The EPA's ozone rule will be the most expensive in history—and isn't required by law

See The Latest Job Killer From the EPA, WSJ 7-26-11, By JOHN ENGLER, president of the Business Roundtable, a trade association representing CEOs of major U.S. companies.

"There's nothing reasonable or balanced about the Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to tighten national air-quality standards for ozone emissions at this time. For one thing, it's premature, coming a full two years before the EPA is scheduled to complete its own scientific study of ozone emissions in 2013."

"...they would reduce the existing 0.075 parts per million (ppm) ozone standard under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards program to 0.070 ppm or even 0.60 ppm.

This will mean that up to 85% of the counties currently monitored by the EPA would fall into "nonattainment" status, exceeding the air-quality ozone standards and triggering a cascade of federal and state controls."

"The EPA estimates these new standards could cost business anywhere from $20 billion to $90 billion annually. New or expanding companies would be required to obtain emission offsets and install controls. Existing businesses would face expensive new retrofit requirements just to keep operating as they have for years."

"According to the EPA's own data, between 1990, when the Clean Air Act underwent it last major revision, and 2008, emissions of six common pollutants, including ozone, were down 41%.

Most important, the current rulemaking pre-empts the scientific review now under way by an EPA-appointed panel."