1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency's recent decision to eliminate the practice of assigning monetary value to human lives when setting limits on deadly air pollutants. This policy change abandons a methodology that federal agencies have used for decades to justify safety regulations ranging from car safety features to environmental protections. Under Administrator Lee Zeldin, the EPA has discontinued using the value of a statistical life metric, previously set at approximately $11.7 million per life, specifically for fine particulate matter and ozone. These are two of the deadliest pollutants we face. The agency now considers only the financial costs to companies when establishing pollution standards, effectively valuing human life at zero in these calculations. This shift contradicts substantial scientific evidence. Fine particulate matter consists of tiny particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers that penetrate deep into lungs and bloodstreams, causing damage comparable to smoking with moderate exposure. Both PM2.5 and ozone are linked to premature death, heart and lung disease, dementia, and asthma. A 2024 EPA study projected that stricter limits on fine particulate emissions could prevent up to 4,500 premature deaths and 290,000 lost workdays by 2032. Marshall Burke, an environmental economist at Stanford University, stated that the Trump administration is saying literally that they put zero value on human life. The EPA now claims the economic benefits of reducing these pollutants are too uncertain to quantify, abandoning the very tool that has enabled regulators to balance human health against corporate costs. No administration in the past 40 years has completely abandoned this practice. I urge you to use your position to demand the EPA restore the value of a statistical life methodology for all air pollutants and reject any weakened pollution standards that result from this policy change. Our communities deserve air quality regulations that prioritize public health over corporate profits.