EPA ANNOUNCES TIGHTER CLEAN AIR STANDARD FOR PARTICULATE POLLUTION

摘要

The United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized an update to its national air quality standard for harmful fine particulate matter (PM_(2.5)) pollution, which includes soot from diesel burning vehicles. The new annual ambient health standard is 12 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m~3), reduced from the previous 15 mg/m~3 limit set in 1997. By 2020, 99 percent of U.S. counties are projected to meet the revised health standard without any additional actions.