EPA tallies benefits, costs of new smog proposal

The Environmental Protection Agency says newly-proposed ozone rules would reduce illness, and hence cut health-related costs including hospital and emergency room visits and missed work.

The agency estimates that the proposal unveiled Thursday would yield health benefits worth $13 billion to $100 billion annually in 2020, depending on how strictly EPA ultimately sets the standard.

The costs of implementing the regulations would be $19 billion to $90 billion in 2020, according to an agency summary.

“Smog in the air we breathe poses a very serious health threat, especially to children and individuals suffering from asthma and lung disease. It dirties our air, clouds our cities, and drives up our health care costs across the country,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson in a prepared statement. 

“Using the best science to strengthen these standards is a long overdue action that will help millions of Americans breathe easier and live healthier,” she added.