Home / Environment / EPA Abandons Rule on Deadly Air Pollutant
EPA Abandons Rule on Deadly Air Pollutant
25 Nov
Summary
- EPA moves to vacate a rule tightening limits on fine particle pollution.
- The previous Biden-era rule aimed to prevent thousands of premature deaths annually.
- Industry groups and some states had sued, citing high implementation costs.
The Environmental Protection Agency has initiated steps to abandon a rule that would have tightened restrictions on fine-particle pollution, a move criticized by scientists as potentially leading to dirtier air and increased U.S. fatalities. This regulation, finalized under the Biden administration, aimed to lower the permissible level of PM2.5, a pollutant capable of entering the bloodstream and causing severe health problems.
Environmental groups have strongly condemned the EPA's decision, arguing it disregards scientific evidence and dismantles crucial pollution safeguards. They assert that the agency is siding with polluters by seeking to dismantle stricter standards, which were estimated to prevent thousands of premature deaths and millions of lost workdays if fully implemented.
The withdrawal follows legal challenges from industry associations and attorneys general of conservative states, who contended that the stricter standards would impose substantial costs on manufacturers and impede infrastructure development. The EPA is now proposing to revert to the less stringent standards established during the Trump administration.
