Lung Association Statement on Governor Newsom Actions to Protect Clean and Healthy Air in California

Today, following the President’s approval of Congressional resolutions to undermine clean air, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order to maintain California’s innovation and leadership in cleaning the air in response to unfounded attacks on state authority to protect people from deadly air pollution.  

Mariela Ruacho, Senior Clean Air Manager with the American Lung Association in California issued the following statement in response: 

“Californians know the hard-fought history of cleaning our air and the urgency of continuing to lead the way against deadly pollution. Our local and state agencies need all the tools in the toolbox to make healthy air a reality for all Californians, and especially those most vulnerable – our kids, seniors and those living with lung illnesses or in the shadows of polluters’ negligence.  

“The Clean Air Act recognizes that California’s air pollution challenges must be addressed by a range of policies including homegrown strategies to protect public health. That has been the practice for decades and our existing programs paired with the Executive Order today will continue this lifesaving tradition. We all deserve clean air, and we applaud California’s ongoing leadership to continue this critical commitment.  

“We call on Governor Newsom and all California leaders to move quickly to enhance our lifesaving programs and reject all efforts, at the federal and state level, to strip tools out of the hands of our clean air agencies.” 

According to the American Lung Association’s 2025 “State of the Air” report, nearly 9 in 10 Californians live in a community impacted by unhealthy air pollution. Five California cities rank among the most polluted for both ozone (“smog”) and carcinogenic particles (“soot”). Breathing these pollutants can cause asthma attacks, heart attacks and stroke, prenatal health impacts and early death. 

California’s legislature has several opportunities before it to either advance or roll back clean air tools. Assembly Bill 914 (R. Garcia, District 50), which will return to the legislature for a vote early next year, would launch a collaborative, statewide clean air safety net to tackle major pollution hotspots. In contrast, Senate Bill 34 threatens to block local progress, preempting efforts to clean up pollution from Southern California ports that contribute to the highest ozone pollution burdens in the country. Similarly, SB 712 would strip away key protections from the California Smog Check Program.