Stricter U.S. Smog Standards Proposed
The federal government today proposed toughening ozone pollution standards.
June 21, 2007 — -- Today, the federal government proposed toughening the standards for ozone pollution in the atmosphere — one of the key ingredients of brownish, smoggy air.
Health advocates say the new standards don't go far enough in protecting the public.
The Environmental Protection Agency said that "strong science" had shown that the current standard — last updated in 1997 — wasn't sufficient to protect public health.
"Ozone's impacts are more significant than we previously thought," EPA administrator Stephen Johnson said during a conference call with reporters.
Ozone is created when emissions from cars, factories and other sources come into contact with sunlight. Since 1980, ozone levels have dropped nationwide by 21 percent, according to the EPA. It can cause a variety of health problems, making life difficult for people with asthma and other respiratory ailments. Nearly half of the U.S. population lives in areas where they are exposed to unhealthful levels of ozone or other air pollution, according to a recent report from the American Lung Association.
The current EPA standard for ozone in the atmosphere is 80 parts per billion. The new standard would lower ozone pollution to within a range of 70 to 75 parts per billion. The EPA will make the final recommendation in March 2008.
"Today we are able to propose the strongest standards for ozone in our nation's history," Johnson said.
EPA officials say the proposed standards would have positive health benefits, which they said would be detailed in a report to be released in the next few weeks. But during a conference call this morning, officials said the new standard would dramatically reduce the amount of exposure to harmful ozone.
"Eighty [percent] to 90 percent of exposures to ozone, which could potentially cause adverse health effects, would be reduced," said Lydia Wegman, director of the EPA's Health and Environmental Impacts Division.
The EPA, however, is facing criticism from health and science advocacy groups that say the agency is ignoring the advice of its own Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee. The committee had recommended an even lower range for the new standard of 60 to 70 parts per billion.
