A group of prominent Arizona Republicans sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday, arguing that new air pollution regulations would harm the economy.
Republican leaders in the state House and Senate are working with the state Chamber of Commerce. suitargued that the new standard for fine air pollutants, known as PM 2.5, is “arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion.”
PM 2.5 is one of the tiniest air pollutants, measuring just 2.5 microns, large enough to enter a person’s bloodstream. They have long been recognized as harmful, and new EPA regulations announced this month lowered the target level from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to 9 micrograms per cubic meter.
The EPA notes that Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, is one of the areas out of compliance with Arizona’s new regulations and estimates it may be able to comply with the new regulations. $46 billion annually By 2042, prevent premature death and disease nationwide.
The plaintiffs argue that forcing Arizona to comply with the new regulations would cost billions of dollars and amount to federal overreach.
Arizona Chamber of Commerce President Danny Seiden told the Arizona Republic He supports clean air but argued new regulations are unnecessary.
“If the goal of the Clean Air Act is to provide cleaner, healthier air, this decision makes no sense,” he said.
He added that many of Phoenix’s sources of PM2.5 pollution cannot be reduced, such as from wildfires, making it impossible to meet the high bar. He also cited the potential impact on business, expressing concern that the rule could increase manufacturing costs and encourage companies to manufacture products in other countries.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
