EPA’s ozone standard review delayed, angering green groups.
The EPA Launches New Review of Ground-Level Ozone Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made an exciting announcement on Tuesday, revealing its plans to initiate a comprehensive review of ground-level ozone, commonly known as smog. This review aims to ensure that the standards in place reflect the latest scientific advancements and effectively protect people’s health from the harmful effects of pollutants.
The EPA is committed to considering the valuable policy recommendations provided by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), an independent advisory panel for the agency. By incorporating CASAC’s insights, the EPA aims to conduct a thorough evaluation and review of the current standards.
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EPA Administrator Michael Reagan expressed the importance of CASAC’s input in a recently published letter, stating, “CASAC’s careful review has identified several issues arising in the reconsideration that warrant additional evaluation and review, both by the EPA and by CASAC. This includes newly available information that has not yet been integrated into the air quality criteria and the value of developing additional analyses to inform further evaluation of the current standards.”
In October 2021, the EPA announced its intention to reevaluate the Trump administration’s decision to maintain the current air quality standards for ozone, which stood at 70 parts per billion. CASAC had recommended a stricter limit of between 55 and 60 parts per billion.
However, the EPA’s decision to delay the review of ozone standards has faced criticism from environmental groups. These groups are urging the agency to swiftly fulfill its promise of reviewing the previous administration’s requirements.
“As a result of today’s decision, if the EPA doesn’t pick up the pace, the agency would likely complete its review in the late 2020s, denying communities any chance of stronger ozone standards until implementation began sometime in the early 2030s,” expressed EarthJustice in a press statement. “Environmental advocacy groups condemn the decision as scientifically, legally, and morally insupportable, especially considering the mounting evidence of the adverse health impacts and environmental damage caused by ozone pollution.”
Delaying the decision could also shift the responsibility to another administration, potentially allowing the EPA to avoid a politically challenging choice leading up to the 2024 election.
The EPA has outlined its next steps following this decision. These steps include issuing a call for information in the Federal Register within the next few days, organizing a public science and policy workshop in the spring of next year to gather input from the scientific community and the public, and incorporating these findings into the review process. The agency aims to release an integrated review plan in the fall of 2024.
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