CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is praising the Trump Administration’s decision to maintain certain federal air quality standards.
On December 7, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the agency has finalized a regulation that sets forth no change in the federal standard for particulate matter.
Morrisey praised the move as a victory for coal mining, manufacturing and economic progress in West Virginia.
Morrisey
“This is an important announcement for West Virginia,” Morrisey said in a statement. “We need to continue to support policies that keep our air clean, while protecting the job producers in our state. This regulation accomplishes those goals.”
The decision pertains to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), a regulation that sets limits for a certain type of air pollution known as particulate matter. The Trump Administration had considered changes to the rule, but after careful review and consultation decided to retain the existing standards.
The decision means the EPA will retain current air quality standards for both fine and coarse forms of particulate matter, which is commonly known as soot. The current standard was set in 2012 by the Obama administration and limits particulate matter in the air to 12 micrograms per cubic meter, which was tighter than a previous standard.
The EPA recently announced West Virginia not only met the NAAQS, but now meets all EPA health based national ambient air quality standards. It represents a first for the state since 1978.