Biden tightens air pollution limits for deadly soot 

The Biden administration is tightening air pollution regulations, which it says will save thousands of lives, but faces a backlash from industry who say they will hurt the economy.

The decision to tighten regulations on pollution from tiny particles, commonly referred to as soot, comes as a change in policy from the Trump administration, which decided to maintain less stringent standards in 2020.

The rule will prevent up to 4,500 premature deaths in 2032, the first year states are required to meet the standards, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said.

The EPA also projects that 99 percent of U.S. counties will reduce pollution to the level required by regulation, with or without EPA action. Other policies also seek to move large parts of the country away from polluting vehicles and energy sources.

However, regions that do not yet meet the new standards will need to reduce pollution levels through state-led policies, such as requiring emitters to install pollution control technology to meet the requirements.

An agency spokesperson told The Hill in an email that many of the counties expected to exceed the standards have high population densities, so reducing pollution there would impact many people and result in significant He said it would provide health benefits.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan told reporters the rule would “protect millions of Americans and build a cleaner, healthier nation.”

Exposure to this type of pollution is associated with premature death, heart attacks, and decreased lung function.

Republicans and industry have opposed the EPA’s move, saying it would be extremely difficult to comply and would ultimately harm the economy.

Wednesday’s action is sure to further heighten tensions as Republicans seek to paint Biden’s record as generally bad for the economy ahead of the November election.

“Achieving the punitive air quality standards finalized today by the Biden administration is simply not realistic,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-Va.) said in a written statement.

“Complying with this rule would require states to restrict development in large swaths of the country, threatening manufacturing and energy projects, limiting economic growth, and addressing negative impacts,” said Capito, the top Republican. “We will leave millions of Americans behind.” Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The EPA rule sets the annual average air pollution standard at a level of 9 micrograms per cubic meter, down from the 12 micrograms per cubic meter set under President Barack Obama and maintained under President Trump.

That’s a tighter limit than what the EPA proposed last year, at which point the agency said it planned to tighten air pollution standards to somewhere between 9 and 10 micrograms.

However, it is not as protective as the 8 micrograms per cubic meter level promoted by many environmental groups.the study EPA cited As part of that proposal, we found that setting the threshold to 8 could double the number of lives saved under this rule.

Nevertheless, many environmentalists welcomed the entire rule.

“We are pleased that the Biden administration has answered our calls to reduce harmful soot pollution,” Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous said in a written statement. “The decision to strengthen annual particulate matter standards is more than just policy. It’s about ensuring clean and safe air for our families and communities.”