THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Wednesday a proposal to cut ozone emissions, a pollutant that causes smog and is linked to health problems such as heart disease, asthma and premature death.
The suggested standards would lower emissions to a range between 65 to 70 parts per billion. This is down from the current standard of 75 parts per billion, which was set in 2008 under former President George W. Bush.
“Bringing ozone pollution standards in line with the latest science will clean up our air, improve access to crucial air quality information, and protect those most at-risk,” said EPA administrator Gina McCarthy in a statement. “It empowers the American people with updated air quality information to protect our loved ones – because whether we work or play outdoors – we deserve to know the air we breathe is safe.”
The EPA said it will take public comments and consider an even lower number of 60 parts per billion, which is preferred by environmental groups.
The agency expects the regulation to be fully enforced by 2025. At that point, it estimates a cost of $3.9 billion at a standard of 70 parts per billion, and $15 billion using a standard of 65 parts per billion.
Despite the cited expenses, the EPA expects benefits that will surpass costs. It estimates the prevention of the following by 2025: 750 to 4,300 premature deaths, 65,000 to 180,000 workday absences, 1,400 to 4,300 asthma-related visits to emergency rooms and 330,000 to 1 million school day absences.
“Ozone is not only killing people, but causing tens of millions of people to get sick every day,” said William Becker, executive director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies.
At a standard of 65 parts per billion, the EPA estimates economic gains between $6.4 billion to $13 billion each year in terms of heart attacks, premature deaths, asthma attacks, and school and work day absences averted. Using a standard of 70 parts per billion, the estimated gains are from $19 billion to $13 billion per year. Both scenarios are for the year 2025.
With the costs involved, the proposal has received backlash from business groups like the National Association of Manufacturers.
“Tightening these standards could be the most expensive regulation ever imposed on the American public, with potentially enormous costs to the economy, jobs, and consumers,” said Jack Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute.
The Times reports that states are still in the process of meeting the standards that were set in 2008.
Other opponents argue the tighter requirements impede industry growth.
“We’re facing a series of regulations, and the cumulative cost of compliance and the burden of permitting is significant,” Cal Dooley, president of the American Chemistry Council, told the Times. “An industry such as ours is poised to make significant investments in growth, but these regulations make that harder.”
The EPA was initially set to announce new ozone regulations in August 2011. However, President Barack Obama halted the release, worrying that Republican and industry opposition to the revised standards would negatively affect his re-election in 2012, the Times reported.
Environmental advocates then went on to sue the president’s administration, resulting in a court order for the agency to release the new standards by Dec. 1.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend November 29 – December 2, 2014 Sec. A pg.5)
