Despite opposition from thousands of elected officials, state agencies, businesses, community groups and other stakeholders, EPA pressed ahead with its tighter ozone standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb on October 1st last year – a move that is expected to cost $1.4 billion annually and provide little economic benefit.
This is just one of many problems to be found with the new ozone standard, which is why we applaud the House Energy & Commerce Committee for passing H.R. 4775, the “Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2016.” This legislation provides a common-sense implementation plan that maintains air quality improvements without unnecessarily straining the economy or state and local resources.
Significant investments and job growth opportunities from the refining and petrochemical industries and others are threatened by the current implementation schedule for the 2015 ozone standards. That is why we have been working with over 200 other national trade associations, state and local business groups, and chambers of commerce to gain congressional support of this legislation.
There are major concerns nationwide that the 2015 ozone standard overlap with existing state plans to implement the 2008 standards, which can lead to confusing (and wasteful) implementation timelines, not to mention severe economic impacts which could be entirely avoidable.
Read our letter to Congress for more information.
