EPA halts Permian Basin ozone nonattainment finding

EPA has halted a planned ozone “nonattainment” designation for major oil and gas-producing areas in the Permian Basin region of western Texas, a move that would have required new pollution controls, pleasing industry groups but angering environmentalists who blame drilling-related emissions for locally high ozone levels. EPA omitted the previously planned designation from its recently-updated Unified Agenda of regulations because the nonattainment designation is no longer considered an “active” rulemaking, according to Bloomberg . “If EPA decides to advance...