An excellent op-ed from Dr. David Tom Cooke, providing a totally different lens on the Clean Fuels case, is making the rounds. Via the Sacramento Bee:
I’ve spent the better part of my life as a doctor, caring for my patients, working to make their lives better and helping them live longer.
Modern medicine, innovative research and preventive health care have certainly improved patients’ quality of life, but over the years, the growing number of patients suffering from lung cancer, asthma, heart attacks, and other respiratory and cardiac illnesses continues to disturb me…
Unfortunately, poor air quality can’t be solved with two aspirin and a call in the morning.
A new report from the American Lung Association in California and Environmental Defense Fund, however, shows two policies that are key components of the state’s landmark climate law, AB 32: the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and the market-based emissions reduction and trading program, cap and trade. They help to limit air pollution and reduce the number of emergency room visitsalong the way.
To put it in financial terms, the report finds these policies will save Californians more than $10 billion in health and economic costs by 2020, giving some much-needed relief to our fiscal and personal well-being.