"EPA To Scrutinize Dust Regs Amid World Trade Center Concerns"

"U.S. EPA has agreed to consider clamping down on corrosive dust after watchdogs complained that the current standards failed to protect rescue workers after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The agency committed to respond to those complaints by March 2016 with a tentative decision about whether or not to issue new federal corrosivity standards. A federal appeals court last Friday agreed to put a lawsuit over EPA's dust rules on hold while the agency considers its next moves.

'EPA can no longer hide from this serious public health concern; it finally has to act,' said Paula Dinerstein, senior counsel at the watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. 'Getting agencies like EPA to admit they have been wrong, especially when many people have died as a result, is no small undertaking.'"

Robin Bravender reports for Greenwire March 16, 2015.