Epa Reviewing Bush-era Air Quality Standards For Lead, Pm, Ozone

摘要

EPA is reviewing controversial Bush-era national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for lead, fine particles (PM2.5) and ozone that environmentalists and agency science advisors had said did not adequately address the risks posed by exposure to the pollutants. The agency earlier this month asked a federal appellate court to remand the lead and ozone NAAQS for further review. The same court recently remanded the PM2.5 standard to EPA, saying the agency had not adequately justified the stringency of its standard. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson argued recently that it is better for the new administration to review Bush-era standards and make sure they are legal than have courts vacate them. "When we don't win a case on particulate matter or ozone, it's kind of sad for the lawyers involved, but it's extremely tragic for the people," Jackson said in a March 12 address to Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy, a coalition organized by the activist group Ceres to lobby Congress for stringent climate and energy policies.