US | national park National Park, Meet Coal Smog Over own experts' objections, EPA moves to allow power plants closer to rec areas By Nick McMaster Posted Apr 23, 2008 4:03 PM CDT Copied The base of a giant redwood tree frames this view of other redwoods near the Bohemian Grove at the Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County, Calif., Monday, March 31, 2008. (AP Photo) The Environmental Protection Agency is set to change its rules to allow the construction of coal power plants in previously off-limits areas near national parks, the Christian Science Monitor reports. A draft revision to the Clean Air Act would soften standards of pollution in “Class 1” areas (ie, national parks) and how much pollution a proposed plant would add. Under the new rules, firms looking to build a plant would judge their emissions with a yearly average—where the current standard looks at pollution spikes on a day-to-day basis. In addition, pollution from emitters that have been granted exceptions would be excluded from evaluations of how much smog an area can stand. Read These Next RFK Jr. suggests antidepressants to blame after shooting. Isolated tribe members show up in an unexpected place. Details trickle out on 2 more victims of the Minneapolis shooting. Trump just used a spending maneuver last seen nearly 50 years ago. Report an error