June 12, 2026

EPA’s Tailpipe Pollution Rollback Will Affect Midwest Air

Clean Car standards are important to reducing emissions that harm public health

By Susan Mudd, Senior Policy Advocate

EPA is proposing a big change to clean car standards, taking a big step backwards for our air and affordability. I testified on June 3 in support of keeping strong standards to protect Midwestern communities.

READ FULL TESTIMONY

Car pollution hurts public health

Clean Car standards are important to reducing emissions that harm public health, lowering driver costs, and protecting communities. Thanks to Clean Air Act implementation and enforcement, air quality in the US has improved in the past several decades. These standards must NOT be delayed or otherwise rolled back.

Sadly, it appears EPA has lost sight of its reason for existence: protecting Americans’ health and environment.

Sadly, it appears EPA has lost sight of its reason for existence: protecting Americans’ health and environment.

Vehicle emissions are a leading source of fine particulate matter and smog-forming pollution. These are directly linked to serious health problems, including asthma attacks, cardiovascular disease, and premature death, impacting communities across the Midwest.

Air Quality in the Midwest

Chicago, where I live, is at the US crossroads. We have numerous interstate highways and the largest concentration of intermodal facilities, so light and medium duty vehicle emissions matter. Each summer, Chicago’s ozone levels regularly exceed EPA standards, and we are advised against running and outdoor activities. There are days when I can’t bike to work (my favorite activity). More importantly, thousands of outdoor workers are regularly exposed to unhealthy levels of smog, and hundreds of thousands of children’s summers are restricted when they should be free to play outdoors .

Indianapolis, Cleveland-Akron, Cincinnati, Kalamazoo all rank in the top 25 for year-round particle pollution.

According to ALA’s 2026 State of the Air Report, Chicago, southeast and eastern Wisconsin, and St Louis areas have among the top 25 most unhealthy days due to ozone pollution. Indianapolis, Cleveland-Akron, Cincinnati, Kalamazoo all rank in the top 25 for year-round particle pollution.

ELPC’s Air Quality Monitoring in Chicago report, based on years of community members  mobile monitoring of pm 2.5 documented hotspots near highways.  Microsoft Research’s stationary monitorsdata showed that stronger EPA tailpipe standards or PM 2.5 would help many Chicagoans.

Last summer, Open Air Chicago installed 277 monitors across the city. In its first 9 months of operating, all BEFORE SUMMER, 93% of the locations exceeded the annual pm 2.5 standard on 1/2 of the days. If this pattern continues Chicago will not meet the annual standard and public health will suffer.

IEPA already issued an air quality alert last week for the greater Chicago area, warning of expected unhealthy levels of ozone levels, urging the area’s 9 million residents to limit prolonged outdoor activity.

As we head into summer, when smog alerts become more frequent, limiting our ability to safely work, exercise, or spend time outdoors. EPA must focus on protecting Americans’ freedom to breathe clean air.