To The Editor:

The EPA was established in 1970 by Richard Nixon, partly because of environmental disasters like the Cuyahoga River fire. This was followed by 54 years of continuing efforts to clean up our air and water to improve our quality of life and health. Under our current president, we might as well rename the agency — the Environmental Pollution Agency. Trump promised the fossil fuel industry that he would roll back regulations in return for a billion dollars in contributions to his campaign. Now the rest of us are paying the price.

The government has decided that the health benefits from reducing air pollution are now valued at $0. Regulated companies can reduce their compliance costs without having to report on how the increased pollution will affect human life. The EPA has weakened air pollution rules for power plants and delayed enforcement of methane emissions, vehicle emissions have also been relaxed. Coal pollution spiked to a 25 year high under Trump. The definition of “Waters of the United States” was narrowed, reducing federal protections for millions of acres of wetlands and streams. There are plans to revise wastewater discharge rules that may allow for more arsenic and mercury into waterways as well as plans to roll back coal ash regulations.

There are no longer any active coal power plants in New England, but because of the prevailing west-to-east winds, we are in the path of all manner of pollution from other parts of the country. Ozone has been a persistent air quality problem here in Connecticut and it is already worsening with Trump’s changes. We will see increasing cases of asthma, heart problems, mercury poisoning and other health related issues.

This summer the air quality in Connecticut will likely be worse — it’s worth reminding all the elected Republicans, who have sat by and allowed this assault on the environment to take place — you will be breathing the same air as the rest of us, along with your children and grandchildren.

Join us this Saturday as we celebrate Earth Day at the Middle School — rain or shine, 10 am to 3 pm.

Kathy Quinn

Newtown