EPA’s new way of evaluating pollution rules hands deregulators a sledgehammer and license to ignore public health

In the world of cost benefit analysis, if an impact isn’t monetized, it doesn’t exist. A former EPA official explains what’s changing now and why it matters.

By: Janet McCabe, Indiana University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 29, 2026

Words: 1,308

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

Body Text Preview

By Janet McCabe, Indiana University

When I worked for the Environmental Protection Agency in the 2010s as an Obama administration appointee, I helped write and review dozens of regulations under the Clean Air Act. They included some groundbreaking rules, such as setting national air quality standards for ozone and fine particulate matter.

For each rule, we considered the costs to industry if the rule went into effect – and also the benefits …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us