Biden tightens U.S. air quality regulations, angering industry groups

New EPA rules cover fine particulate matter, commonly known as soot (File)

President Joe Biden’s administration on Wednesday announced tough new air quality standards that it said were urgently needed to protect the health of vulnerable communities, even as industry groups said the move would devastate domestic manufacturing.

It comes as the Democratic incumbent faces a tough electoral rematch against likely Republican nominee Donald Trump, who rolled back dozens of air pollution regulations during his time in office.

The new rules from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deal with fine particulate matter, commonly known as soot, a widespread and deadly pollutant linked to conditions such as asthma and heart disease.

Under the new standards, annual average levels of PM2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter and below) must not exceed 9 micrograms per cubic meter, down from the current 12 micrograms per cubic meter and more stringent than current and proposed EU regulations.

“Today’s action is a critical step forward to better protect workers, families and communities from the dangers of fine particle pollution,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan told reporters at a news conference and costly impacts.”

Vehicles, smokestacks and fires are common sources of fine particles, which are also formed when gases emitted by car engines, power plants and industrial processes react in the atmosphere.

The agency estimates that the action will prevent up to 4,500 premature deaths and 290,000 lost work days and generate up to $46 billion in net health benefits by 2032, the first year states are required to meet the new standards.

Industry key

Wednesday’s announcement was welcomed by environmental and health groups.

“The science surrounding this pollution is very strong — we know it causes people to die prematurely from heart disease, we know it causes asthma and many other illnesses in children and adults,” said Abby Dillon, the organization’s president. Abbie Dillen said. Environmental law nonprofit Earthjustice.

“We are extremely grateful to all of the clients we have represented over the years,” she added.

Industry groups say the rule would threaten U.S. manufacturing operations and the issue threatens to become another battleground in key battleground states in the 2024 presidential election.

When the rule was first proposed a year ago, the National Association of Manufacturers said in a statement: “These standards will hinder domestic production and lead to continued manufacturing abroad that is less clean than manufacturing in the United States.”

The move was also opposed by the American Forestry and Paper Association, because pulp and paper mills are large emitters of air pollution.

But the EPA challenged those characterizations, calculating that by 2032, 99% of the nation’s more than 3,100 counties would be in compliance due to overall downward trends in air pollution from other initiatives.

It added that states can exclude special conditions caused by wildfires from the particulate matter they report – a factor that could be important as climate change makes smoke exposure from wildfires more common.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)