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The Obama administration keeps on rolling in its quest to basically review every single decision the Environmental Protection Agency made under President Bush. This time, the current EPA folks have asked a federal appeals court to hold off proceedings over limits for smog pollution set by the former EPA folks, to they have more time to review the Bush administration’s standards.

The New York Times Greenwire reports the decision by the Obama administration, also noting that the Bush standards are “controversial.”

Justice Department attorneys on behalf of EPA yesterday asked (pdf) the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to vacate the briefing schedule for a lawsuit in which a coalition of states and environmental and health groups is suing the agency to strengthen its standards for ozone, a component of smog. Several industry groups also sued EPA to push for weaker ozone limits.

Under President Bush, the EPA ratcheted down air pollution standards for ozone from 84 parts per billion to 75. However, the EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee had recommended that the level be set at 70 parts per billion at the most. But the Bush administration was all like, “whateva, I do wha I wahn,” and set the levels at 75 parts per billion. But now, the Obama adminstration is all like, “Oh no you di’int!” and asked for some time to thoughtfully look over the decisions.

In its motion yesterday, EPA requested the extension to allow new agency officials to review the national air quality standards for ozone to determine whether the Bush administration’s rule “should be maintained, modified or otherwise reconsidered.” The agency asked for six months to inform the court how it intends to handle the rule.

Of course, the review does not mean the decision will be changed, as the article points out that environmentalists are hoping for the allowable levels to lower, while industry is still hopefully they will be re-raised. Until we know the answer, though, takepart with the EPA and learn about all the other awesome things the new people there are doing for the environment.