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• The other option would follow the current practice of making the secondary standard identical to the proposed primary 8-hour standard. • EPA will take public comment for 90 days following publication of the proposal in the Federal Register. The agency also will hold five public hearings on the proposal in: Los Angeles and Philadelphia on Aug. 30, 2007 and Atlanta, Chicago and Houston on Sept. 5, 2007. • EPA will issue fmal standards by March 12, 2008. OZONE AND PUBLIC HEALTH Exposures to ozone can: o Reduce lung function, making it more difficult for people to breathe as deeply and vigorously as normal; o Irritate the airways, causing coughing, sore or scratchy throat, pain when taking a deep breath and shortness of breath; o Increase frequency of asthma attacks; o Inflame and damage the lining of the lung; o Increase susceptibility to respiratory infection; and o Aggravate chronic lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis. In some people, these effects can lead to: o Increased medicine use among asthmatics; o More frequenYdoctors visits; o School absences; and o Increased emergency room visits and hospital admissions. • Ozone may continue to cause lung damage even when the symptoms have disappeared. • Breathing ozone may contribute to premature death in people with heart and lung disease. OZONE AND THE ENVIRONMENT Ground-level ozone can have harmful effects on plants and ecosystems. When sufficient ozone enters the leaves of a plant, it can: o Interfere with the ability of sensitive plants to produce and store food, making them more susceptible to certain diseases, insects, other pollutants, competition and harsh weather o Visibly damage the leaves of trees and other plants, harming the appearance of urban vegetation, national parks, and recreation areas; and o Reduce forest growth and crop yields. ~' " , l_~