Chairwoman Johnson Applauds EPA Decision to Re-examine Trump Administration National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(Dallas, TX) – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it would reconsider the previous administration’s decision to retain the particulate matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards (PM NAAQS) in December 2020. This decision reflects the current scientific and technical evidence that indicates the current standards do not adequately protect public health and welfare.
Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) made the following statement.
“I am pleased to see that Administrator Regan is making good on his commitment to let the science guide the EPA’s regulatory decision-making,” said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). “The PM NAAQS is a crucial part of the agency’s mission to protect public health, but it can only do so if the best available science is used in the standard-setting process. For many years, the public health community has raised the alarm that the previous PM NAAQS, last tightened in 2012, were not adequately protective of public health. However, these concerns were ignored and the previous administration decided to retain the previous standards.
“This swift action has widespread implications for the public health of Americans across the country, and for environmental justice. The American Lung Association’s recent report on the state of the air found that communities of color are three times more likely to experience poorer air quality than white people. I look forward to an expeditious review of the PM NAAQS and hope the EPA arrives at a science-based standard that truly protects all Americans.”
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