Dr. Vin Gupta: I-2117 would threaten Washingtonians’ health with dirtier air

Here in the Evergreen State and around the world, a growing threat impacts all of us:

Air pollution.

That’s why, as a pulmonologist who specializes in treating critically ill patients, I feel a responsibility to sound the alarm about an effort in Washington state that would devastate protections against the scourge of air pollution: Initiative 2117, which will be on our ballots in November.

At a time of declining air quality, this initiative would roll back the most consequential Washington state clean air program in decades. It would take away many of our most important tools to grapple with the crisis of air pollution, threatening our individual healthspans and lifespans.

The crisis is real and it is here. Pollution from all causes is the fifth-leading risk factor for death worldwide. Here in Washington, 1 in 10 children already struggle with asthma, and more than 1 million Washingtonians live in communities highly impacted by air pollution. People in these communities face an increased risk of asthma, heart disease, stroke and early death.

For those communities – and all of us – I-2117 is a threat to our health that we cannot afford.

First, it would end the requirement for the state to take immediate action to improve air quality across Washington and, at the same time, end funding sources for programs to reduce toxic pollution. It would also halt the expansion of our regional air quality monitoring network, a critical system for equipping parents of a child with asthma with real-time health information so they can make critical decisions around medication and exposure.

Second, it would hamstring our efforts to prevent a major driver of rising air pollution levels across much of the United States: wildfire smoke. Countless studies have documented the devastating public health impacts of wildfires, including the clear association between wildfire smoke exposure and lung function decline in children. Despite this, I-2117 would cut nearly $30 million in funding for programs across the state that help make our communities less vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires and make our forests healthier and more resilient.

Third, I-2117 would roll back funding for programs to make schools healthier places through steps like modernizing air filtration.

And fourth, I-2117 would devastate funding for our statewide transportation plan, including investments in clean transportation options and zero-emission school buses.

All of this means that if I-2117 passes, communities most impacted by air pollution – those living near heavy industry, hazardous waste sites, and airports – will suffer the most.

The backers of I-2117 are neither health experts nor economists, yet over and over they reiterate their commitment to addressing health threats like pollution – all while making empty promises to Washingtonians about lowering their costs.

Medical professionals always like to go to the data to find the truth. We want to protect our communities, and we don’t like being misled.

No wonder, then, that so many health professionals across our state oppose I-2117 and its harmful health impacts: organizations like the Washington State Medical Association, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, SEIU 1199NW, and the Washington State Nurses Association – are standing together to warn our neighbors about the costs of I-2117. And today, we are launching a sign-on letter so even more health care professionals across Washington state can join us in opposing Initiative 2117.

As medical and public health professionals, we must be committed to protecting our patients and our fellow Washingtonians. I am asking my colleagues across the state to join me and commit to vote “no” on 2117 in November.

We need to use our voice. We need to vote. And we need to keep doing our part to build a future where all Washingtonians, no matter where they live, have the chance to breathe clean air.

Dr. Vin Gupta, of Seattle, is a pulmonary/critical care physician who serves on the board of directors of the American Lung Association, is both an Affiliate Faculty at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation of the University of Washington and medical analyst for NBC News.