Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its final rule to strengthen the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for soot pollution. It would lower the annual limit on fine particulate matter from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to nine, reducing the air pollutant most linked to hospitalization and premature mortality in communities across the United States. In response, Trevor Higgins, senior vice president of the Energy and Environment department at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
The EPA has just taken a huge step forward in keeping more soot out of the air. This will improve public health and save lives, especially in front-line communities most harmed by pollution from fossil fuels. The Biden administration’s clean energy and transportation investments have made it possible for states and counties to deliver on these new standards, which are now stronger than ever.
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