EPA Stops Assigning Monetary Value to Human Lives for Regulatory Decision Making

Last week the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stopped estimating the monetary value of lives saved when setting regulatory limits for deadly air pollutants fine particulate matter (PM2.5, or soot) and ozone. This means the only costs included in estimating the impact of policy regulations is the cost to companies. Ignoring the cost savings of human lives saved and extended with cleaner air major implications for obscuring the impact of lots of deregulator efforts, rolling back major progress from the Clean Air Act of 1970.

Read more news coverage from members of our team and others about this change and the threat it poses to human health.

Oped from Nicholas Mailloux in the CapTimes | Trump EPA ignores health harms of air pollution

Alex Guillén at PoliticoPro with quotes from Vijay Limaye and others | EPA eases pollution rule for gas turbines while downplaying health benefits

Maxine Joselow at New York Times | Trump’s E.P.A. Has Put a Value on Human Life: Zero Dollars

Last week, the E.P.A. stopped estimating the monetary value of lives saved when setting limits on two of the most widespread deadly air pollutants, fine particulate matter and ozone. Instead, the agency is calculating only the costs to companies of complying with pollution regulations.