Barry Cassell | Jun 17, 2012

In response to a court order, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 15 proposed updates to its national air quality standards for harmful fine particulate matter pollution, including soot (known as PM2.5).

A federal court ruling required EPA to update the standard based on best available science. The court ordered EPA sign the proposed particle pollution standards by June 14, because the agency did not meet its five-year legal deadline for reviewing the standards. The June 15 proposal, which meets that requirement, builds on steps already taken by the EPA to slash dangerous pollution in communities across the country, the agency said. Thanks to these prior steps, 99% of U.S. counties are projected to meet the proposed standard without any additional action.

EPA’s proposal would strengthen the annual health standard for PM2.5 to a level within a range of 13 micrograms per cubic meter to 12 micrograms per cubic meter. The current annual standard is 15 micrograms per cubic meter.

The proposed changes, which are consistent with the advice from the agency’s independent science advisors, are based on an extensive body of scientific evidence that includes thousands of studies, EPA said. By proposing a range, the agency will collect input from the public as well as a number of stakeholders, including industry and public health groups, to help determine the most appropriate final standard.

“It is important to note that the proposal has zero effect on the existing daily standard for fine particles or the existing daily standard for coarse particles (PM10), both of which would remain unchanged,” the agency said.

Depending on the final level of the standard, estimated benefits will range from $88m a year, with estimated costs of implementation as low as $2.9m, to $5.9bn in annual benefits with a cost of $69m. That is a return that ranges from $30 to $86 for every dollar invested in pollution control.

PM2.5 particles can be directly emitted from sources such as forest fires, or they can form when gases emitted from power plants, industries and automobiles react in the air.

EPA proposes to grandfather existing permit applications
To ensure a smooth transition to the new standards, EPA proposes to grandfather preconstruction permitting applications that have made substantial progress through the review process at the time the final standards are issued. The agency is also proposing updates and improvements to the nation’s PM2.5 monitoring network that include relocating a small number of monitors to measure fine particles near heavily traveled roads. EPA’s proposal does not require additional monitors. Also, the proposal would update the Air Quality Index for particle pollution.

EPA anticipates making attainment designations by December 2014, with those designations likely becoming effective in early 2015. States would have until 2020 (five years after designations are effective) to meet the proposed health standards. Most states are familiar with this process and can build off work they are already doing to reduce pollution to help them meet the standards, EPA said. A state may request a possible extension to 2025, depending on the severity of an area’s fine particle pollution problems and the availability of pollution controls.

The Clean Air Act does not specify a date for states to meet secondary PM2.5 standards. EPA and the states determine that date through the implementation planning process. The same controls installed to meet the primary, health‐based standards will also help areas meet the secondary standards. In 2020, EPA expects virtually all counties will meet the secondary standards without state/local reductions.

EPA said it will accept public comment for 63 days after the proposed standards are published in the Federal Register. The agency will hold two public hearings; one in Sacramento, Calif., and one in Philadelphia, Pa. EPA said it will issue the final standards by Dec. 14.

Sierra Club applauds new rule, coal-fired power interests slam it
The Sierra Club on June 15 applauded the proposal as a major step forward. “Soot is a dangerous mix of metals, chemicals and acid drops, released into the air by burning dirty fuels like coal,” it said. “Even at very low levels, soot is harmful to human health. When inhaled deeply, soot enters the bloodstream and is transported to the body’s vital organs.”

American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity Senior Vice President for Communications Evan Tracey said in a June 15 statement:  “We are disappointed to see that EPA has proposed to change the current air quality standard for fine particles. For one thing, a number of states have not finished implementing the current standard for fine particles. EPA should focus its efforts on helping these states fully implement the current fine particle standard, not move the goal posts again. For another, EPA should have solicited comment on keeping the current fine particle standard because there are significant scientific uncertainties about the benefits of changing the standard. The changes EPA has proposed are another example of how the agency is ignoring the harm its aggressive regulatory agenda is causing to the U.S. economy.”

 

Barry Cassell is chief analyst for coal sector at Generation Hub, a unit of Energy Central.

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