TX051.09 Comment on FR Doc # 2010-04832

I'm a private citizen who is deeply disturbed by the continuing deterioration of the air quality in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, in the Austin-San Antonio area, and the Houston area of Texas. Previously, of major concern was toxic emissions from smokestacks, gas and diesel burning vehicles, cement kilns/incinerators, and coal-fired power plants. Now, the natural gas drilling in the Barnett Shale is adding further toxic elements and diminishing our air quality even further. For example, surveys of asthma rates among children living near drilling sites is as high as 25%; breast cancer, leukemia, and auto-immune diseases are well above average and on the rise in these same areas. The acceptable parts per billion for ozone must be lowered to 60 or lower; this change must instituted as soon as possible and Texas residents, businesses, and government agencies must be forced to change their way. The cost of improving air quality will be off-set by the savings in health care spending, premature death, employee absenteeism, and new business willing to move to Texas because the air is clean. Change is hard, but this is change that is long past due.