|
27 April 2006 -- Ten U.S. state Attorneys General today sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to adopt strong emission standards to reduce air pollution from new power plants across the nation. The District of Columbia and the City of New York also joined in the legal action.
The Clean Air Act requires that the EPA review and revise emission standards for new pollution sources every eight years to ensure that they protect public health and the environment. On February 27, 2006, EPA issued revised regulations in accordance with a court order. The revised standards do not regulate power plant emissions of carbon dioxide, which the states filing the lawsuit say violates the Clean Air Act. In addition, the plaintiffs said the revised standards for other air pollutants harmful to public health are too lax.
New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said: "In defense of public health, the environment and our economy, power plants must be required to sharply reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. EPA's newly adopted rule represents an abdication of leadership and foresight in favor of the unacceptable status quo."
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer said: "Global warming is one of the biggest threats facing the planet. If we want to help safeguard the environment for future generations, we need to take every step we can now to reduce emissions that contribute to global warming. The EPA should be acting on behalf of public health and the environment, not polluters."
A coalition of environmental organizations, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club and Environmental Defense filed a related petition today.
Today's lawsuit was filed in federal appeals court for the District of Columbia Circuit. The case is being handled by New York Assistant Attorney General Jared Snyder and Environmental Protection Bureau Chief Peter Lehner.
| 
Articles 
| View all PennWell sites | View all PennWell events
Add RSS Feed
