EPA to tighten rules on sulfur dioxide emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday it would tighten its limits on sulfur dioxide emissions for the first time since 1970s. The new proposal would limit SO2 emissions at 50 to 100 parts per per billion per hour, Ayesha Rascoe of Rueters reports. Current regulations limit emissions, the majority of which come from fossil-fuel burning power plants, to 140 ppb over 24 hours and an average of 30 ppb per year.

The changes are an effort to address new data that says people are more at risk when exposed to higher amounts of SO2 in short periods of time. Clean Air Watch President Frank O'Donnell told Rascoe the existing rules essentially have a loophole that allows high levels of sulfur dioxide to be emitted in short bursts. O'Donnell said his group would push for the eventual standard to be set at around 50 ppb. EPA will allow public comments on the proposal for 60 days. (Read more)