WHEREAS urban regions in Texas are consistently out of compliance with federal and state Ambient Air Quality environmental regulations;

• More than 5 million people in the urban regions in Texas live daily in poor to toxic air quality;
• Air pollution is known to aggravate respiratory congestion and impair the immune system in as little as seven (7) hours of exposure;
• Emissions from industry, dust, heavy vehicular traffic, and smoke comprise the factors contributing to poor regional air quality;
• Air quality management needs measurements and an appropriate baseline in order to monitor and enforce regulations;
• EPA, TCEQ, and cities have air monitors that measure specific pollutants.
• Health code regulations use an arbitrary basis/baseline for measuring emissions,
• Known toxic chemicals occur commonly at much higher levels in the atmosphere than health limits allow as a direct result of an arbitrary basis/baseline;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the Texas State Democratic Party:

Supports ambient air quality as the basis/baseline for air emission levels from industrial plants in regions of Texas that are not in compliance with federal and state ambient air regulations.


Prepared by: The Environmental Initiative of the Houston Region Democrats 2.19.06