Washington – Risking an election-year backlash from Republicans, the Obama administration is proposing new air quality standards to lower the amount of soot that can be released into the air.
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The move, to be announced Friday, is likely to win support from environmental groups and public health advocates but exposes the president to potential criticism from congressional Republicans and industry officials that the rules are overly strict and could hurt economic growth and cause job losses in political swing states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Perhaps wary of the rule’s political risk, the administration had sought to delay the new soot standards until after the November elections. But a federal judge ordered officials to act after 11 states filed a lawsuit seeking a decision this year by the Environmental Protection Agency.
An administration official said the new rule was based on a rigorous scientific review. Virtually all counties in the United States would meet the proposed standard with no additional actions needed beyond compliance with current and impending rules set by the EPA, the official said. Administration officials described the rule to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it has yet to be announced.
Soot, made up of microscopic particles released from smokestacks, diesel trucks and buses, wood-burning stoves and other sources, contributes to haze and can burrow into lungs. Breathing in soot can cause lung and heart problems.
Dr. Albert Rizzo, chairman of the board of the American Lung Association, said soot, also known as fine particle pollution, is a known killer.
“The science is clear, and overwhelming evidence shows that particle pollution at levels currently labeled as officially `safe’ causes heart attacks, strokes and asthma attacks,” he said.
Eleven states, including New York and California, filed suit earlier this year to force a decision. The states and the American Lung Association say current standards jeopardize public health. Soot has been linked to thousands of premature deaths each year, as well as aggravation of respiratory illnesses, heart attacks and strokes.
More than a dozen states, along with environmental groups, sued the EPA several years ago, contending that the Bush administration had ignored science and its own experts when it decided in 2006 not to lower the nearly decade-old annual standard for soot. The agency’s own analysis found a lower standard recommended by scientific advisers would have prevented almost 2,000 premature deaths each year.
The EPA initially promised it would review recent science and issue a decision in 2011. After months of inaction, states led by New York filed suit to force a decision. The lung association and the National Parks Conservation Association filed a similar suit.
A federal court eventually ordered the EPA to propose a new rule by Thursday. A final rule is due in December after a public comment period.
The new rule would set the maximum allowable standard for soot in a range of 12 to 13 micrograms per cubic meter of air. The current annual standard is 15 micrograms per cubic meter.
Administration officials said the proposed changes are consistent with advice from independent scientists and are based on extensive research showing negative health impacts from soot at lower levels than previously understood. The agency will solicit comments from the public, as well as industry, public health groups and other interested groups to help determine the final standard.
Besides California and New York, states joining in the lawsuit forcing an EPA decision were Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
This would be a clear example of Obama’s EPA doing something to actively ruin the economy. In the name of “health and safety” we have the EPA issuing new guidelines. The guidelines will need to be complied with, which will force businesses to spend money on things they don’t want to spend money on. In turn, they will raise prices.
More simply, if, say, an electrical utility has to spend money on compliance with these new standards, then everyone’s electrical rates go up. I can’t see a more cut-and-dried case of the EPA harming the economy than this.
Of course, the EPA comes up with this gem: “The agency’s own analysis found a lower standard recommended by scientific advisers would have prevented almost 2,000 premature deaths each year.” In other words, they use phony science without any outside opinions, which I have no doubt would be different than the opinions of the government scientists.
Who wants to have their utility bills go up in this economy?
Enough govt in our lives already!! OblameO, go away already!!!
No matter what President Obama does the Republicans will hate him.
His Health Care Act was the Republican one from the 90s.
His economic advisers are all Corporatists. Most are Republicans.
His economic policies are Republican ones from just a few years ago.
His military and foreign policies are continuations of George W. Bush’s.
He has deregulated like a Republican.
His stimulus package was over 50% Republican suggestions.
His new Austerity program was designed by a committee of half Republicans.
Even though just about everything he does is what they came up with, they froth and foam at the mouth because President Obama is doing it.
If he came out in favor of breathing they’d all suffocate themselves.
So why shouldn’t he do the right thing once in a while? It’s not as if they can hate him any more than they already do.
so far all the epa recommendations make diesels burn more fuel.europe has many diesel cars which epa restricts here that burn less than half the fuel a gas engine does and last a llot longer
how many lives are the Republican willing to sacrifice for economic growth?
I wonder if the Republicans also complained when they made belt seats mandatory