUR JOB.  BE RESPONSIBLE AND PROTECT

           16    OUR LUNGS AND OUR AIR.  I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO ADOPT THE

           17    RECOMMENDED STANDARD OF .6 -- I'M SORRY, 060 PPM SO THAT

           18    WE CAN ALL BREATHE A BIT EASIER.  THANK YOU.

           19        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU.  QUESTION?

           20        MR. HANNON:  JUST ONE QUESTION.  THERE'S BEEN QUITE

           21    A BIT OF TESTIMONY BY VARIOUS PEOPLE TODAY ABOUT THE

           22    PORTS AND THE AREAS AROUND THE PORTS.

           23             DO YOU HAVE ANY -- DOES YOUR SENATOR HAVE ANY

           24    THOUGHTS ON WAYS TO ADDRESS THE POLLUTION?  A LOT OF THE

           25    TESTIMONY HAS BEEN ABOUT NOT JUST OZONE BUT PM, TOXICS

                                                                                236

            1    LIKE YOU MENTIONED, CANCER, AND THE GROWTH IN THE PORTS.

            2    THE RECOGNITION THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA

            3    ARE PAYING FOR THE GROWTH AND TRADE FOR THE REST OF THE

            4    COUNTRY, A MATTER OF BEING -- GROWING SIGNIFICANT LEVELS

            5    OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES EASILY.

            6             DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE ON WAYS TO ADDRESS THAT

            7    IN ADDITION TO, OBVIOUSLY, YOUR COMMENTS TODAY ON THE

            8    STANDARD?

            9        VERONICA ZENDEJAS:  SENATOR OROPEZA'S SUPPORT OF THE

           10    PORT OF LONG BEACH AND LOS ANGELES -- PORTS OF LONG

           11    BEACH AND LOS ANGELES HAVE DOCUMENTED THE CLEAN AIR

           12    ACTION PLAN.  SHE'S VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.  SHE'S ALSO

           13    SUPPORTIVE OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS TO BE USED ON TRUCKS

           14    THAT BRING PRODUCT IN AND OUT OF THE PORTS OF LONG BEACH

           15    AND LOS ANGELES.  SO SHE IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE

           16    TYPES OF MEASURES.

           17             BUT IT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO SOLVE BECAUSE AS

           18    YOU SOLVE SOMETHING, AN ASPECT OR AN AREA OF IT, A GROUP

           19    OR AN INDUSTRY WILL COME OUT AND TRY AND -- TRY AND -- I

           20    DON'T WANT TO SAY TRY AND KILL IT, BUT TRY AND KILL IT.

           21    SO IT'S -- SHE BELIEVES IN BALANCE.

           22             SHE LIVES EIGHT BLOCKS AWAY -- EIGHT OR NINE

           23    BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.  SHE'S A CANCER

           24    SURVIVOR, AND SHE BELIEVES THAT SOME OF IT CAME FROM

           25    EMISSIONS.  SHE'S VERY CLOSE TO THE 710 FREEWAY, SO SHE

                                                                                237

            1    LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.  SHE LIVES IN 90813, WHICH IS

            2    ONE OF THE POOREST OF ZIP CODES IN THE COUNTRY, IF NOT

            3    THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.  SO SHE SEES THE 710 WHEN SHE'S

            4    DOWN FROM SACRAMENTO.  SHE SEES THE TRUCKS GOING IN AND

            5    OUT.  SO SHE IS WORKING WITH THE PORTS TO TRY AND, YOU

            6    KNOW, CREATE A BALANCE BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT 40

            7    PERCENT OF THE NATION'S GOODS COME INTO OUR PORTS, INTO

            8    THOSE TWO PORTS, AND WE SHOULDN'T BEAR THE BRUNT OF ALL

            9    OF THE RAIL YARDS AND THE TRUCKS AND THE SHIPS AND THE

           10    BUNKER FUELS AND ALL THAT.  SO SHE BELIEVES IN THE

           11    BALANCE.

           12        MR. HANNON:  THANK YOU.

           13        VERONICA ZENDEJAS:  THANK YOU.

           14        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU FOR COMING.

           15        VERONICA ZENDEJAS:  AND YOU'LL BE HERE UNTIL 9:00

           16    O'CLOCK?

           17        MS. WEGMAN:  WE WILL.

           18             (WHEREUPON A 30-MINUTE BREAK WAS TAKEN.)

           19        MS. WEGMAN:  WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE COME UP AT THE SAME

           20    TIME AND SPEAK TOGETHER, BUT ONE AFTER THE OTHER.

           21             SO IS CAITLIN PARKER HERE?

           22        TOM POLITEO:  WELL, IF YOU PREFER TO SPEAK FIRST.

           23        CAITLIN PARKER:  OH, NO, GO AHEAD.

           24        TOM POLITEO:  OKAY.

           25        MS. WEGMAN:  WHEN YOU SPEAK, IF YOU WOULD JUST STATE

                                                                                238

            1    YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR OUR COURT REPORTER HERE.

            2        TOM POLITEO:  MY NAME IS TOM POLITEO.  I'M WITH THE

            3    SIERRA CLUB LOS ANGELES CHAPTER HARBOR VISION TASK FORCE

            4    AND WITH THE LIVABLE CITIES COMMITTEE.

            5             DO I NEED TO SPELL MY NAME FOR YOU?

            6    P-O-L-I-T-E-O.

            7             PLEASE, CAN WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE CLEAN AIR?

            8    I'M KIND OF TIRED OF ASKING THAT OF VARIOUS COMMISSIONS

            9    AND WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US GET TO THE BUSINESS OF

           10    HELPING CLEAN UP THE AIR.  WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OUR

           11    CIVILIZATION HAS FAILED TO LIVE UP TO THE CHALLENGES

           12    FACING IT.  WE'VE FAILED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PUBLIC

           13    HEALTH AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.

           14    INSTEAD, WE'VE MADE EXCUSES ABOUT POLLUTION ON BEHALF

           15    THE OPPORTUNISTIC INTERESTS, AND AT THE EXPENSE OF THE

           16    GREATER GOOD, OUR MORAL OBLIGATIONS AND THE WELL-BEING

           17    OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.

           18             AT THE SAME TIME WE'VE NOT LIVED UP TO THE

           19    SYSTEMATIC -- TO SIGNIFICANT SYSTEMIC AND REGIONAL

           20    CHALLENGES IN DEALING WITH OZONE AND VARIOUS TYPES OF

           21    POLLUTION CONNECTED TO OZONE SOURCES.  TO SOLVE OUR

           22    PROBLEMS, WE NEED TO DO MORE THAN JUST RETROFIT WITH

           23    PATCHES AND BANDAGES.  WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR US TO STAND

           24    UP TO THE CHALLENGES WE FACE?  HOW WILL WE BE ABLE TO

           25    LOOK AT SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS THROUGH THE EYES OF

                                                                                239

            1    HISTORY AND SAY THAT WE BEHAVED RESPONSIBLY?  THAT WE

            2    DID WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO LEAVE THE WORLD AT LEAST IN

            3    AS GOOD AS CONDITION AS WE FOUND IT?

            4             WE ARE HERE BECAUSE UNDER THE LINE THAT SAYS

            5    "OZONE," OUR REPORT CARDS HAVE A D MINUS AND WANT TO GET

            6    AN A.  THE IMPACTS OF OZONE, INCLUDING HARM TO PUBLIC

            7    HEALTH, PHYSICAL PROPERTY, AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, AND

            8    THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ADD UP.  HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE

            9    BOTTOM LINE COSTS FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS?

           10             OZONE HELPS TURN OUR BLUE SKIES BROWN AND BLOTS

           11    OUT THE MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS THAT RING THE L.A. BASIN.

           12    SOMETHING INTANGIBLE BUT VERY HUMAN IS LOST WHEN THIS

           13    BEAUTY IS DEFACED.

           14             IF WE WANT TO MAKE THE GRADE, OUR ASSESSMENT OF

           15    THE IMPACTS OF OZONE MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE, INCLUDING

           16    PUBLIC HEALTH, AESTHETICS, NATURAL BEAUTY, PHYSICAL

           17    PROPERTY, AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND THE NATURAL

           18    ENVIRONMENT.  IT ALSO NEEDS TO INCLUDE THE DAMAGE DONE

           19    TO THOSE CHEERFUL OUTLOOKS ON SMOGGY DAYS.  WE ARE NOT

           20    BACTERIA.  WE DON'T LIKE LIVING IN A CESSPOOL.  WE MUST

           21    CONSIDER THE INTERACTION BETWEEN OZONE AND OTHER

           22    ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS.

           23             FOR EXAMPLE, OZONE IS MORE HARMFUL AS

           24    TEMPERATURES RISE.  URBAN HEAT ARGUMENTS, WHICH CAN

           25    EXCEED FIVE DEGREES, AGGRAVATE OZONE EFFECTS.  SO DOES

                                                                                240

            1    GLOBAL WARMING.  AND ALTHOUGH ITS EFFECTS WON'T BE AS

            2    PRONOUNCED IN OUR AREAS, IT WILL BE WATCHED FURTHER.

            3             TO GET A C, WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER THE

            4    NON-LINEAR RESPONSES, THRESHOLDS, OR GIVING POINTS WHERE

            5    AN EFFECT BECOMES MORE PRONOUNCED AND CAN BECOME RUNAWAY

            6    COMPOUNDED BY POSITIVE FEEDBACK.  OUR FORESTS ARE

            7    STRESSED BY DROUGHT, RISES IN TEMPERATURE, AND BY AIR

            8    POLLUTANTS LIKE OZONE.  AS THESE IMPACTS COMBINE, THEY

            9    MAKE OUR TREES WEAKER AND MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO

           10    INFESTATIONS BY BARK BEETLES.  OZONE'S EFFECTS ARE MORE

           11    PRONOUNCED WHEN THE FOREST IS ALREADY WEAKENED.  WE

           12    ALREADY HAVE MORE FREQUENT FOREST FIRES AND MORE SEVERE

           13    FIRES FROM THESE COMBINED EFFECTS.  IN TURN THE FIRES

           14    RELEASE MORE COT -- CO2, AND THAT COMPOUNDS GLOBAL

           15    WARMING.

           16             TO GET A B, WE NEED TO CONNECT OUR CONCERNS

           17    ABOUT OZONE TO THOSE OTHER IMPACTS, LIKE GREENHOUSE

           18    GASES, OTHER TOXIC POLLUTANTS, NOISE, URBAN DECAY, AND

           19    INDUSTRIAL BLIGHT AND SPRAWL.  OZONE IS NOT AN ISOLATED

           20    PROBLEM.  THE SAME TAILPIPES AND SMOKE STACKS THAT EMIT

           21    OZONE CONTRIBUTE TO ALL THESE OTHER PROBLEMS.  IF WE

           22    APPROACH THESE SEPARATELY, WE'LL BE BARRING THE SYSTEMIC

           23    SOLUTIONS WE NEED TO FIND AND THE SOLUTIONS WE NEED TO

           24    ADOPT WILL BE PENNY-WISE BUT, PERHAPS, POUND FOOLISH.

           25             EVERY NEW CAR COULD BE A PLUG-IN HYBRID THAT

                                                                                241

            1    RUNS ON PURE ELECTRICITY FOR THE FIRST 20 MILES OR SO.

            2    THOUGH NEW CARS MIGHT COST A BIT MORE -- THOUGH THESE

            3    CARS MIGHT COST A BIT MORE, THEY'D SAVE CONSUMERS WITH

            4    LOW MAINTENANCE COSTS IN THE LONG RUN.  YOU'D THINK THIS

            5    FORMULA WOULD BE ECONOMICALLY ATTRACTIVE, BUT NOT IF

            6    YOU'RE A CAR DEALER BECAUSE DEALERS MAKE THEIR MONEY ON

            7    REPAIR, NOT THE SALES.  A PLUG-IN CAR THAT RUNS ALMOST

            8    ENTIRELY ON ELECTRIC POWER IS A NIGHTMARE.  MAINTENANCE

            9    WOULD DROP AND THE DRIVE TRAINS COULD LAST FOR A LONG

           10    TIME.  SO THE CAR LOBBY IS PART OF THE REASON WE

           11    CONTINUE TO GET A D MINUS IN AIR POLLUTION, BUT THEY'RE

           12    NOT THE ONLY CAUSE.

           13             OUR AILING SCHOOL SYSTEMS -- ONE MINUTE.

           14    TROUBLED INNER CITY SCHOOLS -- TROUBLED INNER CITIES,

           15    BIG BUCKS RETAILERS, INDEPENDENCE ON IMPORTED GOODS ALSO

           16    CONTRIBUTE TO THE OZONE PROBLEM.  SOMETIMES DIRECTLY,

           17    SOMETIMES INDIRECTLY.  IF THE COMMUNITIES PEOPLE WANT TO

           18    LIVE IN WITH NICE HOMES AND GOOD SCHOOLS ARE 30 MILES OR

           19    MORE FROM THEIR WORKPLACE, WE'VE CREATED A

           20    TRANSPORTATION NIGHTMARE.  WE INCREASE THE AVERAGE

           21    COMMUTING DISTANCE BY HALF, AND WE INCREASE AIR --

           22    COMMUTER-PRODUCED AIR POLLUTION LIKEWISE AND ALL OF THE

           23    BURDENS THAT GO WITH IT.

           24             WE ARE REPEATING THE SAME MISTAKE WITH OUR

           25    GOODS MOVEMENT SYSTEM SINCE OUR CAPACITY TO MOVE CARGO

                                                                                242

            1    THROUGH THE L.A. AREA IS BEING PUSHED PAST THE LIMITS OF

            2    19TH CENTURY TECHNOLOGY AND POOR URBAN PLANNING.  WE ARE

            3    BUILDING INLAND PORTS IN SAN BERNARDINO, RIVERSIDE, AND

            4    VICTORVILLE TO HANDLE OVERFLOW CARGO LOGISTICS THAT

            5    CAN'T BE HANDLED IN OUR PORTS.  MUCH OF THE CARGO WE

            6    RECEIVE IN OUR SEA PORTS WILL TRAVEL 4200 MILES TO AN

            7    INLAND DESTINATION BY TRAIN AND THEN BE BROUGHT BACK TO

            8    L.A. BY TRUCK.  THE TRUCKS AND TRAINS WILL MAKE THE

            9    RESPECTIVE RETURN TRIPS.

           10             WHEREAS THIS PLAN MAY GET AN A FOR EFFORT --

           11    I'VE GOT ABOUT A HALF A MINUTE TO GO HERE.

           12        MS. WEGMAN:  THAT'S FINE.  GO AHEAD.

           13        TOM POLITEO:  WHEREAS THIS PLAN MAY GET AN A FOR

           14    EFFORT, IT GETS AN F FOR THRIFTINESS IN POLLUTION

           15    MANAGEMENT.  IF YOU SLASH OZONE BUT DON'T MODERNIZE THE

           16    INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE BALANCE OF TRADE, WE WILL NEVER

           17    SOLVE THIS OZONE PROBLEM.  WE'LL NEVER REACH ATTAINMENT.

           18             SO THE COMPLETE ANSWER TO OUR OZONE PROBLEM

           19    DOESN'T LIE IN JUST LOOKING UP OUR TAILPIPES AND DOWN

           20    OUR SMOKE STACKS.  WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE WAY WE RUN OUR

           21    CITIES AND CLEAN UP OUR FAILURES HEAD ON.  IF YOU WANT

           22    TO REDUCE OZONE AND IMPROVE OUR INNER CITY SCHOOLS,

           23    REVITALIZE OUR FAILED NEIGHBORHOODS, MAKE SURE SHOPPING

           24    AND JOBS ARE CLOSE TO HOME FOR EVERYONE, AND MODERNIZE

           25    OUR GOODS MOVEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, HELP PLANT AN URBAN

                                                                                243

            1    FOREST, IMPROVE BUILDING INSULATION, MAKE

            2    AIR-CONDITIONING MORE EFFICIENT, INSTALL ROOF-TOP SOLAR,

            3    AND GET US PLUG-IN HYBRIDS TO BUY.

            4             LET'S NOT WASTE OUR TIME MAKING EXCUSES.  IF

            5    YOU LISTEN TO INDUSTRY EXCUSE MAKING, WE'LL CONTINUE TO

            6    BE POOR STUDENTS.  A STUDENTS DON'T GIVE EXCUSES.  THEY

            7    DO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.  IT'S TIME TO QUIT

            8    MAKING EXCUSES AND TO BECOME A STUDENTS.  THANK YOU.

            9        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU.  DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC

           10    RECOMMENDATIONS TO OFFER US ON THE OZONE STANDARD THAT

           11    HAS BEEN PROPOSED?

           12        TOM POLITEO:  WELL, IT WOULD SEEM THAT I'M IN FAVOR

           13    OF THE LOWEST STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED.  OKAY.

           14    IS IT -- I DIDN'T SAY THAT EXPLICITLY, BUT IT WOULD

           15    STAND TO REASON BASED ON WHAT I SAY.

           16        MS. WEGMAN:  OKAY.  I JUST WANTED TO CHECK.

           17        TOM POLITEO:  OKAY.  SURE.  ANYTHING ELSE?

           18        MR. HANNON:  I HAVE ONE QUESTION.  I THINK YOU -- IN

           19    THE BEGINNING OF YOUR STATEMENT, I THINK YOU MENTIONED

           20    THAT HIGHER TEMPERATURES EXACERBATE THE EFFECTS OF

           21    OZONE?

           22        TOM POLITEO:  UH-HUH.

           23        MR. HANNON:  I HAD NOT HEARD THAT BEFORE.  DO YOU

           24    HAVE -- I DON'T THINK I'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE.

           25             DO YOU HAVE REFERENCES FOR THAT?

                                                                                244

            1        TOM POLITEO:  NO, BUT I CAN PROVIDE THEM TO YOU

            2    BEFORE THE DEADLINE.

            3        MR. HANNON:  OKAY.  THANK YOU.

            4        TOM POLITEO:  ANYTHING ELSE?

            5        MS. WEGMAN:  NO.

            6        TOM POLITEO:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

            7        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU.  IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST

            8    WAITING UNTIL --

            9        CAITLIN PARKER:  CAN I GO?  OKAY.  MY NAME IS

           10    CAITLIN PARKER.  I'M HERE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, AND I

           11    WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE EPA TO STRENGTHEN THE OZONE

           12    STANDARD TO ELIMINATE THE THREAT OF OZONE POLLUTION TO

           13    PUBLIC HEALTH.

           14             I WORKED AS A CAMP COUNSELOR FOR FOUR SUMMERS

           15    IN A ROW AT A CAMP IN THE SUBURB OUTSIDE WASHINGTON DC.

           16    IT WAS RIGHT BY A MAJOR HIGHWAY, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF

           17    PROBLEMS WITH POLLUTION COMING FROM THE URBAN -- THE

           18    CITY INTO THE SUBURB.  EACH SUMMER IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY

           19    YEAR WE WOULD HAVE MORE AND MORE CODE RED DAYS WHERE WE

           20    WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LET THE KIDS GO OUTSIDE.  IT'S

           21    REALLY HARD TO EXPLAIN TO A GROUP OF EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS WHY

           22    PLAYING OUTSIDE, PLAYING SOCCER IS ACTUALLY DANGEROUS TO

           23    THEM.  BECAUSE OF POOR AIR QUALITY IT COULD ACTUALLY

           24    HURT THEIR LUNGS.

           25             RISING OZONE LEVELS ARE A SERIOUS HEALTH THREAT

                                                                                245

            1    AGGRAVATING ASTHMA, CAUSING CHEST PAIN AND COUGH, AND

            2    LEADING TO POSSIBLY IRREVERSIBLE LUNG DAMAGE.  SO

            3    SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE CURRENT STANDARD IS

            4    REALLY INSUFFICIENT TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, SO I WOULD

            5    URGE THE EPA TO ADOPT THE STRONGEST LEVEL STANDARD TO

            6    PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.  THANKS.

            7        MS. WEGMAN:  OKAY.  THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.

            8    APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TODAY.

            9             OUR NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE SEAN CARROLL AND TARA

           10    STAFFORD.

           11        SEAN CARROLL:  HELLO, MY NAME IS SEAN CARROLL, AND

           12    I'M HERE TO SPEAK AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN.  I ALSO WORK FOR

           13    CALPERT AS A CAMPUS ORGANIZER.

           14             TO ME, I'M HERE TO URGE FOR THE STRONGEST

           15    PROPOSED REGULATIONS ON OUR OZONE EMISSIONS.  TO ME,

           16    THIS IS AN ISSUE OF PROTECTING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH VERSUS

           17    LISTENING TO SMALL SPECIAL INTERESTS.  WHEN WE LOOK AT

           18    OUR GOVERNMENT TODAY, I THINK WE'VE SEEN IN A LOT OF

           19    INSTANCES WHERE THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION LISTENS TO

           20    SPECIAL INTERESTS AND BIG OIL COMPANIES.  PUBLIC HEALTH

           21    AND CLEAN AIR IS, TO ME, A RIGHT.  A RIGHT FOR EVERY

           22    INDIVIDUAL.  THERE'S NO MORE BASIC RIGHT THAN BEING ABLE

           23    TO LIVE YOUR LIFE HEALTHY AND BE SAFE AND BE CLEAN AND

           24    BE ABLE TO GO OUTSIDE.

           25             WE LIVE IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.

                                                                                246

            1    WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC COUNTRIES

            2    IN THE WORLD.  WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROTECT THE HEALTH

            3    OF OUR PEOPLE, AND THERE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE A HIGHER

            4    STANDARD TO ME.  WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST HOW POLICIES

            5    HAVE INFLUENCED OUR GOVERNMENT IN THE OPPOSITE WAYS.

            6    WE'VE SEEN IT IN ENERGY BILLS IN THE PAST WHERE THE

            7    WHITE HOUSE HAS MET WITH LOBBYISTS FOR OIL COMPANIES,

            8    AND IT'S COME OUT THAT THERE WERE MEETINGS LIKE THAT

            9    GOING ON BACK IN JUNE BEFORE THESE REGULATIONS WERE

           10    PROPOSED.  SO TO ME, I SEE NO REASON WHY WE WOULDN'T

           11    PROPOSED THE STRONGEST STANDARDS THAT WE ABSOLUTELY

           12    COULD TO PROTECT THE NATURAL RIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE IN THIS

           13    COUNTRY TO BE ABLE TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.  THANKS.

           14        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU.

           15        TARA STAFFORD:  MY NAME IS TARA STAFFORD.  I AM AN

           16    ORGANIZER WITH CALPERT AS WELL, BUT I'M HERE SPEAKING AS

           17    A PRIVATE CITIZEN.

           18             I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE THAT THE OZONE STANDARD BE

           19    STRENGTHENED TO 06 PARTS PER MILLION, WHICH I BELIEVE IS

           20    THE STRONGEST THING THAT'S BEEN SUGGESTED.  THE REASON

           21    THAT I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS, YOU KNOW, I'VE

           22    LIVED HERE IN LOS ANGELES FOR A FEW YEARS AND STUFF, AND

           23    IT'S A PRETTY POLLUTED CITY.

           24             I KNOW WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE TO GO TO

           25    COLLEGE, A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WHO WERE MORE ATHLETIC THAN

                                                                                247

            1    ME AND WERE FROM CLEANER CITIES WERE DEFINITELY ALWAYS

            2    COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW MUCH THEIR LUNGS HURT BECAUSE THE

            3    AIR POLLUTION HERE IS JUST SO MUCH WORSE THAN WHEREVER

            4    THEY WERE FROM.  AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEFINITELY

            5    OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE OF DEVASTATING EFFECTS THAT OZONE

            6    HAS AT LEVELS BELOW THE CURRENT STANDARDS.  AND THERE'S

            7    DEFINITELY -- YOU KNOW, THE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN CLEAR

            8    CORRELATION BETWEEN OZONE LEVELS AND HEALTH PROBLEMS

            9    RELATING TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND RESPIRATORY

           10    DISEASE.

           11             AND UNDER THE CLEAN AIR ACT, THE LAW SAYS THAT

           12    THE EPA SHOULD SOLELY BASE THEIR DECISION OFF THE

           13    PUBLIC'S HEALTH, AND THE SUPREME COURT UPHELD THAT

           14    STANDARD IN 2002.  SO JUST GOING OFF A LITTLE BIT WHAT

           15    SEAN SAID, IF IT'S NOT BEING LOWERED TO .06, IT SEEMS

           16    THE ONLY REASON FOR THAT WOULD BE THE INFLUENCE OF

           17    SPECIAL INTERESTS.  SO I DEFINITELY THINK THE EPA SHOULD

           18    KEEP THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH IN MIND AND HAVE A GOOD MARGIN

           19    OF SAFETY, AND .06 PARTS PER MILLION SEEMS LIKE THE BEST

           20    WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.  SO WE SHOULD DO THAT.  THAT'S

           21    IT.

           22        MR. HANNON:  JUST ONE QUESTION, AND IT'S JUST ON THE

           23    LAST COMMENT YOU MADE ABOUT THE ONLY REASON IT MIGHT NOT

           24    BE AT .06 BECAUSE OF SPECIAL INTERESTS.

           25             THE SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ITSELF DIDN'T

                                                                                248

            1    RECOMMEND AUTOMATICALLY .060.  IT WAS A RANGE OF .070 TO

            2    .060, AND ALL OF THE INDUSTRY GROUPS THAT HAVE TESTIFIED

            3    TODAY, TESTIFIED AT NO CHANGE TO THE STANDARD AT ALL.

            4    AND IN THE PREDOMINANT TESTIMONY AND WRITTEN -- PUBLIC

            5    FORUMS WRITTEN AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY IN OTHER FORMS

            6    PREVIOUSLY IN REVIEW BY INDUSTRY GROUPS HAVE ROUTINELY

            7    BEEN TO NOT CHANGE THE STANDARD AT ALL.

            8             SO JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR, THE ADMINISTRATOR HAS

            9    PROPOSED THAT THE CURRENT STANDARD IS INADEQUATE, THAT

           10    THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR THAT THE STANDARD IS INADEQUATE, IT

           11    NEEDS TO BE REVISED.  AND THE ISSUE IN FRONT OF HIM IS

           12    HOW MUCH, AND THERE'S SIGNIFICANT DISAGREEMENT ABOUT HOW

           13    MUCH.

           14             TODAY, PREDOMINANTLY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF

           15    PEOPLE HAVE SUGGESTED, JUST AS YOU FOLKS HAVE, .060

           16    LARGELY BECAUSE OF A JUDGMENT THAT THAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED.

           17    THAT IS -- AS SEAN MENTIONED, THAT IS A PUBLIC RIGHT TO

           18    HAVE CLEAN AIR AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT VALUE.  THAT'S

           19    THE PREDOMINANT THREAD OF ALL OF THE TESTIMONY TODAY.

           20             BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE -- IT'S -- IT

           21    IS -- IN ANY SITUATION LIKE THIS, THERE IS ALWAYS STRONG

           22    INTERESTS ON BOTH SIDES, BUT I WOULD NOT ASSUME THAT AT

           23    THIS POINT AT ALL THAT THE AGENCY'S VIEW HAS BEEN DRIVEN

           24    BY POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF SUPPORTING INDUSTRY.

           25    THAT'S NOT A QUESTION.

                                                                                249

            1        CAITLIN PARKER:  I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THE ISSUE, BUT

            2    YOU KNOW, I JUST THREW THAT IN THERE.

            3        SEAN CARROLL:  TO ME, I JUST THINK WE SHOULD DO THE

            4    MOST THAT WE ABSOLUTELY CAN.  WE'RE TOO FAR BEHIND.  SO

            5    ANYTHING LESS THAN THE MOST THAT IS POSSIBLE DOESN'T

            6    SEEM LIKE IT'S REALLY GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE WE LOOK AT LOS

            7    ANGELES AND WE LOOK AT CITIES ALL AROUND THIS COUNTRY

            8    AND WE SEE THE EFFECTS OF IT, AND THERE'S NOT REALLY A

            9    GOOD REASON.

           10             YOU CAN LOOK AT ASTHMA AFFECTS, FREEWAYS IN LOS

           11    ANGELES, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM NEAR THE COAST.  YOU

           12    CAN SPEND A YEAR LIVING NEAR THE FREEWAYS IN LOS ANGELES

           13    AND SPEND A LIVING NEAR THE COAST, AND YOU CAN JUST TELL

           14    EVERY SINGLE DAY.

           15             SO TO ME, IT'S -- IF WE'RE NOT DOING THE MOST

           16    THAT WE ABSOLUTELY CAN, WE'RE REALLY NOT DOING ENOUGH.

           17    AND IF WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH, IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE

           18    LISTENING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE.

           19        MS. WEGMAN:  I JUST WANT TO SAY IF YOU DO CHOSE TO

           20    SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS IN YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY,

           21    MS. STAFFORD, YOU TALKED ABOUT STUDIES, YOU KNOW,

           22    DRAWING CLEAR LINKS AS TO CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS AND

           23    RESPIRATORY EFFECTS AT LEVELS BELOW THE CURRENT

           24    STANDARD, IF YOU DO SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY, IF YOU

           25    COULD POINT TO THOSE SPECIFIC STUDIES BECAUSE ONE OF THE

                                                                                250

            1    BIG ISSUES HERE IS IF WE DO GO BELOW THE CURRENT

            2    STANDARD, HOW LOW SHOULD IT GO.  AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR

            3    VIEW THAT IT SHOULD GO AS LOW AS POSSIBLE, BUT THAT'S AN

            4    ISSUE IN THIS RULE MAKING.

            5        CAITLIN PARKER:  THANK YOU.

            6        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU.

            7             OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE STEPHANIE HANSEN AND

            8    JENNIFER KIM.

            9        STEPHANIE HANSEN:  MY NAME STEPHANIE HANSEN, AND I'M

           10    HERE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN.  I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE

           11    EPA'S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

           12             PEOPLE LIKE ME TRUST THAT A GOVERNMENT

           13    ORGANIZATION, SUCH AS THE EPA, ARE LOOKING AFTER OUR

           14    WELL-BEING BECAUSE, FRANKLY, WHAT ELSE WOULD THEY, YOU

           15    KNOW, BE THERE FOR?  WHAT ELSE WOULD THEY BE FOCUSING

           16    ON?  AND I'M SEMI-SCARED OF THAT ANSWER.  I'M SURE YOU

           17    KNOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME IN TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE

           18    CONNECTION BETWEEN THE OZONE AND THE PUBLIC'S HEALTH AND

           19    YOU KNOW THOSE LINKS ARE VERY CLEAR, BUT THERE SHOULD BE

           20    NO QUESTION THAT THE OZONE STANDARD SHOULD BE

           21    STRENGTHENED TO .06 PARTS PER MILLION.

           22             I'M CURIOUS WHY YOU WOULD EVEN CHOSE A STANDARD

           23    THAT'S LOWER -- THAT'S WEAKER THAN THAT.  WHY AREN'T WE

           24    LISTENING TO THE SCIENTIFIC ADVISEMENT?  THEY ADVISED

           25    .06 TO .07, AND YET THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO MAKE IT

                                                                                251

            1    .07 TO .075.  I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY THAT WOULD EVEN BE

            2    AN OPTION IF THE EPA'S INTEREST IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND

            3    THE ENVIRONMENT.  IN MY EYES THERE IS NO, EVEN, REASONS

            4    TO BE HAVING THESE HEARINGS WHEN THE ANSWER IS OBVIOUS

            5    THAT IT SHOULD BE AT .06.  WE SHOULD BE PROTECTING

            6    PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND WE SHOULD -- IT

            7    SHOULD BE AT THE STRONGEST STANDARD THAT WE COULD

            8    POSSIBLY HAVE BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE A LEADER, AND WE

            9    NEED TO BE ON TOP OF THIS.  IT'S JUST GETTING WORSE AND

           10    WORSE EVERY DAY.  THANK YOU.

           11        MS. WEGMAN:  I'LL JUST NOTE, WE ARE HAVING THE

           12    HEARINGS BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE

           13    LIKE YOU AND OTHERS, AND THERE ARE, BELIEVE ME, VARYING

           14    VIEWS ON WHAT THE STANDARD SHOULD BE SET AT.  SO PEOPLE

           15    INTERPRET THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE IN DIFFERENT WAYS.  SO

           16    IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THESE HEARINGS AND TO HEAR FROM

           17    PEOPLE.

           18        JENNIFER KIM:  HI, MY NAME IS JENNIFER KIM.  I'M

           19    HERE TODAY AS A CITIZEN.  FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK

           20    THE EPA FOR HOLDING THESE HEARINGS, INVITING PUBLIC

           21    CITIZENS TO TESTIFY.

           22             I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE TO YOU ADOPT A STANDARD

           23    OF .06 PARTS PER MILLION BECAUSE I DON'T SMOKE, I CLEAN

           24    MY APARTMENT AND GET RID OF THE DUST EVERY ONCE IN A

           25    WHILE, I DON'T HAVE ASBESTOS IN MY BUILDING ACCORDING TO

                                                                                252

            1    MY LANDLORD, AND I DON'T ROUTINELY EXPOSE MYSELF TO

            2    TOXIC FUMES, BUT I DO BREATHE OFTEN.  ONE MIGHT SAY ON A

            3    REGULAR BASIS.  AND ACCORDING TO THE EPA, ACCORDING TO

            4    RIGHT NOW, THE STANDARDS FOR THE OZONE LAYER OR FOR

            5    OZONE, IT'S HAZARDOUS TO MY HEALTH.

            6             I, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T DO TOO WELL IN ORGANIC

            7    CHEMISTRY IN COLLEGE, AND I, THE AVERAGE CITIZEN, DON'T

            8    REALLY KNOW A LOT ABOUT, I GUESS, WHY THERE IS SMOG

            9    NECESSARILY, OTHER THAN, WELL, I HAPPEN TO LIVE RIGHT

           10    NEXT -- RIGHT UP THE STREET -- ACTUALLY RIGHT NEXT TO

           11    THE HIGHWAY WHERE THE 110, 101 KIND OF MEET AND FORM

           12    THIS GIANT HIGHWAY MONSTER RIGHT NEXT TO MY HOUSE.

           13             SO YOU'VE ACTUALLY SAID THAT THE CURRENT

           14    STANDARD IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP

           15    ON THAT.  BUT SINCE THE -- YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHAT I DO

           16    KNOW:  I DON'T KNOW ABOUT NITROGEN OXIDES AND VOLATILE

           17    ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU YOURSELF HAVE

           18    SAID THE CURRENT STANDARD IS NOT ENOUGH AND THAT YOUR

           19    OWN SCIENTISTS HAVE SAID THAT THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS

           20    .06 TO .07.

           21             SO YOUR PROPOSAL, I THINK RIGHT NOW, IS FOR .07

           22    TO .075, WHICH TO ME, AVERAGE CITIZEN, I THINK THAT'S

           23    NOT WITHIN .06 TO .07, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE

           24    SHOULD BE NO OTHER STANDARD THAN ONE -- YOU KNOW, NOT

           25    ONE THAT COMES CLOSE TO PROTECTING THE PUBLIC HEALTH OR

                                                                                253

            1    ALMOST PROTECTS THE PUBLIC HEALTH OR JUST BARELY

            2    PROTECTS THE PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT ONE THAT GOES ABOVE AND

            3    BEYOND OF PROTECTING OF HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC, FOR YOU

            4    AND ME AND MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS AND

            5    FAMILY TOO.

            6             SO I URGE YOU TO, YOU KNOW, ADOPT WHAT IS THE

            7    STRONGEST MEASURE THAT YOUR OWN SCIENTISTS ARE SAYING

            8    WILL ACTUALLY PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC.  SO

            9    THANK YOU.

           10        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING.  WE VERY

           11    MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

           12             OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAY AUSTIN.

           13        KAY AUSTIN:  HELLO.  MY NAME IS DR. KAY AUSTIN.

           14    THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.

           15    I'M A RESIDENT OF LOS ANGELES AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF

           16    OF THREE MEMBERS OF MY EXTENDED FAMILY, TWO FRIENDS, AND

           17    BY EXTENSION THE PEOPLE OF LOS ANGELES WHOSE HEALTH WILL

           18    MATERIALLY SUFFER IF CLEAN AIR STANDARDS ARE NOT

           19    STRENGTHENED.

           20             I LIVE IN MALIBU, 1800 FEET HIGH IN THE SANTA

           21    MONICA MOUNTAINS WHICH DIVIDE THE COAST FROM THE SAN

           22    FERNANDO VALLEY.  FROM THERE, I LOOK OUT ON SANTA MONICA

           23    BAY AND THE SHORELINE FROM SANTA MONICA SOUTH TO THE

           24    PALOS VERDE PENINSULA.  ALSO, I OFTEN LOOK DOWN ON A

           25    THICK BROWN SLAB OF SMOG OZONE THAT LAYS OVER LOS

                                                                                254

            1    ANGELES LIKE A TOMB AND EXTENDS OUT OVER SANTA MONICA

            2    BAY TOO THICK TO BE DISPERSED BY COASTAL BREEZES.

            3             THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION REPORTS THAT IN

            4    2007 LOS ANGELES IS THE NUMBER ONE METROPOLITAN AREA

            5    MOST POLLUTED BY YEAR-ROUND PARTICLE POLLUTION AND MOST

            6    POLLUTED BY SHORT-TERM PARTICLE PRODUCTION.  OF THE 25

            7    MOST OZONE-POLLUTED CITIES IN THE COUNTY, LOS ANGELES,

            8    AGAIN, IS NUMBER ONE.  THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION

            9    ESTIMATES THAT THERE ARE -- I'M GOING TO ROUND THESE

           10    NUMBERS UP, 243 -- 244,000 ASTHMATIC CHILDREN AT RISK IN

           11    LOS ANGELES.  HALF A MILLION ADULTS, 288,000 -- 289,000

           12    ADULTS WITH CHRONIC BRONCHITIS, 114,000 ADULTS WITH

           13    EMPHYSEMA, ALMOST TWO AND A HALF MILLION ADULTS WITH

           14    CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, AND A HALF MILLION DIABETICS.

           15             I AM ONE OF THOSE ADULTS WITH CHRONIC

           16    BRONCHITIS.  THE INSTANT I GET A COLD, I GET BRONCHITIS,

           17    AND ANTIBIOTICS CANNOT ENTIRELY ELIMINATE IT AND IT

           18    HANGS ON FOR WEEKS.  I CAME HERE TO TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF

           19    MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.  IT WASN'T UNTIL I BEGAN

           20    RESEARCHING FOR THEM THAT I LEARNED THAT MY CHRONIC

           21    BRONCHITIS CAN ALSO BE A RESULT OF AIR POLLUTION.  THREE

           22    MEMBERS OF MY EXTENDED FAMILY ARE ASTHMATIC, TWO

           23    TEENAGERS AND A SENIOR, AND I ALSO HAVE ONE FRIEND, A

           24    SENIOR, WHO MUST STAY INSIDE ON BAD DAYS.

           25             ANOTHER FRIEND HAD A HEART ATTACK AT AGE 41.

                                                                                255

            1    HE WAS TOLD TO EXERCISE EVERY DAY, YET THE AIR POLLUTION

            2    MADE THAT A DEFINITE RISK FOR HIM.  NEVERTHELESS, HE

            3    BECAME A RUNNER, LOST 60 POUNDS, AND BECAME THIN AND

            4    FIT.  HIS HEART STOPPED AT AGE 44.  ACCORDING TO THE

            5    AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, THE CLEAN AIR SCIENTIFIC

            6    ADVISORY COMMITTEE TOLD THE EPA THAT THE 1997 OZONE

            7    STANDARD QUOTE "NEEDS TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED TO

            8    PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH, PARTICULARLY IN SENSITIVE

            9    SUBPOPULATIONS, SUCH AS CHILDREN, PEOPLE WITH LUNG

           10    DISEASE, AND SENIORS."

           11             THE A.L.A. STATES THAT EPA'S CAREER STAFF

           12    SCIENTISTS AGREED WITH THE SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY

           13    COMMITTEE.  MOREOVER, IN 2002, THE SUPREME COURT RULED

           14    UNANIMOUSLY THAT PUBLIC HEALTH WAS THE SOLE BASIS FOR

           15    SETTING THAT STANDARD.  WHY, THEN, DOES THE NEW EPA

           16    PROPOSAL LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN TO RETAINING THE CURRENT

           17    OZONE STANDARD?  AND AGAIN, THE FEAR IS THAT

           18    REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OIL AND CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES AND

           19    OTHERS MET WITH THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO DISCUSS THE

           20    NEW OZONE STANDARDS JUST IN THE WEEKS BEFORE THE RELEASE

           21    OF THE EPA'S PROPOSAL.  DOES THIS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO

           22    WITH THE DECISION TO CONSIDER KEEPING THE CURRENT

           23    INADEQUATE STANDARD?

           24             THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER OIL LOOPHOLE THAT LETS

           25    MANY COMMUNITIES CLAIM THEY ARE MEETING THE STANDARD FOR

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            1    OZONE WHEN THEY WEREN'T BY ROUNDING DOWN TO THE NEAREST

            2    TWO DECIMAL PLACES.  THIS MAKES THE REAL STANDARD MUCH

            3    WEAKER THAN THE OFFICIAL ONE.  THIS LOOPHOLE MUST BE

            4    CLOSED.  IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE EPA, LIKE THE JUSTICE

            5    DEPARTMENT AND EVERY OTHER FORMERLY NON-PARTISAN AGENCY

            6    IN THE GOVERNMENT, HAS BEEN POLITICIZED BY THE BUSH

            7    ADMINISTRATION.  THIS IS REPREHENSIBLE WHEN IT HAPPENED

            8    ESPECIALLY WHERE SCIENCE, I.E. TRUTH AND OBJECTIVITY, IS

            9    SUPPOSED TO PREVAIL.

           10             IGNORANT POLITICAL APPOINTEES AT THE EPA HAVE

           11    MANIPULATED, DISTORTED, AND SUPPRESSED THE SCIENCE ON

           12    SUCH ISSUES AS TOXIC MERCURY POLLUTION, PLANT POLLUTION,

           13    MOUNTAIN TOP REMOVAL OF MINING, FUEL EFFICIENCY, OIL

           14    DRILLING, AND PESTICIDES.

           15             ONE PARAGRAPH SHORT.  I, MY FAMILY, FRIENDS,

           16    AND THE PEOPLE OF LOS ANGELES DESERVE TO BREATHE CLEAN

           17    AIR.  WE DO NOT DESERVE TO HAVE CHRONIC DISEASES AND TWO

           18    TO THREE YEARS TAKEN OFF OUR LIVES BECAUSE THE EPA IS A

           19    TOOL OF INDUSTRY RATHER THAN A PROTECTOR OF THE AMERICAN

           20    PEOPLE.  PLEASE, ADOPT AN OZONE STANDARD OF 0.060 PARTS

           21    PER MILLION CONSISTENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF YOUR

           22    CAREER STAFF AND INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS.

           23    PLEASE PROTECT US.  THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO

           24    SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.  THANK YOU.

           25        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  I DO JUST WANT TO

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            1    NOTE THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS .070 TO .075 AND .070 WAS

            2    CONSISTENT WITH THE UPPER END OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF

            3    OUR ADVISORS.  WE ARE TAKING COMMENT ON RETAINING THE

            4    CURRENT STANDARD, BUT THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE PROPOSAL.

            5    SO THIS IS AN OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.  THE

            6    ADMINISTRATOR FELT HE NEEDED TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO

            7    MIGHT HAVE THAT VIEW AS WELL.  SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH

            8    FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TALK TO US.

            9        KAY AUSTEN:  THANK YOU.

           10        MS. WEGMAN:  OKAY.  WE'LL HAVE A SHORT BREAK WHILE

           11    WE WAIT FOR OUR NEXT SPEAKER.

           12             (WHEREUPON 20-MINUTE BREAK WAS TAKEN.)

           13        MS. WEGMAN:  I THINK WE'RE READY FOR OUR NEXT

           14    SPEAKERS.

           15             SAM VOORHEES AND EMILY SCOTT.  WE ASK FOLKS TO

           16    COME UP TWO AT A TIME, SO --

           17        SAM VOORHEES:  SHOULD I GO AHEAD?

           18        MS. WEGMAN:  GO AHEAD.

           19        SAM VOORHEES:  GREAT.  WELL, MY NAME IS SAM

           20    VOORHEES.  I'M A RESIDENT OF SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA.

           21    THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO SPEAK TO YOU

           22    TODAY.  I JUST -- I CAME HERE TODAY BECAUSE, AS AN

           23    ENVIRONMENTALIST, I'M OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT

           24    PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO AS A RESIDENT OF

           25    THE LOS ANGELES AREA, I'M PRETTY CONCERNED ABOUT AIR

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            1    QUALITY ISSUES PARTICULARLY.

            2             ALMOST EVERY TIME I LEAVE THE CITY AND COME

            3    BACK IN, I GUESS TO SEE THIS SORT OF VISTA OF LOS

            4    ANGELES WITH THE HAZE OVER IT, AND I KNOW AIR QUALITY

            5    ISSUES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND

            6    THE AREA.  I'VE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LEAVE TOWN

            7    AND FLY INTO L.A.  YOU DON'T QUITE NOTICE UNTIL YOU'RE

            8    GONE THE DIFFERENCE THAT AIR QUALITY CAN MAKE IN YOUR

            9    LIFE, BUT I KNOW IT'S A REALLY SIGNIFICANT CAUSE OF

           10    ASTHMA AND OTHER AILMENTS AND LUNG DISEASE.  SO I'M HERE

           11    TODAY TO ENCOURAGE THE EPA TO STRENGTHEN THE OZONE

           12    STANDARDS TO .06 PARTS PER BILLION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE

           13    THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE PROTECTIONS TO PROTECT THE

           14    QUALITY OF OUR AIR AND THE HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS.

           15             IT SEEMS LIKE THERE COULD BE NOTHING MORE

           16    IMPORTANT THAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A HEALTHY

           17    ENVIRONMENT FOR OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN AND FUTURE

           18    GENERATIONS.  SO I'VE JUST COME HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO

           19    DO THAT.

           20             SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

           21        MS. WEGMAN:  WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.

           22        EMILY SCOTT:  HI, I'M EMILY SCOTT.  I'M AN L.A.

           23    RESIDENT, SO OBVIOUSLY I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT L.A.'S

           24    AIR QUALITY.

           25             WE -- AT THE OFFICE WHERE I WORK, WE'RE ALL

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            1    REALLY EXCITED WHEN WE CAN SEE THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN

            2    THROUGH THE SMOG, WHICH WE USUALLY CAN'T EVEN THOUGH WE

            3    SHOULD BE ABLE TO.  AND OBVIOUSLY, OZONE POLLUTION IS A

            4    SERIOUS HEALTH THREAT.  IT CAUSES ALL SORTS OF HEALTH

            5    PROBLEMS.  I MEAN, I'M A RUNNER, AND I WANT TO KNOW THAT

            6    I CAN BE ABLE TO GO FOR A RUN IN MY OWN CITY AND NOT

            7    RISK DAMAGE TO MY LUNGS.

            8             I'M ORIGINALLY FROM WASHINGTON STATE.  WHEN I

            9    GO BACK UP THERE TO VISIT AND, LIKE, GO FOR MY MORNING

           10    RUN, IT'S SO REFRESHING TO NOT, LIKE, BE BREATHING THE

           11    SMOG.  IT'S NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT.

           12             SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE EPA TO FINALIZE

           13    THE OZONE STANDARD TO .060 PARTS PER MILLION, WHICH IS

           14    CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC HEALTH, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S

           15    SUPPOSED TO BE DOING SO THAT OUR COUNTRY IS SAFE TO LIVE

           16    AND BREATHE IN.  THANKS.

           17        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING.

           18        EMILY SCOTT:  THANK YOU.

           19        MS. WEGMAN:  IS HOLLY MURDAUGH HERE?

           20        HOLLY MURDAUGH:  HI, MY NAME IS HOLLY MURDAUGH, AND

           21    I --

           22        MS. WEGMAN:  CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE?

           23        HOLLY MURDAUGH:  SURE.  MY NAME IS HOLLY MURDAUGH,

           24    AND I JUST MOVED TO LOS ANGELES FROM THE MIDWEST.  SO

           25    HAVING BREATHED AIR IN THE MIDWEST AND BREATHED AIR IN

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            1    LOS ANGELES, CERTAINLY I CAN -- I KNOW THAT THERE'S

            2    CHANGES THAT CAN BE MADE AND THE AIR NEEDS TO BE

            3    PROTECTED.

            4             AS A CITIZEN, NOT JUST OF THIS CITY AND STATE,

            5    BUT OF THE NATION, I THINK THAT -- I MEAN, I'M HERE

            6    TODAY TO ENCOURAGE THE EPA TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF ITS

            7    NATION, OF OUR PEOPLE.  AND THE CURRENT EPIDEMIOLOGICAL

            8    AND CLINICAL EVIDENCE SHOW ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS TO

            9    BREATHING OZONE AT LEVELS LOWER THAN THE AMBIENT AIR

           10    QUALITY STANDARD.  IT'S EVERY CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO BREATHE

           11    CLEAN AIR AND TO BE HEALTHY, AND IT'S THE GOVERNMENT'S

           12    JOB TO PROTECT THOSE RIGHTS.

           13             SO THE CURRENT CHANGES, THE WEAK CHANGES THAT

           14    ARE BEING PROPOSED, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.  IT'S

           15    UNACCEPTABLE, AND IT NEEDS TO BE ABSOLUTELY IN THE

           16    INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS, SO -- THAT IT NEEDS TO BE

           17    CHANGED.  THANK YOU.

           18        MS. WEGMAN:  THANK YOU FOR COMING.  THAT'S IT.

           19             (WHEREUPON A 15-MINUTE BREAK WAS TAKEN.)

           20        MS. WEGMAN:  IS KARIN PETROVICH HERE?

           21        KARIN PETROVICH:  THAT'S ME.  IT'S EITHER KAREN

           22    PETROVICH OR KAREN PETROVICH, EITHER/OR.

           23        MR. HANNON:  WHICH ONE IS RIGHT?

           24        KARIN PETROVICH:  YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW.

           25    YEAH, THE ONLY PERSON THAT DOES KNOW IS MY GRANDFATHER,

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            1    AND HE'S PASSED AWAY.  SO IT'S RUSSIAN, SO HOWEVER THE

            2    RUSSIAN'S PRONOUNCE IT.

            3        MS. WEGMAN:  PETROVICH.

            4        KARIN PETROVICH:  PROBABLY.  OKAY.

            5        MS. WEGMAN:  YEAH.

            6        KARIN PETROVICH:  I'M KARIN PETROVICH.  I WAS

            7    ACTUALLY INFORMED ABOUT THIS THROUGH ENVIRONMENT

            8    CALIFORNIA.  THEY CONTACTED ME TO SEE IF I WANTED TO

            9    SPEAK, AND I'M HERE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN.

           10             MY BIGGEST CONCERN ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT I'VE

           11    READ SO FAR OVERALL IS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.  THEY SAY

           12    NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.  THROUGHOUT THE

           13    YEARS, WE'VE HAD NECESSITIES TO GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE TO

           14    GROW, ADVANCE FURTHER TECHNOLOGY, AND WE'VE DONE THAT TO

           15    AN ENORMOUS DEGREE FROM CARS TO THE INTERNET TO THE

           16    INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT, TO PLASTICS, TO HELP TO FIND A

           17    BETTER, CHEAPER WAY COMPARED TO METALS AND WOODS.  SO

           18    MANY DIFFERENT THINGS ALL OUT OF NECESSITY.

           19             BUT UNFORTUNATELY THIS NECESSITY HAS STARTED TO

           20    DESTROY OUR WORLD AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST OUR NATION, AND I

           21    FEEL THAT THE NECESSITY IS GOING TO BE CLEANING UP THIS

           22    ENVIRONMENT.  AND THE EPA HAS A WHOLE LOT TO DO WITH

           23    THAT, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

           24             CURRENTLY, THE .08 STANDARD, WE ALL KNOW IS NOT

           25    STRONG ENOUGH TO GO AHEAD AND HOLD OUT THIS WORLD.  AND

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            1    THEY DO SAY THAT .06 SCIENTIFICALLY IS WHAT WOULD BE

            2    GOOD FOR HUMAN WELFARE; BUT QUITE HONESTLY, I'M OKAY

            3    WITH .07 TO .075 JUST BECAUSE EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS.

            4    IT IS A NECESSITY TO CONTINUE TO HELP.  I HONESTLY DON'T

            5    EVEN SEE WHY THIS WOULD BE A QUESTION IF .08 IS NOT

            6    HEALTHY FOR PEOPLE OVERALL.  EVERY LITTLE BIT WILL

            7    COUNT.  NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

            8             SO I FEEL THAT I REALLY HOPE THAT THE PROPOSAL

            9    PASSES FOR .07 TO .075.  AND IF YOU GUYS CAN PUSH IT,

           10    .06, NOT DOUBT ABOUT IT.  WE'VE CREATED SO MUCH

           11    TECHNOLOGY IN THIS WORLD THAT PEOPLE CAN'T SAY THAT THEY

           12    CAN'T DO .06.  I DON'T BELIEVE THAT.  I MEAN, WE'VE GONE

           13    TO THE MOON.  THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

           14        MS. WEGMAN:  WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING

           15    OUT.  APPRECIATE IT.  OKAY.

           16             IT'S TIME FOR OUR DINNER BREAK.

           17             (WHEREUPON A 75-MINUTE BREAK WAS TAKEN.)

           18

           19

           20

           21

           22

           23

           24

           25

                                                                                263

            1       LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2007

            2                           7:30 P.M.

            3                             * * *

            4

            5        MS. WEGMAN:  OKAY.  I THINK WE'RE READY TO RESUME

            6    THE PUBLIC HEARING.

            7             MY NAME IS LYDIA WEGMAN.  I'M WITH THE

            8    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.  I WORK WITH THE OFFICE

            9    OF AIR AND RADIATION.  THIS IS JOHN HANNON.  HE IS WITH

           10    OUR OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL AT EPA, AND WE ARE HAPPY

           11    TO WELCOME YOU HERE TO THE EVENING SESSION OF OUR

           12    HEARING ON OUR PROPOSED OZONE STANDARD.

           13             THE STANDARD WAS PUBLISHED ON JULY 11TH, AND WE

           14    HAVE PROPOSED TO CHANGE BOTH THE PRIMARY HEALTH STANDARD

           15    AND THE SECONDARY WELFARE STANDARD FOR OZONE AND TO MAKE

           16    BOTH THE PRIMARY MORE HEALTH PROTECTIVE AND THE

           17    SECONDARY STANDARD EITHER A CUMULATIVE STANDARD OR

           18    IDENTICAL TO THE PRIMARY STANDARD.  WE ARE TAKING PUBLIC

           19    COMMENTS HERE TODAY AND ALSO IN PHILADELPHIA.  ALSO,

           20    NEXT WEEK WE HAVE THREE OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS IN

           21    HOUSTON, ATLANTA, AND CHICAGO.

           22             WE WILL BE COMPLETING THIS ACTION BY MARCH 12TH

           23    OF 2008 BECAUSE WE HAVE A CONSENT DECREE THAT REQUIRES

           24    US TO DO SO BY THEN.  THE COMMENT PERIOD ON THIS

           25    STANDARD WILL CLOSE ON OCTOBER 9TH, SO IF YOU HAVE

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            1    ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THAT YOU WANT TO OFFER BEYOND THOSE

            2    THAT YOU OFFER ORALLY TODAY, PLEASE DO INSURE THAT YOU

            3    SUBMIT THEM BY OCTOBER 9TH.  THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS OUT

            4    AT THE REGISTRATION DESK FOR HOW YOU CAN SUBMIT THOSE

            5    COMMENTS.  YOU CAN DO SO BY E-MAIL, IF THAT'S EASIER FOR

            6    YOU TO DO.

            7             SO WITH THAT BRIEF INTRODUCTION, LET ME JUST

            8    TELL YOU HOW THE HEARING WORKS:  WE ASK TWO PEOPLE TO

            9    COME UP AT THE SAME TIME.  THE FIRST TWO PEOPLE WILL BE