EPA Planning to Outlaw Diesel Trucks and Coal

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rolled out plans Friday to toughen standards for fine particulate matter, or soot, which is dangerous microscopic pollution emitted by factories, power plants, diesel vehicles and other sources.

The proposal, which the agency is issuing under a court-ordered deadline, would pare the current annual exposure standard of 15 micrograms per cubic meter down to between 12 and 13.

EPA's plan is certain to fuel election-year political fights over the Obama administration’s regulatory agenda.

Lobbyists for oil companies and other industries have pressed the administration to maintain the current standards, warning that tougher rules will take an economic toll.

National Association of Manufacturers CEO Jay Timmons said the new soot standards will create difficult requirements for existing factories, and create hurdles to permitting new plants.

"The scope and damaging impact the EPA’s new standard will have on manufacturers across the country, both large and small, is troubling," he said in a statement.

But EPA said that separate Clean Air Act rules finalized recently will go a long way toward ensuring the new soot standards are met.

"Ninety-nine percent of U.S. counties are projected to meet the proposed standards without undertaking any further actions to reduce emissions," EPA said in announcing the proposal Friday.

The George W. Bush administration in 2006 maintained the annual fine particulate standard that was set in 1997, but did toughen the 24-hour exposure standard.

Fine particulate pollution is dangerous because it can reach deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. The soot is linked to a range of respiratory and cardiovascular problems such as asthma, bronchitis and irregular heartbeat, according to EPA.

The agency plans to finalize the rules by mid-December.

The American Lung Association, which along with other environmentalists and 11 states had sued EPA to force revised soot rules, applauded the decision to reduce the standard.

The group also for an even greater tightening, however, down to 11 micrograms per cubic meter.

“The American Lung Association is pleased that EPA has proposed a much tighter annual particle pollution standard that will prevent thousands of premature deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks each year.

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This is really something... why are 'they' so worried about 'soot' polution to save lives? 'They' allow crap in our water, junk in our food, and are spraying us to death 24/7... Give me a break! Let me guess... it's for the children... again. ~ SadInAmerica

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