The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed strengthening national air standards for soot pollution and is seeking public comments on a draft standard, it released Jan. 6. Industry and construction groups typically say that more stringent standards would stifle growth, while public health and environmental groups say stronger standards save thousands of lives each year and reduce health care costs.
In the draft, EPA proposes that the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particle pollution, also called PM2.5, be tightened from the current annual levels of 12 micrograms per cu m to a level between 9 and 10 micrograms per cu m. On a Jan. 5 call with reporters, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the proposed change reflects the latest health data and scientific evidence. However, in seeking comments, EPA said it will consider all levels between 8 and 11 micrograms per cu m.