USA and air pollution
At last, the USA has decided to take steps to reduce air pollution!!
It's about time!!!
Associated Press
updated 5:18 a.m. ET March 12, 2008
WASHINGTON - States and local officials across the country awaited word Wednesday on whether they will have to further cut air pollution to protect millions of people, especially the very young and the elderly, from respiratory illnesses.
The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to announce whether it will tighten the federal health standard for ozone, commonly known as smog, and leave several hundred additional counties falling short of what the federal government considers healthy air.
The EPA last year said it was considering lowering the standard from 80 parts per billion of ozone per unit of air to between 70 and 75 parts per billion. In recent weeks a broad range of industry groups have lobbying the EPA and the White House to keep the current standard despite warnings from most health experts that it does not adequately protect public health.
But industry groups representing manufactures, electric utilities, chemical and oil companies, and other groups have lobbying hard in recent weeks against any change in the federal standard. They argued at the EPA, White House and in Congress that lowering the current requirement would be too costly and threaten the economies of areas that will have impose new pollution controls. They contend the health benefits of lowering the smog standard have yet to be proven.
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