Scientist Again Challenges Epa Calculations Engineer Says Rules Would Save Fewer Than 1,000 Lives

The scientist whose complaint led the Environmental Protection Agency to trim its estimate of lives that could be saved by tougher air pollution regulations said Monday that he’d found more mistakes.

Instead of possibly preventing 15,000 early deaths each year, the proposed standard for airborne soot would prevent fewer than 1,000 premature deaths annually, scientist Kay Jones said.

“We need to redo these studies,” he said at a news conference arranged by Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation, research arm of a business-backed group that opposes the tougher pollution rules.

Jones, an environmental engineer, took issue with the way EPA calculated the preventable deaths figure. He took some of their raw data, analyzed it in a different way and concluded that tougher pollution rules would save fewer than 1,000 lives a year.

Jones said five more years of study are needed “to find answers to all questions that remain” about the health problems caused by microscopic dust known as particulates.

When Jones spotted an error in EPA’s math recently, the agency backed off its original estimate that the tougher pollution rules could save 20,000 deaths each year.

But this time the agency said it is standing by its revised estimate of 15,000 deaths.

“EPA scientists believe that Dr. Jones’ critique of this particular study is inaccurate,” said spokeswoman Loretta Ucelli.

Ron White of the American Lung Association, which favors tighter restrictions on dirty air, said he had not seen Jones’ critique but added, “We would be skeptical about how independent this analysis has been.”

White said Jones was “working for industry representatives who have an agenda and an ax to grind about this issue.”