Environmental justice - Who will be protected by EPA's new ozone and particulate matter standards?

Although the scientific basis of EPA's new ozone and particulate matter standards has been debated, the relative measure of protection these standards might afford various population sectors in pollutant-impacted areas has received little attention. To address this issue, anticipated changes in the distribution of air pollution impacts, associated with imposition of proposed standards, are examined. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are analyzed by comparing impacts in nonattainment areas with those in attainment areas; city nonattainment areas with non-city, nonattainment areas; and urban nonattainment areas with rural nonattainment areas. Hispanics, Asians/Pacific Islanders, African-Americans, and economically advantaged are overrepresented in nonattainment areas under current and proposed standards. Under the proposed standards, this disparity would be moderated because additional nonattainment areas with different population characteristics would be included. The most striking examples of disporportionate representation of Hispanics, Asians, African-Americans, and low-income populations occur and would continue to occur in large-city nonattainment areas.