CAC’s Margie Alt on EPA’s Delay of PM2.5 Nonattainment Designations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 6, 2026
CONTACT: Gabrielle Levy, Glevy@cacampaign.org, 562-673-6974
CAC’s Margie Alt on EPA’s Delay of PM2.5 Nonattainment Designations
WASHINGTON, DC — It has been reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is delaying its determination of compliance with the soot pollution standard. Climate Action Campaign’s Margie Alt issued the following statement in response:
“The EPA’s expected decision is a dangerous capitulation to industry pressure at the expense of American lives. This decision by the Trump administration puts polluters first and treats people as if we don’t matter and our health doesn’t matter.
“The science is clear: fine particulate matter pollution kills. The 2024 standard, which tightened limits from 12 to 9 micrograms per cubic meter, was projected to prevent 4,500 premature deaths annually. By delaying nonattainment designations by a full year, the EPA is gambling with thousands of lives, appeasing powerful industry groups and prioritizing profit over public health.
“This delay means that people won’t know when the air is too dirty to breathe. The real world impact will be measured in emergency room visits, asthma attacks, and lives cut short. Children, seniors, and communities already overburdened by pollution will bear the greatest burden of this administrative foot-dragging.
“EPA has the authority to move forward and do what it can to protect our air and our health. To trigger the Clean Air Act’s one-year extension provision requires a genuine lack of information — not arguments manufactured by industry lobbyists. The science is real. Our health matters. We are not expendable.”
About the Climate Action Campaign
Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a vibrant coalition driving ambitious, durable, equitable federal action to tackle the climate crisis. By cutting carbon pollution and accelerating the transition to clean energy, we will improve public health and create a more resilient economy and a more sustainable future for all.
