EPA MUST RETHINK AIR STANDARD

THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency has an opportunity to make the national air quality standard for fine particulate matter more protective because of a federal appeals court ruling on Feb. 24. In its decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit instructed EPA to reconsider the Bush Administration’s 2006 decision to maintain, and not tighten, the 1997 standard for fine particulates. That annual standard is 15 µg of fine particulate matter per cubic meter of air. Exposure to fine particulate matter, defined as particles with a diameter of 2.5 µm or smaller, is linked to cardiovascular problems and premature death. Sources of fine particulates include power plants, industrial processes, vehicle exhaust, and forest fires. EPA set the 15 µg/m 3 standard in 1997 and reviewed it in 2006, as required by the Clean Air Act. During the review, EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee recommended lowering the fine particulate standard to between 13 ...