Congress shouldn't stand by as Clean Air Act is gutted

Orlando Sentinel: Contradicting its name and its mission, the Environmental Protection Agency recently finalized a rule change that will let operators of old industrial facilities to keep evading the federal Clean Air Act.
A dozen states have filed suit to block the change, long sought by industry lobbyists. But if Congress cares about the environment and public health, members will preclude the court battle and override the EPA's misguided decision
The Clean Air Act requires that operators of power plants, refineries and other industrial facilities install modern pollution-control equipment. Congress made an exception for operators of facilities built before 1970, allowing them to put off installing the equipment until they upgraded their plants.
Dirty plants off the hook
But the EPA's rule change will allow operators to undertake major upgrades without installing pollution controls. Some 17,000 outdated, dirty facilities -- including half the nation's power plants -- will be let off the hook.
A new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group found that those power plants are to blame for more than 90 percent of pollution from the electric industry. Florida, home to 26 of the plants, is among the 10 worst states in the country for such pollution -- which causes smog and acid rain, and contributes to asthma attacks, heart and lung disease, and premature death.
Proposals in the U.S. House and Senate would require operators to clean up dirty plants by the end of the decade. Now that the EPA has shown it is unwilling to protect the environment and public health, it's time for Congress to act.