Obama withdraws new air quality standards

US President Barack Obama withdrew a new
set of draft air quality standards
© AFP/File Saul Loeb

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama Friday withdrew a new set of draft air quality standards, saying they would harm the economy, but environmentalists complained he had caved in to polluting corporations.

Obama, who will next week unveil a major new plan designed to revive the economy, is under fierce pressure to strip away regulations on businesses that his Republican foes say are denting growth.

“I have continued to underscore the importance of reducing regulatory burdens and regulatory uncertainty, particularly as our economy continues to recover,” he said in a statement.

Obama said that after careful consideration he had asked Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa Jackson to withdraw draft Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

He said that he had decided not to burden state and local governments with implementing new standards because they were due to be updated in any case in two years.

The announcement came hours after the Labor Department issued a set of dismal data showing that the stagnant US economy failed to create any jobs in August at a time of 9.1 percent unemployment.

Republicans and the US Chamber of Commerce had argued that introducing the new standards would cost billions of dollars and cost jobs, at a time when the stuttering economy has stopped creating new employment.

Wary of liberal fears he could be willing to water down some of his political principles in an all out drive to create jobs, Obama insisted his commitment to the environment was unwavering.

But the move was greeted with dismay by environmental groups already angered by the president’s failure to pass efforts to combat global warming through a hostile Congress.

“The Obama administration is caving to big polluters at the expense of protecting the air we breathe. This is a huge win for corporate polluters and huge loss for public health,” said League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski.

The president however insisted that he had not diluted his commitment to the environment.

“I want to be clear: my commitment and the commitment of my administration to protecting public health and the environment is unwavering,” he said.

“I will continue to stand with the hardworking men and women at the EPA as they strive every day to hold polluters accountable and protect our families from harmful pollution.”

Republicans in the House of Representatives, who have trumped Obama in a series of recent political showdowns, claimed victory, noting that Speaker John Boehner had written to complain about the regulatory burdens on businesses.

“This is certainly a good first step, and we’re glad that the White House responded to the Speaker’s letter and recognized the job-killing impact of this particular regulation,” said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel.

“But it is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to stopping Washington Democrats’ agenda of tax hikes, more government ‘stimulus’ spending, and increased regulations — which are all making it harder to create more American jobs.”