EPA to Stop Considering the Cost of Lives Saved in Setting Pollution Limits

The Environmental Protection Agency will no longer calculate the health benefits of reducing air pollution when justifying clean air rules, reports Maxine Joselow for The New York Times. “Under President Trump, the E.P.A. plans to stop tallying gains from the health benefits caused by curbing two of the most widespread deadly air pollutants, fine particulate matter and ozone, when regulating industry, according to internal agency emails and documents reviewed by The New York Times.”

The change is a major reversal for the agency, whose core mission is to protect human health and the environment. “The change could make it easier to repeal limits on these pollutants from coal-burning power plants, oil refineries, steel mills and other industrial facilities across the country, the emails and documents show.”

Now, the Trump administration says the EPA will only estimate the costs to businesses of complying with clean air rules. “Carolyn Holran, an E.P.A. spokeswoman, said in an email that the agency was still weighing the health effects of PM2.5 and ozone, but wouldn’t be assigning them a dollar value in cost-benefit analyses.”

The change comes on the heels of other actions at the EPA aimed at dismantling environmental regulations. “In May, the White House ordered agencies to stop considering the economic damage caused by climate change when crafting regulations, except in cases where it is “plainly required” by law.”