Letter of the Week: Let’s demand clean air to help those living with asthma

In the Kansas City area, 82,000 adults and 31,000 children live with asthma. I, my sister and both of our daughters have asthma, which is aggravated by air pollution.

My 9-year-old niece’s recent flare-up forced her to an emergency room. Jackson County has significantly higher rates of asthma-related hospitalizations and ER visits than the rest of the region. Part of the issue is high levels of air pollution (sulfur dioxide and ground-level ozone) from outdated coal-fired plants.

This issue is so important that in January I traveled 500 miles to testify at one of three Environmental Protection Agency hearings on proposed ground-level ozone (smog) standards. Nearly half of all Missourians live in areas with high ozone pollution and are at risk for health problems.

Tightening the smog standards would benefit the health of our community and reduce related health care costs. I encourage all readers, health care professionals and community leaders to demand clean air.

Sara Campbell of Kansas City served in the Army from 1985 to 1987. Her daughter attends the Rochester Institute of Technology. She is a member of the Sierra Club.

This story was originally published April 26, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Letter of the Week: Let’s demand clean air to help those living with asthma."