The No. 1 environmental health risk in the US

The EPA takes a pass on tightening soot standards; Nicolás Maduro wins control of the Venezuelan legislature after an election boycott. Tonight's Sentences was written by Cameron Peters. TOP NEWS EPA decision on soot standards could cost thousands of lives per year AFP via Getty Images - On Monday, the Trump administration declined to impose a stricter standard on soot emissions going forward, despite mounting evidence of the severe health risks posed by particulate matter. [[The Hill / Rachel Frazin](] - As David Roberts explained for Vox earlier this year, soot is “the No. 1 environmental health risk in the US,” causing asthma, blood clots, heart problems, and even long-term cognitive issues. [[Vox / David Roberts](] - In fact, a 2019 draft Environmental Protection Agency report found that tightening the standard could save more than 10,000 lives per year. Monday's decision means that the existing standard — set in 2012 — will remain in place for now. [[NYT / Coral Davenport](] - Communities of color in the US are disproportionately affected by air pollution, including soot. Long-term exposure puts those communities at increased risk for cancer and respiratory diseases such as Covid-19. [[Washington Post / Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis](] - Monday’s soot standard may not be the only environmental regulation finalized before Trump’s term expires on January 20. According to E&E News, proposals concerning ozone standards, the Endangered Species Act, and oil and gas leases are all in the works. [[Science / E&E News](] - More broadly, the Trump administration appears to be on pace for a historic slew of “midnight regulations” in its last months. At least eight economic regulations have been finalized since November 1, according to CNN. [[CNN / Maegan Vazquez, Ellie Kaufman, Katie Lobosco, Janie Boschma, and Marshall Cohen](] - At the EPA, some career employees are mounting an effort to prevent Trump political appointees from doing permanent damage on the way out the door. Their efforts could make it easier for Biden to roll back new rules come January. [[NYT / Lisa Friedman](] - The incoming Biden administration is reportedly already preparing to move quickly on climate change and environmental priorities, such as new guidance on environmental justice, once the president-elect takes office. [[Bloomberg / Stephen Lee and Bobby Magill](] [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Maduro claims victory after Venezuelan opposition boycotts legislative elections - Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro won control of the country’s legislature Sunday after the Venezuelan opposition, led by US-backed National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó, boycotted the election. [[AP / Scott Smith](] - Voter turnout was low — just 31 percent, according to the election commission — and Maduro won more than 67 percent of the vote. [[Guardian / Tom Phillips](] - A bloc of Latin American countries, including Colombia and Brazil, have already announced that they do not recognize Sunday’s results as legitimate. The US and the European Union have done likewise. [[Reuters / Vivian Sequera and Deisy Buitrago](] - Despite substantial international support for Guaidó, the opposition leader has had little success in pushing back against Maduro, whose 2018 reelection was widely considered fraudulent. [[Washington Post / Ana Vanessa Herrero](] - As Vox’s Alex Ward explains, Sunday isn’t likely to help matters. Maduro’s win, though many consider it illegitimate, will give him an opening to further consolidate power, and Guaidó will lose his previous power as National Assembly leader when a new parliament takes office in January. [[Vox / Alex Ward](] MISCELLANEOUS [Monday is the last day to register to vote in the upcoming Georgia Senate runoffs. Prospective Georgia voters can register at registertovote.sos.ga.gov until 11:59 pm Eastern time.]( [[Augusta Chronicle / Susan McCord](] - Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19. [[NYT / Maggie Haberman](] - Out of 249 Republicans in Congress, just 27 have admitted that Joe Biden won the presidential election. [[Washington Post / Paul Kane and Scott Clement](] - As Covid-19 cases surge in California, about 84 percent of the state’s population is once again under a stay-at-home order. [[LA Times / Luke Money, Alex Wigglesworth, and Rong-Gong Lin II](] [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( VERBATIM "I’m just astounded by the dysfunction, the willingness to just stay the course as hundreds of thousands of people die, and the unwillingness to innovate in literally any way. … It’s just the most mind-bending, complete 'Twilight Zone' experience that makes you ask why the hell we even bother." [[Harvard epidemiologist Michael Mina on the sense of disillusionment among public health experts as Covid-19 cases keep rising in the US / Boston Globe](] LISTEN TO THIS [Joe Biden and "the new progressivism"]( It’s often said that Joe Biden has an instinct for finding the political center — that of his party, and that of the country. To understand how Biden has changed, and how he might govern, we need to understand how the ideological context of American politics is changing, and why. [[Spotify / Ezra Klein](] [Read more from Vox](#) [A Scandinavian local explains how to make it through winter]( [Everything that needs to go right for Democrats to win the Georgia runoffs, explained]( [4 things that could go wrong in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout]( [How to keep your houseplants (and yourself) less miserable this winter]( [Why every state should adopt a mask mandate, in 4 charts]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences](, or [unsubscribe]( to stop receiving all emails from Vox. If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved.