Who Loves You?

What's more important, politics and profits or people's right to breathe clean air? Look at a picture of Beijing, China at noon.

Paul Hunter

Smog rules bring praise, criticism

Proposal too lenient or expensive depending on point of view.

 Columbus Dispatch

The Obama administration proposed lowering allowable levels of smog Wednesday, prompting cheers from environmental and health advocates and bringing criticism from Republican politicians and the energy sector, who said the tighter restrictions are unaffordable.

The proposal, announced by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, would cut allowable levels of ozone, or smog pollution in the air by 6.7 to 13 percent. States would have to meet the new thresholds between 2020 and 2037, depending on the current level of smog in each state.

“The science tells us that ozone presents a real threat to our health,” McCarthy said. “It can cause us to miss work or school, use medicine more often, and send us to the hospital or lead to premature death.”................