Utah Physicians Call on Governor For Bold Action on Bad Air

Doctors: "A Children's Health Crisis is Headed Our Way Unless We Act Now"

CONTACTS: Dr. Brian Moench, 243-9089, 408-3340
(Surgery Desk at LDS Hospital)
Dr. Gerald H. Ross, 296-1181

WHO: Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment

WHEN: 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 2, 2007

WHERE: North Auditorium, Ground floor, LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City
(Access through the NW entrance of hospital from "C" St. )

WHAT: A press conference will be held by the recently formed Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

UPHE will publicly announce their list of specific recommendations to Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. in order to address Utah's declining air quality and the associated high costs of this related health crisis. Brief presentations on the catastrophic effects of air pollution will be given by medical specialists in cardiology, pulmonology, pediatrics, and environmental medicine.

WHY: Current air pollution levels along the Wasatch Front constitute a public health crisis. The implications are profound for everyone who lives in this region. During the winter and summer months our air quality is frequently the worst in the nation. Without aggressive preventive measures, it is expected to become within the next 20 years a full-blown public health catastrophe. We feel that is our professional responsibility to alert the public to these growing dangers. The philosophical foundation of UPHE's recommendations to the governor is this:

We believe clean air is an inherent right for all Utah citizens and that the atmosphere belongs to all of us. All industries, elected officials, and individual citizens share a stewardship that compels us all to protect this most precious of natural resources. We do not tolerate dangerously contaminated food in our state, nor do we tolerate dangerously contaminated water. We must no longer tolerate dangerously contaminated air.

WHAT: A press conference will be held by the recently formed Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. UPHE will publicly announce their list of specific recommendations to Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. in order to address Utah's declining air quality and the associated high costs of this related health crisis. Brief presentations on the catastrophic effects of air pollution will be given by medical specialists in cardiology, pulmonology, pediatrics, and environmental medicine.

WHY: Current air pollution levels along the Wasatch Front constitute apublic health crisis. The implications are profound for everyone who livesin this region. During the winter and summer months our air quality isfrequently the worst in the nation. Without aggressive preventive measures,it is expected to become within the next 20 years a full-blown public healthcatastrophe. We feel that is our professional responsibility to alert the public to these growing dangers. The philosophical foundation of UPHE's recommendations to the governor isthis: We believe clean air is an inherent right for all Utah citizens and that theatmosphere belongs to all of us. All industries, elected officials, andindividual citizens share a stewardship that compels us all to protect this most precious of natural resources. We do not tolerate dangerously contaminated food in our state, nor do we tolerate dangerously contaminated water. We must no longer tolerate dangerously contaminated air.