The Fight For Clean Air
Explosions and chemical clouds have been a part of life for communities living in the shadow of oil refineries. The EPA has finally begun developing a plan to control these toxic time bombs—and you can help make the difference. Take action today!
Across America, industrial plants are blanketing schools, playgrounds and homes in a fog of pollution—even though cost-effective controls exist now. Our bodies should not be the dumping ground for dirty industries. Join the fight.
Everyone has the right to breathe.
Clean air is a fundamental right. Yet millions of Americans are being denied that right every day in communities across the country, because dirty industrial plants are blanketing schools, playgrounds and homes in layers of pollution—often in violation of the Clean Air Act.
The Technology to Clean Up Our Air is Available Now.
We know air pollution kills, by causing cancer and a range of other health problems. Yet, for decades, major polluters have managed—with substantial help from their friends in Congress and the White House—to avoid significantly reducing their air pollution, even though cost-effective controls are now readily available.
More than 90 million Americans live near an oil refinery; these facilities release more than 20,000 tons of toxic air pollutants like mercury, arsenic and lead each year. Industrial boilers can burn tires, plastics and chemicals, sending unregulated heavy metals and other cancer-causing pollutants into schoolyards, hospitals and homes. Smog from cars, trucks and smokestacks clogs our lungs and threatens our health.
Clean air means fewer hospital visits, sick days—and saved lives. Our leaders can force polluters to keep our air clean—but not without us telling them why it’s so important.
We're going toe-to-toe with industrial polluters—and winning.
For years, Earthjustice fought to force industrial polluters to follow laws that were created to protect our communities from unhealthy levels of air pollution.
Through our work in the courts, we’ve forced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to update many outdated health standards that will reduce air pollution including soot, air toxics from oil refineries, reduce mercury from coal-fired power plants.
We’re defending the victories we’ve won from being overturned by a pro-polluter Congress and we’re continuing to fight in the courts to ensure that industries that have been poisoning local communities for decades, no longer pollute with impunity.
Number of Americans who live within 30 miles of at least one oil refinery