Editorial: Regions should set own pollution standards

According to a recently released report by the American Lung
Association, California has the worst air quality of any state in
the nation ““ including New Jersey. That probably
doesn’t surprise many Californians, but it should upset
them.

Obviously, there are many natural reasons for California’s
air problems.

Southern California is infamous for its basin geography,
particular wind currents, and thermal inversion layers. These
natural forces all contribute to the collection of pollution in the
Los Angeles area.

But people are also responsible for a vast majority of that
pollution. Car emissions, industrial activities, and even new
construction all contribute to overall air pollution.

The ALA report comes only a few weeks after an Environmental
Protection Agency report showed that 150 million Americans live
with poor air quality. That number is almost identical to the 159
million cited in the ALA report. Los Angeles County received
several “F” grades, in areas such as ozone and
particulate pollution.

To combat high pollution levels, California regulators have
imposed some of the strictest environmental regulations in the
nation. But, in an unfortunate setback to the air quality cause,
the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that California emission
regulations on buses, airport shuttles, and trash trucks are
illegal. In a ruling that could have negative impacts on air
quality throughout the state, the court said the local regulators
do not have full authority over cars and trucks.

Alarmingly, the Supreme Court ruling is only the latest in a
string of setbacks for environmental regulation.

Earlier this month, the EPA announced it plans to remove a 2010
deadline on ozone pollution.

Similarly, environmental groups believe the Bush
administration’s changes to mercury regulations will simply
extend the amount of time companies have before they have to
tighten pollution controls.

The Supreme Court decision notwithstanding, both federal and
state regulators must work together to maintain strict air quality
rules. Local regulators, the EPA, and the Bush administration
should not see themselves as competitors in a game with conflicting
standards and ever-changing loopholes.

But while regulators bicker over politics, Californians continue
to live with dangerous air qualities.

Federal regulators should let local regions ““ such as the
Southern California air basin ““ set their own standards for
pollution, as these administrators will have the best grasp on how
to contend with local issues. Admittedly, a patchwork of different
standards might be confusing for companies trying to do business,
but nationwide standards simply cannot be expected to work for all
states and regions.

The exact effects of air pollution are still disputed, but it is
obvious that poor air quality hurts the environmental balance and
harms human health. If only the air in California could be so
clear.