New Standards Demonstrate President Biden’s Leadership to Reduce Air Pollution that Threatens Communities

WASHINGTON (Jan. 9, 2023) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a proposal to strengthen a key national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for fine particle pollution, also known as PM_2.5, to better protect communities, including those most overburdened by pollution. Fine particles, sometimes called soot, can penetrate deep into the lungs and can result in serious health effects that include asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature death – disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations including children, older adults, those with heart or lung conditions, as well as communities of color and low-income communities throughout the United States. These particles may be emitted directly from a source, such as construction sites, unpaved roads, fields, smokestacks, or fires; other particles form in the atmosphere as a result of complex reactions of chemicals such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are pollutants emitted from power plants, industrial facilities, and vehicles.

EPA’s proposal will specifically take comment on strengthening the primary (health-based) annual PM_2.5 standard from a level of 12 micrograms per cubic meter to a level between 9 and 10 micrograms per cubic meter, reflecting the latest health data and scientific evidence; the Agency is also taking comment on the full range (between 8 and 11 micrograms per cubic meter) included in the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee’s (CASAC) latest report.

“Our work to deliver clean, breathable air for everyone is a top priority at EPA, and this proposal will help ensure that all communities, especially the most vulnerable among us, are protected from exposure to harmful pollution,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “This proposal to deliver stronger health protections against particulate matter is grounded in the best available science, advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to scientific integrity and a rigorous scientific process.”

“As a physician who’s passionate about oncology and dedicated to enhancing the health equity that’s so often needed in Black communities and other communities of color, I am grateful for the Biden Administration’s commitment to advancing equity and justice for all,” said Dr. Doris Browne, former President of the National Medical Association. “No one should be sickened by the environment they live in, and EPA’s proposal marks the start of changes that will have lasting impacts in communities all over, especially Black and brown communities that often experience increased PM pollution. Harmful air pollution can have lasting and devastating impacts on people’s health, but by strengthening air quality standards, we can ensure healthier, more sustainable communities across this country.”

Since EPA completed its last review of the PM NAAQS in 2012, thousands of new scientific studies have demonstrated the dangers of soot exposure. Strengthening the primary annual PM_2.5 standard is expected to address disparities and would result in significant public health benefits. EPA estimates that if finalized, a strengthened primary annual PM_2.5 standard at a level of 9 micrograms per cubic meter, the lower end of the proposed range, would prevent:

• up to 4,200 premature deaths per year;
• 270,000 lost workdays per year;
• result in as much as $43 billion in net health benefits in 2032.

EPA will work closely with state, local, and Tribal air agencies to implement the revised primary annual PM_2.5 standard when finalized. Today’s proposal is the latest in a broader suite of programs under President Biden’s leadership to reduce air pollution that threatens communities.  These programs include the proposed Good Neighbor Plan to address smog that affects downwind states, rules to address air pollution from oil and gas operations, including methane pollution, and other critical rules to reduce emissions from power plants and the transportation sector, such as the recently finalized Clean Trucks Rule that will slash smog- and soot-forming pollution from heavy-duty trucks. Additionally, funding from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at cutting pollution from school buses and trucks, port operations, and electricity generation are also expected to reduce soot and other harmful air pollutants.

EPA is also proposing to revise other aspects related to the PM standards – such as monitoring requirements and the Air Quality Index (AQI) – that will help states and Tribal Nations meet the revised standards while making significant strides toward protecting the health of all people, including at-risk populations. The Agency is proposing to retain the primary 24-hour PM_2.5 standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter, while taking comment on revising this level to as low as 25 micrograms per cubic meter.

In June 2021, EPA announced it would reconsider the previous administration’s December 2020 decision to retain the 2012 PM_2.5 standards, because available scientific evidence and technical information indicated that the standards may not be adequate to protect public health and welfare. In developing today’s proposal, EPA considered the best available science and technical information, including an Integrated Science Assessment and updated Policy Assessment that were made available for public comment and for expert review by the Agency’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and CASAC PM expert panel. EPA carefully evaluated the recommendations of the CASAC in developing the proposed rule.

EPA will accept public comment for 60 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register. EPA will also conduct a virtual public hearing over several days for this proposed rulemaking, with the hearing beginning at 11:00 am Eastern Time and concluding at 7:00 pm ET each day.  EPA will begin pre-registering speakers for the hearing upon publication of the announcement of the public hearings in the Federal Register.  Additional information will also be made available on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM webpage.

After reviewing comments, the Agency plans to issue final standards later this year.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR) wants individuals to be aware of several tax changes as the 2023 tax filing season approaches. In addition, DOR wants to remind low-income Hoosiers who received Social Security income in 2022 and who meet other eligibility criteria that they will need to file a tax return to claim the $200 Automatic Taxpayer Refund, even if they do not normally need to file a tax return.

Major changes for this upcoming individual income tax filing season include:

• Earned Income Credit Rate Change
  • The earned income credit (EIC) is a tax credit for certain people who work and have earned income under a threshold set by the IRS. The Indiana income tax credit rate is increasing from 9% to 10% of the federal EIC. There are some differences between the Indiana and the federal credit, most notably for married individuals filing jointly and individuals with three or more qualifying children. Refer to IRS Publication 596 or State Publication 359, Indiana Earned Income Credit 2022, for more information.
• Adoption Credits
  • Indiana’s adoption tax credit increases to 20% of the federal adoption credit (up from 10%) or $2,500 (up from $1,000), whichever is less. If the credit is claimed for multiple eligible children, the credit and limitation is computed separately for each child.
  • No more than $2,500 in credits may be claimed for each eligible child if credits are claimed over multiple years.
  • Credits for tax years 2022 and later are refundable.
  • Parents who claimed the federal adoption credit for 2015 through 2021 may claim a non-refundable credit for the year(s) they claimed a federal credit.
• New Schedule IN-W
  • Hoosiers with more than one wage statement, such as a W-2 or Form 1099, will need to list all wage statements on a new form, Schedule IN-W. DOR-certified software vendors should include this form in their products. Paper filers will need to include the new form, along with other required forms and schedules, with their tax return.
• Automatic Taxpayer Refunds
  • Hoosiers may claim a $200 Automatic Taxpayer Refund as a tax credit if they:
    • were not eligible for last year’s initial Automatic Taxpayer Refund; and
    • received Social Security benefits in 2022; and
    • are not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return.
  • To receive the $200 refund, they must file an Indiana resident tax return by Dec. 31, 2023, and claim the $200 ATR as a refundable tax credit.
  • Hoosiers who do not normally file a tax return due to their income will need to file a tax return to claim the ATR as a credit.
  • Information on how to claim the $200 ATR as a credit will be included in the 2022 tax year instruction booklets and included in DOR-certified tax software products.
  • Eligible Hoosiers can claim the $200 ATR using Form IT-40 or IT-40PNR (for part-year residents).
  • Those who qualify to use Form SC-40 may be able to claim both the Unified Tax Credit for the Elderly and the ATR if they meet specific age and income requirements. Refer to the information on the back of Form SC-40 for more information.

Indiana Individual Income Tax forms for 2022 are now available on DOR’s website. DOR will start accepting Indiana Individual Income Tax returns in January 2023 in concert with the IRS. DOR reminds customers not to file their state tax returns before tax filing season opens and they have gathered all necessary documentation. Attempting to file without all documents can delay the process and ultimately postpone any refund a customer may receive.

DOR also encourages customers to utilize electronic filing, online payment and direct deposit to significantly improve the quality and speed of return and refund processing.