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Agency seeks tougher standards on pollution

The EPA's proposal could set the stage for a fight with business and industry groups.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published June 22, 2007

WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed reducing allowable ozone air pollution by as much as 20 percent in coming decades, setting up a battle with business and industry groups that think current standards are adequate.

EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson announced the proposed new ozone rules Thursday, saying that existing federal standards do not adequately protect the public.

"Based on the current science, the standard today is not sufficient to protect the public health, and so I am proposing to toughen the standard, " he said.

Jonhnson also said the agency would take comments from business and industry groups that strongly believe current standards should not be changed.

If finalized, the new rules would roughly triple the number of U.S. counties out of compliance with federal air pollution regulations, and business groups say meeting the new limits could cost tens of billions of dollars. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA cannot take financial considerations into account when proposing safe pollution standards.

Johnson said he was allowing the comments even though he concluded the existing standard does not protect the public health. He said he made the decision because "I recognize that others don't agree with that, and I want to provide an opportunity for them to provide comments on which we can make an informed decision."

As outlined by Johnson, the EPA has proposed that the allowable amount of ozone - or smog - in the air be reduced from 84 parts per billion to between 70 and 75 parts per billion. He said the proposed standard was recommended by EPA scientists .

Johnson said the agency will make its decision on March 12.

[Last modified June 21, 2007, 23:28:15]