The American Lung Association has released a new bipartisan survey examining public views of EPA’s updating and enforcing clean air standards. The bipartisan survey, which was conducted by Democratic polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, and Republican firm Ayres, McHenry & Associates, finds that likely voters support the Clean Air Act and have sharply different opinions than the Members of Congress who are working to limit EPA’s authority to update and enforce air pollution standards, including on carbon dioxide.

Three out of four voters support the EPA setting tougher standards on specific air pollutants, including mercury, smog and carbon dioxide, as well as setting higher fuel efficiency standards for heavy duty trucks. Exposure to air pollution causes thousands of premature deaths and asthma attacks and millions of dollars in healthcare costs.

Most relevant to the current debate in Congress, this new survey found that 68 percent of voters oppose Congressional action that impedes the EPA from updating clean air standards generally and 64 percent oppose Congressional efforts to stop the EPA from updating standards on carbon dioxide. Even after a balanced debate that included the language used by supporters of Congressional action to limit the EPA, a 60-percent majority continues to support the EPA on carbon dioxide regulation.

“Despite the strong attacks on the Clean Air Act coming from Congress and industry, it’s clear that the public values measures to protect public health,” said Paul Billings, vice president for national policy and advocacy at the American Lung Association. “Voters clearly recognize and respect the role of the EPA in protecting their families from breathing toxic air, and they don’t want Congress to interfere with the EPA’s authority to take action when lives are clearly at stake.”

To view the PDF, click here.