The EPA proposal would lower emissions standards by 10 ppb.
Striking a blow for communities, usually low-income, who live in the shadow of smog from industrial activity, the Obama administration proposed on Wednesday Nov. 26 to lower the EPA's ozone emission standard to 65 to 70 ppb (parts per billion). This decision comes after extensive study of ground-level ozone emissions carried out since the last EPA ozone standards were released in 2008.
Health and environmental experts largely praised the decision, though some said that the new standards would not go far enough to truly protect American's health from ozone, a toxic chemical that causes the formation of smog, worsens asthma and leads to millions of premature deaths per year from respiratory illnesses.
Harold P. Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, said in a statement that "We are concerned that EPA did not include 60 ppb in the range … The scientific record clearly shows that a standard of 60 ppb would provide the most public health protection."
However, experts agreed that the new standards were necessary, given that the current standard, 75 ppb, is clearly inadequate. Most counties would have until 2025 to meet the new regulations, but in certain parts of California and the Northeast, unique geographical considerations mean that the limit would be extended until 2032.
This announcement comes at a time when Republicans and industry figureheads are pushing back heavily on Obama's environmental regulations, claiming that it will cost too much for companies to implement the technology necessary to comply with the new standards. Just yesterday, the Supreme Court announced that it would hear arguments from industry groups against the EPA's toxic chemical emissions standards.
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