New Soot Pollution Standards Are a Positive Step Toward Protecting Our Communities

Today, the Biden administration published final rules that lower the limit of soot pollution allowed in the air. Soot, also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5, is a harmful air pollutant that causes numerous health effects in people, including heart disease, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, difficulty breathing, and early death. Common sources for soot pollution include burning fossil fuels at power plants, and gasoline and diesel vehicle tailpipe emissions. Today’s announcement is one piece of the Biden administration’s suite of updated regulations that will help rein in harmful pollution and help our communities thrive in a healthier environment.

“The new soot pollution air standard will help clean up the air, save thousands of lives, and improve people’s health. We applaud President Biden and the EPA for taking action to help Americans breathe easier, and look forward to seeing more strong air quality protection regulations in the coming months,” said Chris Carnevale, Climate Advocacy Director at Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.