EPA brings up smog in face of Bush’s Ethanol usage plans

The cold war ensuing between the Environmental Protection Agency and the officials at the White House for the past few months, seems to have reached its final and the most crucial stage. The EPA has now submitted its final recommendations on stricter standards for smog reduction to Bush appointee, Administrator Stephen Johnson, moving the ball in his court for further action.

The EPA has been maintaining its stand on the need for tightening the smog standards in the country, as a result of which millions of Americans would be able to breathe easy. The EPA scientists are convinced that, stricter standards would not only provide health protection to sensitive groups like asthmatic patients, people with respiratory and bronchial disorders, older adults and workers but, would also in the long run benefit general public health.

However, the plans of EPA run head-on into President George W. Bush's hopes of weaning Americans from gasoline by using more smog-producing ethanol. The President in his speech last week had urged Americans to reduce gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next 10 years by substituting it with alternative fuels, mainly ethanol. Ethanol would be available in gasoline blends of 10 to 85 percent.

The proposal of the President to introduce a fivefold boost in ethanol usage has stirred fresh fears in the scientists, who claim that this would not only increase smog levels by 1% but, would also add 200 more smog related deaths to the already scary figure of 4700 each year.

Smog is produced mainly when tailpipe and smokestack pollutants react with summer heat. Other major sources of the pollution are gas vapors and chemical solvents. Ethanol, say the scientists, helps reduce carbon monoxide levels in winters but increases smog levels in summers.

EPA staff members have felt they were under pressure from administration officials, including people at the White House, not to give specific recommendations for tightening the standard. Last year, EPA was sued for ignoring its scientists' recommendations for tighter restrictions on soot, fine particles from smokestacks and tailpipes that contribute to premature deaths and respiratory illness.

Thus, despite the pressure, the recommendations were submitted, which proposes to bring down the current level of smog from.084 parts per million to .070 and/or .075 ppm. The levels of smog are calculated by calculating the concentration of ozone molecules in the atmosphere for over an eight hour period.

Stricter standards could make it even more difficult for states and countries to comply with the Clean Air Act. Billions of dollars might have to be spent on cleaner-burning factories, power plants and cars and more mass transportation. Many industrial groups like the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and National Conference of Black Mayors (NCBM) expressed their opposition to an increase in the standards already existing. According to them, many units which are presently compliant with the smog standards would become non- complaint once the recommendations are accepted. In order to become compliant they would have to put in lot of extra money which would mean putting the economy at risk in terms of cost, revenue and economic growth.

On the other hand many people and activists have come in favor of the EPA’s stand on the smog issue. They believe that such a step would make their environment safe and air, breathable.

Despite the big tug of war over the issue, the reports along with recommendations have been submitted. Now Administrator Johnson has time till June 20th to decide what to do with the recommendations. It now remains to be seen what turn the issue would take.