GROUPS EYE SUIT AGAINST EPA, VALLEY DISTRICT OVER ATTAINMENT METHODS

Environmentalists are weighing a legal challenge against U.S. EPA and the San Joaquin Valley air district over the agencies' determinations that the region is in attainment with a federal particulate matter (PM) standard. But district and federal air officials defend both the disputed attainment proposal and the data that led them to recommend attainment status. A legal challenge that questions federal and local officials' recent declaration of air quality attainment for the area could have significant impacts on future attainment...