President Obama has formally asked Enviromental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson to withdraw proposed ozone standards. His statement in full:
Over the last two and half years, my administration, under the leadership of EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, has taken some of the strongest actions since the enactment of the Clean Air Act four decades ago to protect our environment and the health of our families from air pollution. From reducing mercury and other toxic air pollution from outdated power plants to doubling the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks, the historic steps we've taken will save tens of thousands of lives each year, remove over a billion tons of pollution from our air, and produce hundreds of billions of dollars in benefits for the American people.
At the same time, I have continued to underscore the importance of reducing regulatory burdens and regulatory uncertainty, particularly as our economy continues to recover. With that in mind, and after careful consideration, I have requested that Administrator Jackson withdraw the draft Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards at this time. Work is already underway to update a 2006 review of the science that will result in the reconsideration of the ozone standard in 2013. Ultimately, I did not support asking state and local governments to begin implementing a new standard that will soon be reconsidered.
I want to be clear: my commitment and the commitment of my administration to protecting public health and the environment is unwavering. I will continue to stand with the hardworking men and women at the EPA as they strive every day to hold polluters accountable and protect our families from harmful pollution. And my administration will continue to vigorously oppose efforts to weaken EPA's authority under the Clean Air Act or dismantle the progress we have made.
For comparison's sake, here's Eric Cantor's comment on the ozone standard:
Ozone Rule (Winter): This effective ban or restriction on construction and industrial growth for much of America is possibly the most harmful of all the currently anticipated Obama Administration regulations. Consequences would reach far across the U.S. economy, resulting in an estimated cost of $1 trillion or more over a decade and millions of jobs. Unlike her predecessors, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is pushing for a premature readjustment of the current ozone standards, dramatically increasing the number of “nonattainment” areas. The new readjustment rule is expected early this fall and I expect the Energy and Commerce Committee to act swiftly to prevent its implementation, in order to protect American jobs.
Jackson has recently stated that the Bush-era ozone standards are legally and scientifically indefensible (pdf). However, the ozone standards were due July 26 and have been delayed for some time. Now we know why - a White House decision.
Update - reactions: McCain, McConnell, and Inhofe approve. Markey doesn't. Boxer issued a statement in 2008 attacking the Bush administration's delay, and many are wondering what if anything she'll say in response to this decision. The White House blog emphasizes actions taken by the White House, other than ozone, to enforce the Clean Air Act.
An anonymous friend working in the regulatory/clean energy business tells me that the delay - it's a delay, not a withdrawal, s/he says - is needed to plan around a regulatory stranglehold. S/he tells me that the regulations will gradually end coal plants so that natural gas plants take over, but the natural gas plants will also be regulated out of existence by 2030, and there won't be enough renewables to power the United States.
Update 2: Brad Plumer has the best explanation to date on whether the White House double-crossed enviros on the smog rule. A senior NRDC attorney has confirmed to me that a NRDC lawsuit will be revived, and TomP has posted regarding a similar move by the American Lung Association.