Rep. Kesto offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 428.  

            A resolution urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to abandon its potential tightening of the ground-level ozone standard and Congress, the Governor, and the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality to take measures to prevent the implementation of any new ground-level ozone standard.

            Whereas, Ground-level ozone is formed on hot sunny days from emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides. Since high ozone levels can be detrimental to human health, the federal Clean Air Act directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue standards reducing its levels. Adherence to the ozone standard is borne primarily by the electric generating, manufacturing, petroleum, and automotive sectors who must undertake costly measures to reduce their air emissions; and 

            Whereas, The EPA is contemplating lowering the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone by 20 percent, reducing it from 75 to as low as 60 parts per billion (ppb). The last time the agency reduced the standard was in 2008, and the new standard has not yet been implemented; and

            Whereas, Ratcheting down the ozone standard is unnecessary since the existing standard has resulted in lower ozone levels and is protective of human health. The current ozone NAAQS has lowered ozone concentrations, preventing cases of bronchitis, aggravated asthma, hospital and emergency room visits, nonfatal heart attacks, and premature death; and

            Whereas, A more stringent ozone standard will severely weaken the U.S. and the Michigan economies. The National Association of Manufacturers estimates that a 60 ppb ozone standard could cost the country $270 billion annually and result in the loss of 2.9 million jobs or job equivalents per year. The impacts to Michigan could be devastating: 83,092 lost jobs or job equivalents per year, $75 billion gross state product loss from 2017 to 2040, and $58 billion in total compliance costs. The EPA’s potential new ozone standard would be the most expensive regulation ever imposed on the American public and undo all the economic progress Michigan and the nation have made in recent years. Simply put, we cannot afford a lower ozone standard; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to retain the existing ground-level ozone standard and we urge Congress to prevent the implementation of any new ground-level ozone standard; and be it further

            Resolved, That we urge the Governor and the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality to do all they can to ensure any new ozone standard does not go into effect in Michigan; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, the Governor of Michigan, and the Director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.