The Environmental Protection Agency is about to impose new rules for ground-level ozone that would have little benefit to air quality, but a very significant and negative effect on economic growth and the creation of jobs we need.

Beginning Oct. 1, the EPA plans to require states and localities to have air with no more than 65-70 parts per billion of the tiny components that make ground-level ozone when they react to sunlight, heat and other conditions. The current standard, set in 2008, is 75 ppb. The EPA’s stated goal, protecting people from adverse health effects of ozone, is laudable. Whether the new standard would advance that goal is another matter.