--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1997, for instance, the EPA moved to…" description: "\"“In 1997, for instance, the EPA moved to reduce surface ozone, a form of air pollution caused, in part, by emissions from oil refineries. Susan Dudley,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/jane-mayer-1031_air-pollution_in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-re_3109507.jpg" --- # In 1997, for instance, the EPA moved to reduce surface… ![“In 1997, for instance, the EPA moved to reduce surface ozone, a form of air pollution caused, in part, by emissions from oil refineries. Susan Dudley, an economist who became a top official at the Mercatus Center, came up with a novel criticism of the proposed rule. The EPA, she argued, had not…” quote by Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/jane-mayer-1031_air-pollution_in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-re_3109507.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/jane-mayer-1031_air-pollution_in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-re_3109507.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/jane-mayer-1031_air-pollution_in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-re_3109507.jpg) > ““In 1997, for instance, the EPA moved to reduce surface ozone, a form of air pollution caused, in part, by emissions from oil refineries. Susan Dudley, an economist who became a top official at the Mercatus Center, came up with a novel criticism of the proposed rule. The EPA, she argued, had not taken into account that by blocking the sun, smog cut down on cases of skin cancer. She claimed that if pollution were controlled, it would cause up to eleven thousand additional cases of skin cancer each year.”” [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An economist argued that reducing ozone could unintentionally increase skin cancer by allowing more UV exposure, highlighting complex trade‑offs in environmental policy. **In simple terms:** Reducing smog might raise skin‑cancer risk due to more sunlight. Key Takeaway Consider unintended health impacts when regulating pollution. Themes environment health policy trade‑offs Mood thoughtful analytical Type policy environmental When to use this quote - environmental legislation - public health planning - risk communication Key Concepts externalities risk assessment regulatory analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance immediate health risks against long‑term environmental benefits? - What other hidden effects might arise from well‑intentioned regulations? A Different Perspective The argument oversimplifies causality and ignores broader health benefits of cleaner air. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Air pollution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-pollution/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) ## Related quotes > [If there really was a crisis, and if this crisis was caused by our emissions, you would at least see some signs. Not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-thunburg/if-there-really-was-a-crisis-and-if-this-crisis-was-caused-by-our/) [Greta Thunburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-thunburg/) > [Skin cancer became personal to my family when my father was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-donovan/skin-cancer-became-personal-to-my-family-when-my-father-was-diagnosed/) [Landon Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-donovan/) > [Clothing that covers the body can be comfortable or uncomfortable, depending on the fabric. In India I typically wear a full salwaar kameez of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/clothing-that-covers-the-body-can-be-comfortable-or-uncomfortable/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [The brown blotches of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its reflection on the tropic sea were on his cheeks. The blotches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-brown-blotches-of-the-benevolent-skin-cancer-the-sun-brings-from/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [The sun sucks. I used to love the sun, but now I hate it because it just wants to kill everything. I always tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-liu/the-sun-sucks-i-used-to-love-the-sun-but-now-i-hate-it-because-it/) [Amber Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-liu/) > [It's so important to encourage the use of sun cream, tan in a bottle and the disuse of sun beds which are known world-wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-andre/it-s-so-important-to-encourage-the-use-of-sun-cream-tan-in-a-bottle/) [Peter Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-andre/) > [Hats, giant shades and 60-plus sunblock are part of my summer repertoire. I don't want wrinkles, but it's skin cancer I truly fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-di-giovanni/hats-giant-shades-and-60-plus-sunblock-are-part-of-my-summer/) [Janine di Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-di-giovanni/) > [“Since I came to the White House, I've gotten two hearing aids, had a colon operation, a prostate operation, skin cancer, and I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-ve-gotten-two-hearing-aids-had-a/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“For example, you might have a sever sunburn as a child. Many decades later, you might develop skin cancer at that same site. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/for-example-you-might-have-a-sever-sunburn-as-a-child-many-decades/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [All minorities think they're immune, but we're absolutely part of the one in five that gets skin cancer! It's a myth, and myths are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/all-minorities-think-they-re-immune-but-we-re-absolutely-part-of-the/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“When it rains it pours and when it shines you get melanoma.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/when-it-rains-it-pours-and-when-it-shines-you-get-melanoma/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [Everyone should be checked annually for skin cancer. I know so many people who have had it and didn't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witney-carson/everyone-should-be-checked-annually-for-skin-cancer-i-know-so-many/) [Witney Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witney-carson/) > [When you're younger, you don't believe in it, but it's really so important to stay out the of sun as much as you can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-agdal/when-you-re-younger-you-don-t-believe-in-it-but-it-s-really-so/) [Nina Agdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-agdal/) > [Never suntan! Ten minutes in the sun on a daily basis is good to get vitamin D, but sun tanning is terrible for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiza-gonzalez/never-suntan-ten-minutes-in-the-sun-on-a-daily-basis-is-good-to-get/) [Eiza Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiza-gonzalez/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Jane Mayer > [“David Brock, a conservative apostate who became a liberal activist, described the Heritage Foundation, where he was a young fellow, as almost completely under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/david-brock-a-conservative-apostate-who-became-a-liberal-activist/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“The early think tank was not a spy operation, but it was funded by wealthy men who had no objections to using pretexts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-early-think-tank-was-not-a-spy-operation-but-it-was-funded-by/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Americans for Prosperity annoyed some of the Tea Partiers,” recalls the libertarian blogger Ralph Benko. “These people drove up, opened the door, put T-shirts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/americans-for-prosperity-annoyed-some-of-the-tea-partiers-recalls-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“When Barack Obama took office, the fossil fuel industry was not only eager to preserve its perks but also more militant in its opposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/when-barack-obama-took-office-the-fossil-fuel-industry-was-not-only/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [If you have an informed electorate, it makes great choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/if-you-have-an-informed-electorate-it-makes-great-choices/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [ One of the oddities of this election is the man that \[Donald\] Trump chose as his vice-president, Mike Pence, is one of the Kochs'… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/one-of-the-oddities-of-this-election-is-the-man-that-donald-trump/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“The candidates promised to cut taxes for those in the highest brackets, preserve Wall Street loopholes, tolerate the off-shoring of manufacturing jobs and profits,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-candidates-promised-to-cut-taxes-for-those-in-the-highest/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Amway in fact was structured to avoid federal taxes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/amway-in-fact-was-structured-to-avoid-federal-taxes/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“radicals in Congress refused to back down, bringing virtually the entire federal government to a halt for sixteen days in October, leaving the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/radicals-in-congress-refused-to-back-down-bringing-virtually-the/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [What I write about is how much influence it's had in things like state legislatures and governorships and congressional races. The other thing that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/what-i-write-about-is-how-much-influence-it-s-had-in-things-like/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Two months into their tenure, Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee also led a crusade against alternative, renewable energy programs. They successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/two-months-into-their-tenure-republicans-on-the-house-energy-and/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [ \[The Kochs\] they hate big government. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-kochs-they-hate-big-government/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Rob Reich, a professor of political science at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society, explains that private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/rob-reich-a-professor-of-political-science-at-stanford-university-and/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“During the previous eight years of Republican rule, this conservative corporate elite had consolidated its power, amassing enormous sway over the U.S. government’s regulatory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/during-the-previous-eight-years-of-republican-rule-this-conservative/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [“Noble again chose Larry McCarthy, the veteran media consultant who was known for his ability to distill a complicated subject into a simple, potent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/noble-again-chose-larry-mccarthy-the-veteran-media-consultant-who-was/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) [Explore all 305 Jane Mayer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) ## More Air pollution quotes > [Transportation is responsible for half of our state's air pollution, and many suffer as a result. Children are more likely to develop respiratory illnesses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-padilla/transportation-is-responsible-for-half-of-our-state-s-air-pollution/) [Alex Padilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-padilla/) > [Air pollution puts people at higher risks for cancer, heart disease, and premature death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-gallego/air-pollution-puts-people-at-higher-risks-for-cancer-heart-disease/) [Ruben Gallego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-gallego/) > [Air pollution is my biggest concern right now. Maybe because I live in Beijing, and in this city we have such severe challenges due…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-bingbing/air-pollution-is-my-biggest-concern-right-now-maybe-because-i-live-in/) [Li Bingbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-bingbing/) > [You go into a community and they will vote 80 percent to 20 percent in favor of a tougher Clean Air Act, but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ruckelshaus/you-go-into-a-community-and-they-will-vote-80-percent-to-20-percent/) [William Ruckelshaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ruckelshaus/) > [In my home state of Delaware, we've done our homework and worked hard and, as a result, we've made great strides in cleaning up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-my-home-state-of-delaware-we-ve-done-our-homework-and-worked-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For some time I watch the coming of the night? Above is the glistening galaxy of childhood, now hidden in the Western world by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/for-some-time-i-watch-the-coming-of-the-night-above-is-the-glistening/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [Nowadays a lot of what was wrong with me would no doubt be ascribed to Attention Deficit Disorder, tartrazine food colouring, dairy produce and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/nowadays-a-lot-of-what-was-wrong-with-me-would-no-doubt-be-ascribed/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [Carpooling is important for urban density, air pollution and other reasons, but carpooling is not the kind of thing that actually changes the energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-shirky/carpooling-is-important-for-urban-density-air-pollution-and-other/) [Clay Shirky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-shirky/) > [Like air pollution, flood risk is a threat that government should be protecting us against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gardiner/like-air-pollution-flood-risk-is-a-threat-that-government-should-be/) [Barry Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gardiner/) > [Overpopulation in the United States will become THE single greatest issue facing Americans in the 21st century. We either solve it proactively or nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frosty-wooldridge/overpopulation-in-the-united-states-will-become-the-single-greatest/) [Frosty Wooldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frosty-wooldridge/) > [Many people will never be bothered by air pollution because they don't stop talking long enough to take a deep breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/many-people-will-never-be-bothered-by-air-pollution-because-they-don/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“Even if we act to erase material poverty, there is another greater task; it is to confront the poverty of satisfaction – purpose and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-marks/even-if-we-act-to-erase-material-poverty-there-is-another-greater/) [Nic Marks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-marks/) > [“Pages could be written on the immense losses of productive soil that occur annually in almost every continent of the earth; on lethal air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/pages-could-be-written-on-the-immense-losses-of-productive-soil-that/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [Years of government inaction on air pollution has got people thinking that the state cannot even protect basic public goods like clean air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-gardiner/years-of-government-inaction-on-air-pollution-has-got-people-thinking/) [Barry Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-gardiner/) > [“To say it's the poor quality of the paint under socialism is correct, but it is not enough. To say it's soft-coal exploitation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavenka-drakuli/to-say-it-s-the-poor-quality-of-the-paint-under-socialism-is-correct/) [Slavenka Drakulić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavenka-drakuli/) [Browse all 96 Air pollution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-pollution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In 1997, for instance, the EPA moved to reduce surface ozone, a form of air pollution caused, in part, by emissions from oil refineries. Susan Dudley, an economist who became a top official at the Mercatus Center, came up with a novel criticism of the proposed rule. The EPA, she argued, had not taken into account that by blocking the sun, smog cut down on cases of skin cancer. She claimed that if pollution were controlled, it would cause up to eleven thousand additional cases of skin cancer each year.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jane Mayer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-reduce-surface-ozone-a-form-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Air pollution" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-reduce-surface-ozone-a-form-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/jane-mayer-1031_air-pollution_in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-re_3109507.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/jane-mayer-1031_air-pollution_in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-re_3109507.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d34/jane-mayer-1031_air-pollution_in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-re_3109507.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In 1997, for instance, the EPA moved to reduce surface ozone, a form of air pollution caused, in part, by…” — Jane Mayer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jane Mayer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In 1997, for instance, the EPA...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-reduce-surface-ozone-a-form-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/in-1997-for-instance-the-epa-moved-to-reduce-surface-ozone-a-form-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```