Key insights
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EPA cites uncertainty as reason to stop monetizing benefits: The EPA’s new language says past analyses did not adequately represent scientific uncertainty in the economic value of reducing PM2.5 and ozone, and it says the agency will not monetize benefits until it is confident enough in the modeling.
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Prior analysis quantified large annual benefits for tighter turbine limits: A 2024 regulatory impact analysis for stationary combustion turbines estimated $27–$92 million per year in monetized benefits from tightening emissions limits.
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EPA will still quantify emissions and costs: The stated approach keeps quantitative accounting of emissions and economic costs while shifting health benefits to qualitative description.
Takeaways
The EPA is proceeding with a cost-benefit approach for PM2.5 and ozone that quantifies costs and emissions while stopping monetization of health benefits until it says modeling is sufficient.
Topics
Health & Medicine Public Health World & Politics Policy & Regulation Climate & Environment Pollution