OREANDA-NEWS. August 14, 2015. EPA’s proposal to change ozone air quality standards is costly and unnecessary to continue improving air quality, 370 state trade associations from across the country, including API’s state petroleum councils, told White House Chief of Staff Dennis McDonough in a letter Thursday.

“As associations representing many businesses, both large and small, that employ millions of Americans, and local governments in which those businesses thrive, we are deeply concerned about the harmful impact that EPA’s recently proposed rule to make ozone standards more stringent could have on the still struggling economy,” the letter says.

“The EPA’s current regulations are working, air quality continues to improve, and the United States is leading the world in reducing emissions. New ozone standards could significantly damage the economy by imposing unachievable emissions limits and reduction targets on almost every part of our country, including rural and undeveloped areas. Therefore, we strongly urge you to retain the current ozone standards when finalizing this proposal.

“The air is getting cleaner, and the current ozone standards need an opportunity to work. Therefore, in light of the potential economic hardship and uncertain benefits related to the stringent ozone standards that EPA is now considering, we call on EPA to retain the existing ozone standards in the final rule.”

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 25 million Americans.