LAWSUIT MAY FORESTALL STATE RULES ON NONROAD PARTICULATE EMISSIONS

An industry group is attempting to head off potential state and local regulations to control particulate matter (PM) emissions from nonroad vehicles by filing a lawsuit claiming that states are preempted by the federal government from regulating farm and construction equipment. The lawsuit comes as states, industry and EPA are battling on a variety of fronts over states' ability to regulate vehicles including locomotives, boats and small engines absent a federal mandate. The new lawsuit hinges on an obscure provision...