Kelly, Colleagues Demand Answers from EPA over Changes Threatening Clean Air at Grand Canyon, National Parks

Senators raised concerns that changes to federal air pollution protections could threaten Arizona's public lands, tourism, and local economies

This week, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly led his colleagues in demanding answers from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin over recent changes to the Regional Haze Program that could weaken protections against air pollution at the Grand Canyon and national parks across the country.

In their letter, the senators raised concerns that the EPA is allowing states to avoid new pollution reductions and considering additional changes to the program, which was established to protect visibility at national parks and wilderness areas. The senators warned that weakening these protections could threaten public health, obscure iconic landscapes, and hurt local economies that depend on tourism.

The senators highlighted the importance of protecting clean air and visibility at national parks: "Preserving the iconic views of these treasured parks and wilderness areas is why Congress established the Regional Haze Program nearly fifty years ago, recognizing that some landscapes are simply too important to allow pollution to obscure. Yet today, 98 percent of national parks suffer from hazy skies, reducing visibility by an average of 50 miles."

The senators emphasized that reducing haze-forming pollution also protects public health and local economies: "Haze is more than a visibility problem. The same fine particle pollution that obscures views at national parks across the country also poses great harm to public health. Fine particulate matter, including particles formed from sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions, have been linked to asthma, decreased lung function, heart problems, and premature death in people with existing conditions. Reducing haze-forming pollution helps protect not only the views that draw millions of visitors to our national parks, but also the health of those visitors and nearby communities."

The senators called on EPA to uphold the Clean Air Act and continue making progress toward restoring visibility at national parks: "Congress established the Regional Haze Rule to ensure that future generations can experience places like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Shenandoah, Rocky Mountain, Crater Lake, and other national parks and wilderness areas as they were meant to be seen. It is important that changes to the program remain consistent with the Clean Air Act and continue making meaningful progress toward that goal."

"Our national parks are priceless treasures, offering breathtaking views and unmatched experiences that inspire millions. For nearly thirty years, the Regional Haze Rule has safeguarded iconic landscapes while protecting the air our communities breathe. Any attempt to weaken protections is a direct threat to public health and decades of progress towards cleaner air. The EPA must strengthen protections, not undermine clean air for big industry's gain. NPCA commends Senator Kelly's leadership, alongside many other clean air congressional champions, for defending clean air for our national parks and people," said Ulla Reeves, Director of the Clean Air Program at the National Parks Conservation Association.

Kelly was joined by Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Edward Markey (D-MA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeffrey Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

Click here to read the full letter.