[Union of Concerned Scientists, 24 April 2018]

The EPA recently ended the “once in, always in” policy regarding polluters and their emissions- a change that “creates a loophole that would enable facilities to comply with weaker standards and reduce federal oversight,” according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Polluters who emit these toxins (e.g. benzene, styrene, and formaldehyde) will have more leeway in their level of polluting emissions. Thousands of facilities would be able to petition for reclassification- which, UCS suggests, could add an extra 35,000 tons of pollution annually. Though the exact impact of this change is still uncertain, UCS has stated that the new policy would have the greatest impact in 21 of the 50 states- specifically, areas that depend only on federal enforcement.