The Environmental Protection Agency announced today that they are proposing stricter health standards for smog. The previous standards, enacted during the Bush Administration, reportedly run counter to scientific recommendations (at least according to some), this according to Dina Cappiello of the AP.
More on the new EPA standards for smog (from The Houston Chronicle’s Chron.com):
The new limits — which are presented as a range — will likely put hundreds more counties nationwide in violation, a designation that will require them to find additional ways to clamp down on pollution or face government sanctions, most likely the loss of federal highway dollars.
The tighter standards will cost tens of billions of dollars to implement, but will ultimately save billions in avoided emergency room visits, premature deaths, and missed work and school days, the EPA said.
One person who certainly is in favor of the new EPA smog standards is Henry Waxman, the democrat from California who was formerly the House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman. He said the following:
“I am pleased that EPA is once again basing its clean air decisions on the advice of independent scientists,” Waxman said. “I applaud this reversal of a Bush administration decision to ignore science.”
Predictably, though, not all are in favor of the new health standards for smog proposed by the EPA:
Industry groups, however, expressed concern that the proposed regulations are not needed to protect public health and welfare and that they will impose undue economic burdens.
“This goes well beyond the statute requirement of requisite to protect health and welfare,” said Amy Chai, staff counsel for the National Association of Home Builders.
The following links will provide more information on this breaking story:
- EPA proposes stronger smog standards — (Reuters)
- EPA tightens smog rule, repudiates Bush — (FireDog Lake Blog)
- EPA tightens smog standards — (BizJournals)
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