SUBJECT: Docket No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2011–0135; FRL-9799-6

Dear Acting Administrator Perciasepe,

As a citizen concerned about public health and clean air, I strongly support the Tier 3 standards for tailpipe emissions and low-sulfur fuel, and urge the EPA to finalize these standards by the end of 2013. While we've made progress cleaning up our cars and trucks in recent years, they remain a leading source of air pollution, and more than one in three Americans still live in areas where air pollution levels exceed at least one federal health standard.

The Tier 3 standards would reduce smog-forming pollutants and soot, which pose a particular danger to those suffering from asthma and other lung ailments. I support Tier 3 standards that will:

* prevent up to 2,400 premature deaths, 23,000 cases of childhood respiratory ailments, and 1.8 million lost school days, lost work days, and days when activities would be restricted due to air pollution each year by 2030;

* have immediate pollution-reduction and health benefits upon taking effect, reducing nitrogen oxide emissions from existing vehicles by more than 280,000 tons in 2017, the equivalent of taking more than 30 million of today’s cars off our nation's roads;

* keep the United States on pace with global trends to reduce the sulfur concentration of gasoline from 30 parts per million (ppm) to 10 ppm;

* treat vehicles and fuels together as a system, continuing to clean up our vehicle fleet in the most cost-effective way available; and

* create new jobs at refineries, installing and operating sulfur reduction equipment, and in the automotive sector, developing and manufacturing cleaner vehicles.

Meeting the Tier 3 standards is achievable and necessary for our health. That’s why public health and environmental justice advocates, automakers, and state air quality regulators, environmental and science-based advocacy groups all support Tier 3. The only one standing in the way is the oil industry and their allies in Congress, but we can’t wait for their green light to clean up our air. Please ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency issues a final Tier 3 rule by the end of this year.

Sincerely,