"WASHINGTON -- The Environmental Protection Agency has quietly signaled it may allow states to release more ozone air pollution, commonly known as smog, dirtying the air in those states and neighboring ones, but the agency did not review the health impact of such a move.
The Trump administration's position is outlined in a highly technical guidance memo about plans states must create and submit for EPA approval under the Clean Air Act's good neighbor requirements. It was sent in August to EPA regional offices and posted on the agency's website, but not announced to the public.
The memo introduces the idea of increasing the threshold for how much smog a state can dump on its neighbors -- known as cross-state pollution -- before taking action to reduce emissions.
Under the Trump administration's new guidance, states that are currently finalizing their plans can consider adopting a looser standard than would have been allowed under the Obama administration. The new one part per billion standard means a state can emit 43% more pollution across state lines than before. "
Rene Marsh, Gregory Wallace, and Ellie Kaufman report for CNN October 31, 2018.
SEE ALSO:
"Fact Checking Seven Falsehoods in CNN’s Report" (EPA Release)
"EPA Guidance Could Raise Ozone Levels — Report" (E&E News PM)
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