WASHINGTON — In a step that officials said would save lives, the Obama administration on Friday announced new air-quality standards intended to reduce the amount of soot that can be released into the air.
Environmental groups and public health advocates welcomed the move by the Environmental Protection Agency, saying it would protect millions of Americans at risk for soot-related asthma attacks, lung cancer, heart disease and premature death.
But congressional Republicans and industry officials called the proposal overly strict and said it could hurt economic growth and cause job losses in areas where pollution levels are deemed to be too high.
Perhaps wary of the rule’s political risk, the administration had sought to delay the new soot standards until after the November elections.
But a federal judge ordered officials to act sooner after 11 states filed a lawsuit seeking a decision this year.
Gina McCarthy, the EPA’s top air official, said the new rule was based on a rigorous scientific review. All but six counties in the United States would meet the proposed standard by 2020 with no additional actions needed beyond compliance with existing and pending rules set by the EPA, she said.
Those counties are in California, Arizona, Alabama and Montana.
