Washington — Experts warn air quality will worsen because of the Trump administration’s repeal of the legal basis for federal climate rules, despite a top federal regulator saying the move “does not change regulations on traditional air pollutants and air toxics.”

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin made that statement Thursday in the Oval Office as he and President Donald Trump touted the major deregulatory action. They both suggested the change would boost the U.S. auto industry.

“This EPA is committed to providing clean air for all Americans,” Zeldin said. “Powering the great American comeback is based on the singular focus of providing clean air, land and water for all Americans, while harnessing the greatness of the American economy.”

More: Trump revokes basis of U.S. climate regulations, wipes out auto rules

It is true that repealing the Obama-era EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding” will leave intact federal rules meant to limit harmful emissions of criteria air pollutants identified more than 50 years ago in the Clean Air Act. Those pollutants include noxious gases like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide that cause asthma, lung issues and neurological damage.

The mass introduction of catalytic converters on new motor vehicles in the 1970s helped drastically curtail emissions of those gases over the next two decades, and the devices will surely remain on gas-powered cars and trucks to ensure they continue meeting federal standards. (Electric vehicles, notably, do not have converters because they have no tailpipe emissions.)

Experts disagreed, however, with Zeldin’s suggestion that there would not be “clean air” implications from the move to wipe out a generation of climate-focused regulations.

“Carbon dioxide pollution and other greenhouse gases are correlated with the production of other air pollutants like particulate matter and nitrogen oxides,” said Erik Nordman, director of the Institute for Public Utilities at Michigan State University.

“Measures that reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases often reduce those other pollutants. That’s a co-benefit of these greenhouse gas regulations. So by removing or lowering standards for greenhouse gases, we would expect those other pollutants that are tightly correlated with greenhouse gases to increase,” he said in a phone interview.

The new Michigan coaching staff got a later start in recruiting the 2027 class, but made good progress during the latter part of January’s evaluation period.

The Wolverines began their efforts out West, where the staff had prior connections, and in their home base of Michigan and the Midwest states.

They also were able to hit states outside of those two wheelhouses. One offer in Texas was to Bridge City linebacker Bryce Breeden, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound tackling machine with 225 tackles (39 for loss), 14 sacks and seven forced fumbles in the last two seasons. 

While Breeden does not have any connections to the university, Michigan is helped by his father working and living in the state. They have talked about both Michigan and Michigan State as options so Dad could make his games.

He is working on getting to know the staff at Michigan better, but they had offered at Utah back in October.

“I’ve been in contact with coach Alex Whittingham, and his first impression was great,” Breeden said. “I’m very interested in the program now. I like how they are a run-stopping defense. I don’t know too much about the school, but I’m willing to learn more about them.”

Breeden has nearly 30 offers. Louisville, Arizona State, Pittsburgh, TCU, Northwestern, Arizona, West Virginia, Purdue, Virginia Tech and more are on that list.

A swing through Michigan where he could stop in both Ann Arbor and East Lansing make sense, but a schedule for his next few months is still in the works.

All-Star forward Dominik Shine scored two goals for the Grand Rapids Griffins in a 4-2 victory over the Texas Stars on Friday at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

Amadeus Lombardi and Austin Watson scored the other goals, Shai Buium had two assists and Michal Postava stopped 24-of-26 shots.

Michigan 5, Penn State 4 (SO)

Second-ranked Michigan beat No. 6 Penn State, 5-4, in a shootout on Friday at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor.

Michael Hage scored the winner in the shootout after setting up the first three goals, T.J. Hughes added two goals and Jack Ivankovic made 38 saves.

Western Michigan 6, Arizona State 2

Western Michigan improved to 21-8-0 overall with a 6-2 victory over Arizona State on Friday at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo.

Ty Henricks, Garrett Szydlowski, Liam Valente, Alex Calbeck, Owen Michaels and Zaccharya Wisdom scored goals and Hampton Slukynsky made 25 saves.

Dubuque 7, NTDP U17s 3

Nolan Fitzhenry scored his 20th goal of the season for the NTDP U17s in a 7-3 loss against the Dubuque Fighting Saints on Friday at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday at 7 p.m.