EPA considers regulations to make urban air cleaner

As part of a broad expansion of its regulatory powers, the agency is considering four waves of regulations in America's largest cities. The regulations would aim to remove 825,000 pounds of potentially carcinogenic pollution from the air in the Detroit area.

The rules could affect the auto industry within 18 months, then spread to hospitals, corner dry cleaners and giant industrial facilities alike.

Though the EPA hasn't determined the extent of its new urban air rules, the Detroit News reported yesterday the changes could include: New, more expensive pollution-control devices on autos; new ways of refining fuels that could affect gasoline prices at the pump; and changes in the chemicals dry cleaners use to remove stains and the kinds of ink used by printers of wedding invitations.

Automakers are wary about the research that will help form the new EPA policies.

"We don't have a lot of facts," said Richard Paul, environmental health manager for the American Automobile Manufacturers Association.

The new regulations would cover chemicals the EPA has not specifically regulated before and could involve many businesses that generate so little pollution that it wasn't noticed previously by the EPA.

The push for tougher air standards stems from an order Congress handed the EPA eight years ago to come up with an "Urban Air Toxics Strategy." The agency is still working on an outline of the plan.

"The strategy is an unfinished book, a framework for developing consensus on what to do about toxic chemicals in urban air," said Bob Perciasepe, the EPA's top air pollution regulator.

The first EPA urban air regulations will take effect by 2000 and will target vehicle emissions. Three more sets of regulations come together by 2005.

The document outlining the EPA's strategy for the urban air rules, open for public comment through the end of November, says "air toxics can pose special threats because of the concentrations of people and sources of emissions" in cities.

Lansing environmental consultant and Sierra Club member Alex Sagady said research shows many of the airborne chemicals the EPA would regulate can cause cancer or other health problems, including asthma, liver damage or birth defects.

But Paul, of the automobile manufacturers association, questions the EPA's assumptions about health risks.

"The EPA doesn't know what anybody is exposed to, but they make estimates that are plugged into mathematical models and then they use estimates of potency based o animal research," he argued. "It's assumption piled on assumption."

Officials in some big cities fear the EPA's focus on urban air will drive development to suburban and rural areas, where EPA scrutiny would be less intense. But Perciasepe said many of the possible regulations would apply across the board, not just in urban areas.

09-17-98