Win for Clean Air: Trump Backs Down on Smog Rule

The Trump Administration has decided to stop attempting to revise the 2015 Obama Administration smog rule. In March, a federal court has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke the law by refusing to meet an important deadline of the rule. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA was required to identify areas of the country out of compliance with the 2015 ozone rule by October 1st. They failed to do so and we took them to court.

“In a victory for clean air, the Trump Administration has backed down from trying to reverse the important smog rules. Thanks to public pressure, opposition from groups like Sierra Club, and the federal court ruling, we have won this battle. The EPA had failed to do their job to protect our health and environment by missing the deadline to enforce stricter ozone pollution rules. It’s important that the federal court has stepped in because we need this rule to protect our lungs. This win is important. It shows that we can stand up to the Trump Administration to protect our environment and health,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Ozone pollution is so dangerous because when people inhale smog it is like getting a sunburn on your lungs. Smog causes cardiovascular and respiratory harm and threatens people with air toxins. This is particularly harmful to children, the elderly and people with asthma. This leads to more premature death, medical problems, and health costs. Since all of New Jersey is out of compliance and we keep having more and more Bad Ozone Days, our state is even more at risk.”

Then EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt should have published his initial determinations on which areas of the country exceed the new, stricter standard on ozone, a component of smog that is linked to respiratory illnesses. He fought the 2015 rule as former Attorney General in Oklahoma. Then, he tried to illegally delay implementation as part of the Trump Administration. However, Sierra Club, who lead the case, 15 states, and other groups already filed a lawsuit when they tried to delay the rule and we won.

“This shows us that the Sierra Club, and all of us, can fight back against the Trump Administration’s anti-environmental agenda. Missing this deadline was part of the Trump Administration’s arrogance and abuse of power that is threatening people who are breathing in more toxic pollution. It is not a surprise because Pruitt actually sued the EPA against this rule as well as a dozen others as Oklahoma’s Attorney General. His schedule alone shows he is aligned with the fossil fuel, chemical, and auto industry so he can continue his attack on the environment and roll back environmental protections. Again and again Trump and Pruitt have sided with special interests over the American people. They have even denied the science of climate change making us more at risk to Bad Ozone Days,” said Jeff Tittel.

The Obama Administration rule was supposed to lower the allowable ozone concentration in ambient air to 70 parts per billion, from 75 parts per billion. This was a compromise that will still help clean air. There are over 214 counties that do not meet the new standard, up from 177 counties under the previous rule, including many counties in New Jersey. Ground level ozone is one of the worst air pollutants with one of the sources being car emissions. Air pollution can cause asthma attacks and put people with heart problems, lung problems or children at risk. Air pollution not only has significant health impacts, but it is an irritant for people at risk it. This can actually cause asthma attacks sending people to the hospital. It is also linked to premature death through heart attacks.

“New Jersey needs this standard more than other states because we are seeing more and earlier bad ozone days making it harder for people to breathe. Almost every county in our state that conducts monitoring has a failing grade for ozone. Most of our air pollution comes from mobile sources like cars and trucks so it is important that we keep trying to reduce the dangers of dirty air,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We need strong rules to reduce smog pollution because New Jersey suffers from ground level ozone and there are too many children with asthma. We will keep standing up to Trump, in and out of court, and make sure he implements important air protection rules.”