EPA 'Made the Wrong Call' in Tightening Ozone Standard, EEI Environment Director Says

Washington, DC () - Following is a statement by John Kinsman, senior director, environment, at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), in response to the Environmental Protection Agency's new air quality standard for ozone. EEI is the association of investor-owned electric companies, representing about 70 percent of the U.S. electric power sector.

"EPA made the wrong call in changing the ozone standard.

"The agency's rationale for tightening the standard significantly skews the scientific record on ozone's health effects. Ultimately, EPA is promising health benefits that people may never receive, even though they'll end up paying for them at the pump and through higher energy bills.

"Hundreds of counties haven't been able to meet the current standard set a decade ago, and moving the goal posts again will inflict economic hardship on these areas without speeding air quality improvement.

"In order to meet the tighter standard, states will have to seek emissions cuts from a wide range of sources - large and small - throughout the country, including factories, paper mills, small businesses, and cars and trucks. States already have imposed requirements on power plants and other larger emissions sources, the proverbial "low-hanging fruit," which means that more stringent requirements will hit smaller sources, many of them for the first time.

"The power sector currently produces just 10 percent of U.S. emissions related to ozone formation. Specifically, the utility industry emits about 20% of the nation's nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions and less than 0.5% of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, two substances that can react during warm summer months to form ground-level ozone. Under existing regulations, utilities in the eastern United States - where smog levels tend to be higher - will cut summertime ozone-related emissions 80-90 percent. Nationally, utilities have cut annual NOx emissions in half since 1980 and will reduce these emissions by two-thirds by 2015.

"U.S. consumers will shoulder the costs of new regulations, and they deserve greater assurance that they'll receive commensurate health benefits."

# # #

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is the association of U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies. Our members serve 95 percent of the ultimate customers in the shareholder-owned segment of the industry, and represent approximately 70 percent of the U.S. electric power industry. We also have more than 65 International electric companies as Affiliate members, and more than 170 industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate members.