States and Cities Challenge EPA Air Pollution Rules

Whichita Eagle ^ | 10/27/03 | John Heilprin

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

WASHINGTON - Twelve states and several cities sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday to try to block the Bush administration's changes to the Clean Air Act.

EPA's new rule makes it easier to upgrade utilities, refineries and other industrial facilities without installing additional pollution controls.

The rule, which was proposed last December and signed by EPA's administrator in August, was made final on Monday. It will take effect in two months, and states have up to three years to comply.

EPA said in a statement it does not believe this rule will result in significant changes in emissions and that it "preserves the public health protections" under law.

However, attorney generals for the 12 states - New York, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin - and legal officers for New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, New Haven and 25 other cities and towns in Connecticut said the new regulations will weaken protections for the environment and public health.

They argued only Congress can make sweeping changes to such a bedrock law.

"We are not going to sit by quietly and allow the energy interests in this country to receive special treatment while so many of our children and elderly are needlessly suffering from respiratory problems that are, in essence, brought on by bad environmental policy," Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly said.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. A similar group of states also filed suit in that court to challenge a previous batch of the administration's related changes to the Clean Air Act.

[boomop1]

These states have the vehicle emission testing company's kickbacks in their back pockets they love screwing the consumer with fees.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

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[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

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[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Maybe read this also.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[hattend]

So let these states set their own environment rules and let the market decide. They'll change their minds when companies and power generators move out of their states.

[F.J. Mitchell]

THe worst threat to this nation's health from pollution, comes from the devastating and expensive forest fires that burn like wind driven hell across the western states, year after year, because rational rules of forestry management are over ridden by the green lipped politicians who kiss the green asses of the extrenmist left, for the endless supply of greenbacks that the greens seem blessed with.