The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to propose new rules this summer that will subject oil and gas drilling operators to tough emissions standards. In a May 15, 2015 CNN op-ed, Lynn R. Goldman, Michael and Lori Milken Dean of Milken Institute School of Public Health, says the new rules would help reduce greenhouse gases and cut down on damaging emissions that can trigger asthma attacks and other health problems. She also notes that an estimated 15 million Americans live within one mile of an active or recently active oil and gas well. “These families see firsthand that unconventional natural gas development is a heavy industrial activity even when it takes place in a residential or rural community,” Dr. Goldman writes. “Living in close proximity to such activity poses significant public health and environmental risks.” New EPA rules would lead to cleaner air, even in rural parts of the United States, where oil and gas drilling is increasingly common, she says.
Read “How to help our kids breathe easy,” in CNN Opinion.