EPA Moves To Relax Clean Air Standards Near Parks

EPA Moves To Relax Clean Air Standards Near Parks

Reporting from Washington -- The Environmental Protection Agency is completing new air quality rules that will make it easier to build coal-fired power plants, oil refineries and other major polluters near national parks and wilderness areas, despite the fact that half of the EPA's 10 regional administrators have formally dissented from the decision and another four have criticized the move in writing.

Documents obtained by the Washington Post show that the Bush administration's push to weaken Clean Air Act protections for "Class 1 areas" nationwide has sparked fierce resistance from senior agency officials.

All but two of the regional administrators objecting to the proposed rule are political appointees.

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