The US Environmental Protection Agency is tightening its standard for the amount of soot released from industrial smokestacks, diesel trucks and other sources, the agency said Friday.
The standard for annual measurement of soot, or fine particulates, is to be 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air, compared with the current 15 mg/cu m.
In addition to lowering the standard, EPA said it was adding new monitoring capabilities that would increase the stringency of measuring compliance with the standard, and that it would no longer average monitor readings but would take the highest readings instead.
Manufacturers, power companies, refineries and others have opposed lowering the standard because they say it will impose unduly stringent emission control requirements.
In a statement Friday, the American Petroleum Institute's director of regulatory and scientific affairs, Howard Feldman, said the standard was unnecessary and would increase costs.
"We fear this new rule may be just the beginning of a 'regulatory cliff' that includes forthcoming ozone rules, the refinery sector rules, pending greenhouse gas regulations for refineries, and the delayed boiler [maximum achievable control technology] rules," Feldman said.
Feldman added that current regulations would cut particulate pollution by more than 20% in the next couple of years. He also questioned the validity of EPA's regulatory impact analysis and called for release of the agency's scientific data supporting the new standard.
But the American Lung Association applauded the move. It and other health and environment organizations had sued the agency to get a decision, which was due by Friday.
