THE EPA'S HOT AIR

Okay, let’s be fair. Punctilious honesty has not been the Clinton administration’s strong suit. But every bell curve has its extremes — its outliers, as it were. The word “outlier” brings to mind Environmental Protection Agency administrator Carol Browner and her new air-pollution standards.

These proposals, to be enforced under the Clean Air Act, would increase burdens on automobiles, factories, and utilities that could range from installing filters to using different fuels to ceasing operations altogether.