Doubts Linger On EPA Meeting PM Rule Deadline Despite OMB Review

摘要

EPA has sent its final revised fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pre-publication review, but some observers continue to doubt the agency will meet a binding Dec. 14 deadline to issue the rule, as OMB review can take months. "I'm still not sure they're going to get it done in the week," one industry source says after learning EPA sent the rule for OMB review Dec. 4. Although the agency's deadline for issuing the rule was imposed by a federal district court, EPA in other deadline suits has asked for - and sometimes received - extensions for rulemaking deadlines.