JOHN YANG: Last month, the Trump administration# proposed revoking the landmark 2009 scientific## finding, that's been the basis for EPA regulation# of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air## Act.

If the proposal is finalized, it's# almost certain to be challenged in court.

And if the administration succeeds, experts# warn that it could jeopardize the health of## millions of Americans, especially children.# Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson is a clinical## professor at the University of Nevada# Medical School and the author of "The## Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on# the Front Lines of Climate Change."

Dr. Hendrickson, what would be the# effect of revoking this finding on## the health of Americans, especially children?

DR. DEBRA HENDRICKSON, University of Nevada School# of Medicine: Well, if they revoke this finding,## it knocks out a major pillar in our fight# against the growing wildfires, rising heat## waves and worsening floods and hurricanes we've# been seeing for the past two decades.

And it makes## it more likely that all of these problems# will continue to get worse in the future.

And failing to stop this process,# to me, is a crime against children,## in my view, because not only are# they going to inherit the hotter,## more dangerous and more chaotic world that# we're creating, but they're already more## vulnerable to the growing health hazards# of that world.

We're already seeing that## things like worsening air pollution, rising# heat waves and the trauma of natural disasters.

And so we're losing many of the# gains we've had over the past## century infant mortality and# children's health and welfare.

JOHN YANG: Explain that.

You said children# are more vulnerable.

Explain that.

DEBRA HENDRICKSON: Yeah.

So there's a long list# of reasons why children are more vulnerable,## but particularly children under five.

And there's# three major reasons that we talk about most.

One is that their physiology is different.# That's the way their bodies work.

So we often## say in pediatrics that children are not just small# adults, and that's because you can't just take the## same calculations and assumptions you would# for an adult and apply them to a small child.

The second big reason is that they're# smaller in size.

And the third reason## is that their organs and body systems are still## developing and can be easily derailed# by pollutants and environmental harm.

So, for example, if a city is engulfed# in smoke, like my city, Reno, often is,## and a baby or toddler in that city is breathing# that smoke, they breathe faster than their## parents and they are taking in more air# pollution per pound of weight and.

And## their lungs and brain are still developing and# can be adversely affected by that pollution.

JOHN YANG: For your book, I know that you spoke# to a lot of young people about growing up in## areas with heavy pollution.

What did they tell# you?

What are the sorts of things they told you?

DEBRA HENDRICKSON: You know, in our# town, it causes a lot of distress## and mental health problems because we've# been encased in smoke sometimes for## eight to 10 weeks at a time.

In 2021,# there were two huge wildfires nearby.

And as the weeks wore on, you know, it's very hard# on everyone, mental health.

But a lot of kids,## I think adolescents I'm talking about,# primarily feel kind of betrayed that## nothing has been done about this problem# to help ensure a better future for them.

JOHN YANG: EPA Director Lee Zeldin,# when he announced this proposal,## said that the finding twisted the law,## ignored precedent, and warped science to achieve# their preferred ends.

What do you say to that?

DEBRA HENDRICKSON: I think that's exactly the# opposite of the truth.

I mean, I think that the## statement they released by the five scientists are# kind of known for being contrarians on this topic,## that if they reverse it is disregarding# the science, jeopardizing public health,## and is a direct contradiction to their mandate# to protect public health under the Clean Air Act.

JOHN YANG: Doctor, you practice in Reno, Nevada,# which is by some accounts the fastest warming## city in the United States.

What do you see# in your practice and the patients you see?

DEBRA HENDRICKSON: Yeah, so when we get engulfed# in smoke, it's called a smoke wave.

That'll come## over because we're 10 miles from the California# border.

So when the big fires hit California,## we're downwind, immediately downwind,# and we really get hit by it.

And the clinic and the hospital will fill# with kids wheezing and coughing.

You know,## we've had kids.

The pediatric ward will fill# up with kids on oxygen during heat waves,## which often go with, you know, we# usually have a heat wave before## the smoke hits because the heat# will trigger the fire to start.

We often see kids fainting in athletic# practices.

You know, there's been studies## showing that pediatric ER visits go up 17# percent when in hot weather, and smoke waves## also increase asthma visits by up to 78 percent,# according to one study of the Camp Fire in 2018.

So these events have a huge impact on# children's immediate health.

And because## they affect development, like I mentioned,# they can have a lifelong impact as well.

JOHN YANG: Dr. Debra Hendrickson# of the University of Nevada Medical## School, thank you very much.

DEBRA HENDRICKSON: Thank you.