The decision by the White House to scuttle an update of air quality standards for ozone leaves no clear policy in place for protecting the environment and public health, industry, state regulators, and environmental advocates say. It is unclear what standards the Environmental Protection Agency will be enforcing because the groundwork necessary to implement ozone standards issued in 2008 had been on hold while the Obama administration focused on developing tougher new rules. The previous standards, issued in 1997, are based on scientific research nearly two decades old, which environmental and health advocates, state and federal regulators, and many others say are inadequate.
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