DECISION TO LOWER PM BENEFITS IN CAIR RULE MAY AFFECT FUTURE AIR RULES

The Bush administration's decision to include a controversial analysis reducing the estimated benefits for controlling particulate matter (PM) in the agency's transport rule could prompt weaker requirements in future air regulations to limit PM -- including technology standards, mobile sources controls and other measures -- because they weaken agency arguments about the cost-effectiveness of these measures, EPA sources say. The analysis lowers EPA's current estimate for reducing PM emissions in the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) by as much as...