Ozone pollution has long been a problem in the Denver metro area. Today, the problem has spread to the entire North Front Range, exposing 90 percent of Colorado's population to unhealthy ozone pollution. In fact, in 2017, Denver was ranked the 11th most-polluted city in the nation for ozone levels.
We know that vehicle emissions are one of the largest contributors to ozone formation. In our area, vehicles account for 31 percent of nitrogen oxide (NOX) and 16 percent of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, the major precursors of ozone formation. Despite this, the federal government is planning to roll back auto emissions standards. In the short term, relaxing these standards will increase cardiovascular, respiratory, and allergy-related illness aggravated by poor air quality. In the long-term, by increasing CO2 emissions, relaxed standards will lead to higher temperatures and subsequently more frequent and intense wildfires, floods, and droughts that put lives and livelihoods at risk — particularly for the very young, elderly, and people with fewer resources.
In the absence of strong and consistent federal leadership on air quality, it's imperative that Colorado take action to protect the health and well-being of Coloradans and the economies we depend on. We can join 12 other states and Washington, D.C., who have adopted Advanced Clean Car standards: standards aligned with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) standards enacted in 2012 after extensive analysis.
Adopting the advanced standards will not only protect Coloradans from illness, but it will save us money. As detailed in a recent report by local public health organizations, with the clean car standards in place, by 2040 Colorado would save roughly $16 to $37 million in health care costs; reduce the number of work days lost due to illness from air pollutant emissions; and save $260 million per year in social costs from long-term damage caused by carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
A recent analysis suggests that adopting Advanced Clean Car Standards will save consumers $3,584 to $3,892 on gas costs over the life of the vehicle while only increasing the average cost of new vehicles in 2025 to between $382 and $647 (with both Colorado and Federal ZEV tax credits). Thus, the benefits of adopting the standards will actually save Coloradans money.
If Colorado adopts clean car standards, we can improve the air we breathe and prevent health impacts related to a warming climate. If not, Colorado will lose reductions in levels of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), ozone-forming pollutants such as VOCs and NOX, as well as fine particulates (PM2.5), and sulfur oxides (SOX).
There simply is no reason why Colorado shouldn't lead the way in protecting our environment and our residents, as we have so many times before. The clean car technology to meet the Advanced Clean Car Standards is available and affordable. We owe it to all Coloradans to adopt these standards to protect public health and the environment.
Jeff Zayach is executive director of Boulder Public Health. He submitted this opinion on behalf of himself and Robert McDonald, executive director of the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment; Mark B. Johnson, executive director of Jefferson County Public Health; and Bill Burman, executive director of Denver Public Health.