Last Friday, President Obama withdrew a new draft of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This means smog standards will not be updated but instead will remain at the same level since 2008 – levels that George W. Bush’s science advisers declared inadequate. Current EPA administrator Lisa Jackson declared this decision “not legally defensible.” Obama cited regulatory uncertainty and burden as the reasons for his decision. Joining us is David Biello, associate editor of environment and energy at Scientific American.
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