Smog and mirrors?

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Half a dozen health and environmental groups today sued EPA administrator Stephen L. Johnson again. They accused him of turning a deaf ear to his own scientists by slightly tightening ozone limits. The groups say Johnson nonetheless listened to the White House, especially a late-night opinion from President Bush, when he refused to set any seasonal limits that could have protected national parks, widlife and crops from smog.

Johnson has inisted that he acted independently and set the strictest limits on ozone in the nation’s history.

Industry groups were annoyed by Johnson’s ozone decision for different reasons. They say his new regulation will unecessarily plunge hundreds of counties and cities back into noncompliance with federal smog laws, costing businesses and consumers a bundle.

Ground level ozone smog has been linked to premature deaths, emergency room visits, and asthma attacks. it is is especially dangerous to small children, the elderly and those exercising outdoors. All are often warned to stay indoors on polluted days.

Johnson has faced repeated criticism from his own science advisory panel, career EPA staff, and even his own alma mater for his decisions, including denying California’s request for a waiver to implement its own vehicle greenhouse gas laws, refusing to promptly set federal greenhouse gas standards for cars in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, not tightening fine particulate soot exposure more sharply, and overseeing the closure or downsizing of the agency’s vaunted research libraries, among others. He is a regular on the hot seat before Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills), and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California), both of whom chair committees currently investigating his actions and potential White House interference.

Automobile makers, utilities, agricultural groups and other industries have generally, but not always, praised Johnson’s work as being fair and even-handed.

-- Janet Wilson