Review of Particulate Matter Air Levels a ‘No Brainer’ for EPA

Established and new research will fuel the EPA’s fast-track review of current pollution standards for fine particulate matter, though legal action may loom on the horizon, experts and advocates say.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday it will reconsider a Trump-era decision to leave National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or NAAQS, unchanged for particulate matter, known as PM2.5. The agency will reconvene a specialized panel to help the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee review and round up new research within a 2019 Integrated Science Assessment.

From the agency standpoint, taking swift action on considering more stringent levels “is a no-brainer,” ...