The following letter to the editor was published in The Poughkeepsie Journal on December 21, 2018 and was written by Anh Ho, a junior at Oakwood Friends School.

Don’t risk our health by cutting EPA budget

The existence of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is strongly associated with our health. It keeps air and water clean. The EPA acts not only to protect human health, but it also helps us fight against global warming, a persistent problem today.

As a Vietnamese boarding student in a school in Poughkeepsie, I feel grateful that the EPA has cooperated with Vietnam to reduce its environmental issues. It also has discussions and workshops to help people better understand the quality of water and air in Vietnam. For a country of about 1.5 million people suffering from respiratory illnesses due to air pollution each year, the partnership with the EPA is very meaningful.

The EPA is globally significant, not just for Americans. Cutting off the EPA budget means we’re risking our own health. It is time to protect the EPA, not weaken it.

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