A federal appeals court has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the Bush administration’s loosening of regulations over several pollutants known as fine particulates. On Tuesday, US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit called the Bush rules “contrary to law and unsupported by adequately reasoned decision-making.” The pollutants have been linked to lung cancer and asthma. In 2006, the Bush administration lowered the standard for long-term exposure over the recommendations of agency scientists. New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says imposing higher standards could prevent hundreds of premature deaths in New York City every year.