Los Angeles, the Central Valley and other heavily smoggy areas could win lengthy extensions to meet ozone requirements because they could adopt new plans with longer deadlines. But Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District in Southern California, said he hoped that would not be the case.
"This seems to potentially be a pattern for the Bush administration to adopt new standards that wipe out the current requirements, which results in a delay of the implementation of federal measures to clean the air," said Wallerstein, who said he was also disappointed that Johnson hadn't adopted a lower ozone limit.
EPA's science advisors and a children's health panel had unanimously recommended that Johnson adopt tougher standards, based on mounting evidence that breathing ground-level ozone aggravates asthma and can lead to serious respiratory problems and premature death, particularly among children and the elderly.
"The Bush administration has compromised public health to save industry money," said Frank O'Donnell, president of the Washington nonprofit group Clean Air Watch. "Real science has been tainted by political science."
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who heads the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, sharply criticized the agency's decision.
"Once again, the EPA has rejected the recommendations of its scientific advisors and failed to protect our communities from dangerous air pollution," Boxer said.
She called the suggestion to alter the Clean Air Act "outrageous."
Industry groups said that risks from ozone were being exaggerated, and that tightening the regulations would do little practical good.
"Changing the ozone standard is the wrong call," said John Kinsman, senior director of environment for the Edison Electric Institute, which represents electric utilities across the nation.
"Those opposing the standard have adopted a rationale that significantly skews the scientific record on ozone's health effects. In essence, people could end up paying at the pump and through higher energy bills for health benefits they may never receive."
He and others said hundreds of local districts across the U.S. hadn't been able to meet the current allowable levels, set a decade ago, because of a lack of available technology to remove enough ozone.
"Moving the goal posts again will inflict economic hardship on these areas without speeding air-quality improvement," Kinsman said.
Memos between the EPA and the White House Office of Management and Budget in the last week show that White House budget officials objected to proposed seasonal standards as being illegal over-regulation. EPA officials countered, but Bush weighed in late Tuesday, and a written order reflecting his decision turning down the proposal was completed.
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janet.wilson@latimes.com
