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Waxman cheers, industry sneers at new EPA smog rule
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01/07/10 01:01 PM ET
The American Petroleum Institute on Thursday attacked a new EPA proposal to toughen Bush-era air quality rules, alleging the stricter smog standards “lack scientific justification.”
“EPA acknowledges the newer studies on ozone ‘do not materially change any of the broad scientific conclusions regarding the health effects of exposure,’” said API, the oil industry’s largest trade group, in a statement.
“Given that conclusion, there is absolutely no basis for EPA to propose changing the ozone standards promulgated by the EPA Administrator in 2008. To do so is an obvious politicization of the air quality standard setting process that could mean unnecessary energy cost increases, job losses and less domestic oil and natural gas development and energy security,” it adds.
“EPA acknowledges the newer studies on ozone ‘do not materially change any of the broad scientific conclusions regarding the health effects of exposure,’” said API, the oil industry’s largest trade group, in a statement.
“Given that conclusion, there is absolutely no basis for EPA to propose changing the ozone standards promulgated by the EPA Administrator in 2008. To do so is an obvious politicization of the air quality standard setting process that could mean unnecessary energy cost increases, job losses and less domestic oil and natural gas development and energy security,” it adds.
But House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) cheered the proposal in a statement.
“I am pleased that EPA is once again basing its clean air decisions on the advice of independent scientists. I applaud this reversal of a Bush Administration decision to ignore science,” he said.
