EPA Retains Weak Smog Rule, Leaving Millions with Unsafe Air

WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency today finalized a rule keeping the current limits on smog in place, foregoing the opportunity to better protect the public, reduce asthma attacks and save thousands of lives with a stronger standard.

The following is a statement by Vijay Limaye, a climate and health scientist at NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council):

“In the darkest days of a global health crisis, EPA is taking an outrageous step by retaining a weak, outdated standard for ozone that fails to protect people’s health. Instead of issuing this do-nothing rule, EPA should strengthen the standard on ozone to 60 parts per billion. That would better protect the 122 million people living today in areas that exceed the current unhealthy standard.

“People deserve to breathe clean air. We will fight this feeble, anti-science approach to dangerous air pollution with all tools available. And we’ll urge the Biden team to deliver cleaner, healthier air for all.”

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NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.​