EPA Keeps Old Air Lead Standard Against Advice Of Health Panel

"Meet U.S. EPA's new standards for airborne lead, which are the same as the agency's existing standards for the toxic metal.

In a quiet conclusion to a yearslong review, EPA opted to keep the primary air quality threshold set in 2008 of 0.15 microgram per cubic meter, according to a final rule signed Friday by Administrator Gina McCarthy and then posted online with no official announcement.

The existing primary standard for airborne lead 'provides the requisite protection of public health with an adequate margin of safety, including protection of at-risk populations,' the rule said."

Sean Reilly reports for Greenwire September 20, 2016.