Post by account_disabled on Feb 28, 2024 2:55:56 GMT -5
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized a significantly stricter standard for fine particle pollution, commonly known as soot. It is the first time in twelve years that the agency has updated the rule to reflect current science and the culmination of a power struggle that has spanned three presidential administrations. Tackling this type of pollution is like fighting a many-headed dragon: it comes from power plants, factories, vehicles, forest fires, and anything else you can imagine that produces soot. This has made this rule a major target for both health advocates pushing for more protective policies and industries pushing to maintain current, more lax regulations. At least for now, health advocates are scoring a victory. The updated National Ambient Air Quality Standards finalized today tighten fine particle pollution limits from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to 9 micrograms per cubic meter annually.
Those are important numbers, but they don't really tell the whole story. The whole story is about people, families and communities who will see cleaner air and live healthier lives as a result of this action,” Doris Browne, former president of the National Medical Association representing African American doctors, said yesterday during Kuwait Mobile Number List a conference EPA press release. . "We know that communities, particularly communities of color and vulnerable populations, have been overburdened for a long time," Browne said. According to a 2019 study, Black and Latino populations are exposed to about 60 percent more soot than is related to their consumption. This compares to a “pollution advantage” that results in non-Hispanic white Americans being exposed to about 17 percent less air pollution than is caused by their consumer behavior. The rules finalized by the EPA today are still not as strict as other health advocates had hoped.
The American Lung Association wanted the annual limit set at 8 micrograms per cubic meter. He also lobbied, in vain, for the EPA to tighten 24-hour limits on fine particle pollution to 25 micrograms per cubic meter. The latter measure is supposed to address short-term pollution spikes caused, for example, by a refinery mishap, rather than annual limits on cumulative emissions. To the disappointment of the Lung Association, the EPA decided to maintain the current 24-hour standard that allows 35 micrograms of fine particles per cubic meter. On the call with reporters, EPA Administrator Michael Regan defended the action, saying, "according to the science, the annual and 24-hour standards work extremely well together to protect against long- and short-term harm." [fine particle pollution] exposures.” “While a stricter annual particle pollution standard will mean fewer asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes and deaths, it is disappointing that EPA has not followed the strong scientific recommendations of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and the community. health to also review the particle pollution standard.
Those are important numbers, but they don't really tell the whole story. The whole story is about people, families and communities who will see cleaner air and live healthier lives as a result of this action,” Doris Browne, former president of the National Medical Association representing African American doctors, said yesterday during Kuwait Mobile Number List a conference EPA press release. . "We know that communities, particularly communities of color and vulnerable populations, have been overburdened for a long time," Browne said. According to a 2019 study, Black and Latino populations are exposed to about 60 percent more soot than is related to their consumption. This compares to a “pollution advantage” that results in non-Hispanic white Americans being exposed to about 17 percent less air pollution than is caused by their consumer behavior. The rules finalized by the EPA today are still not as strict as other health advocates had hoped.
The American Lung Association wanted the annual limit set at 8 micrograms per cubic meter. He also lobbied, in vain, for the EPA to tighten 24-hour limits on fine particle pollution to 25 micrograms per cubic meter. The latter measure is supposed to address short-term pollution spikes caused, for example, by a refinery mishap, rather than annual limits on cumulative emissions. To the disappointment of the Lung Association, the EPA decided to maintain the current 24-hour standard that allows 35 micrograms of fine particles per cubic meter. On the call with reporters, EPA Administrator Michael Regan defended the action, saying, "according to the science, the annual and 24-hour standards work extremely well together to protect against long- and short-term harm." [fine particle pollution] exposures.” “While a stricter annual particle pollution standard will mean fewer asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes and deaths, it is disappointing that EPA has not followed the strong scientific recommendations of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and the community. health to also review the particle pollution standard.