Blaming Asia and Mexico for US Pollution Is Absurd.

The article focuses on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent decision to classify smog pollution in Phoenix and Salt Lake City as partly caused by foreign sources, thereby limiting stricter local regulations on emissions. Despite both cities ranking poorly for ground-level ozone pollution, which harms respiratory health, the EPA maintained a "moderate" failure designation rather than upgrading it to "serious," as proposed by the Biden administration. The article highlights concerns that this approach allows local polluters, including fossil-fuel and tech companies, to avoid stronger controls, even though local emissions contribute to broader atmospheric pollution. It also notes that rising temperatures in these cities exacerbate ozone formation, increasing health risks for residents and others downwind. [Extracted from the article]