EPA’s new ozone rule flawed, hampers states

WASHINGTON, September 19, 2016 – EPA’s new ozone regulation, the Exceptional Events Rule, does not correctly attribute ozone precursor emissions that are not man-made, and could hamper states’ abilities to meet air quality standards, according to API Senior Director of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Howard J. Feldman. API and many states have expressed these concerns.

“EPA should delay implementing the 2015 ozone standards until adequate tools are available and existing control programs have been implemented,” said Feldman. “The agency has failed to identify an effective process to identify emission sources outside of state regulatory control – most specifically, methods of accounting for the many sources of background ozone. 

“Ozone levels have fallen and are continuing to decline under the existing standards as the U.S. leads the world in oil and natural gas production, which has helped lower energy costs for consumers.

“Moving forward with standards and regulations that could increase costs for businesses, significantly impact U.S. jobs and hurt state economies without having an adequate process to craft effective strategies is the wrong path. EPA should get the science right, before requiring states to proceed.”

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 650 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 30 million Americans.