Business Roundtable today expressed disappointment with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its decision to reduce the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone. EPA’s final rule on the ozone NAAQS reduces the standard to 70 parts per billion (ppb) from 75 ppb.

“Imposing a new, more stringent standard before many cities and counties across the United States have been able to achieve the current standard is counterproductive and will divert resources without a clear public health benefit,” said Nicholas K. Akins, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Electric Power and Chair of the Business Roundtable Committee on Energy and Environment.

“More than 100 million Americans live in regions that still need to take actions to achieve the current standard. The scientific data support full implementation of the current standard. A more stringent regulation will negatively impact economic development over a much larger portion of the country, without delivering meaningful additional health benefits. EPA’s failure to take a reasonable approach on this issue is disappointing.”

In July, Business Roundtable wrote a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy urging the Administration to:

• Maintain the current standard and undertake further research into the role of background ozone given new science that has emerged in the last few years and the need for improved measurements of baseline ozone and ozone modeling;
• Announce revisions to the exceptional events, international transport and rural transport policies to streamline the process for states faced with high background levels of ozone; and
• Provide further flexibility for the states in implementing the ozone standards.

Business Roundtable earlier this year released an economic growth agenda that includes tax reform, expanded trade opportunities, immigration reform, fiscal stability, infrastructure investment and a smarter approach to regulation that achieves societal goals without stifling economic growth and job creation. Learn more about the Business Roundtable position on the ozone NAAQS here and our 2015 growth agenda here.