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EPA rollback of air pollution standards threatens Adirondacks, public health

niagara-gazette.com · last updated

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rolled back regulations on air polluters twice recently by exempting steel plants from rules governing coal-fired smokestacks and by asking a federal court to drop the 2024 changes to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for fine particles of soot.

“Coal-fired power plants nearly destroyed the Adirondack Park’s forests, lakes and ponds with acid rain,” Adirondack Council Clean Air Specialist and Director of Communications John F. Sheehan said in a press release. “Things are starting to get better here after 30 years of pollution reductions. We don’t want to undo this win and once again lose trees and fish.

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