U.S. President Barack Obama Halts New Emission Standards
United States President Barack Obama has halted plans by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to tighten federal regulations on ground-level ozone emissions. Ozone is the main ingredient in smog, a powerful lung irritant that can cause asthma among other ailments. He cited the potential economic burden on a weakened economy. Estimates of the cost of the new regulations ranged from $19 billion to $90 billion a year by 2020, depending on how strictly they were enforced.
Environmental groups and former Vice President Al Gore criticized the decision and accused the president of buckling under to members of the Republican Party in Congress. Many business interests and Congressional Republicans had lobbied strenuously against the proposed standards. President Obama noted that the standards would be reviewed in 2013 as required by the Clean Air Act.
Additional World Book articles:
- Air pollution
- Environmental pollution (Air pollution)
- Environmental Defense Fund
- Greenpeace
