GAO - EPA Failing 30% Of Clean Air Act Rules, Constantly Misses Deadlines

[hatrack]

WASHINGTON — The government is failing to reduce health risks from toxic air pollution as required by law, congressional investigators said Wednesday. The Environmental Protection Agency has not met 30 percent of the Clean Air Act's requirements and regularly misses deadlines, they said.

EPA scientists issued their own report Wednesday, saying the agency should consider tightening its national health-based standards for smog-forming ozone to a level similar to California's, though not as restrictive as what the Swiss-based World Health Organization recommends. They said the risks of asthma and other respiratory ailments are greater than previously believed. EPA is under court order to propose a decision on this by next March.

The Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, said the EPA largely has failed to regulate air pollutants from small sources, including dry cleaners and trucks. The GAO report said the EPA has not yet met 239 of the law's requirements; of those the agency did fulfill, only 12 were met on time.

"EPA has not reduced human health risks from air toxics to the extent and in the time frames envisioned in the Act," according to the report by the investigative arm of Congress. The report was requested by nine senators -- six Democrats, two Republicans and one independent -- and six Democratic members of the House.

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http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=10949

[pooja]

1. Hmm.. How many asthma inhalers does it take to know when

you are really breathing bad air??

[nam78_two]

2. kick /nt