Air

Tracking the latest agency and congressional debates over rules to cut emissions of traditional pollutants, and a broad range of novel EPA policies including the agency's shift to a "multipollutant" regulatory approach for individual sectors.

Topic Subtitle
Tracking the latest agency and congressional debates over rules to cut emissions of traditional pollutants, and a broad range of novel EPA policies including the agency's shift to a "multipollutant" regulatory approach for individual sectors.

Mexican Truck Suit's Pollution Debate Rattles Trucking Industry

A closely watched air quality lawsuit challenging Mexican-based trucks unfettered access to U.S. highways under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is splitting the trucking industry, with one key organization backing the U.S. government's decision not to study the environmental impacts of the foreign vehicles. The American Trucking Associations (ATA), a national organization that represents trucking companies, is backing the unlimited truck access, while the California Trucking Association, an ATA member, and truck drivers who are members of the...

Federal Officials Eye Changes To Rules On Traffic Congestion, Air Quality Conformity

Federal officials and Senate lawmakers are discussing several possible changes to federal rules for reducing the impact of transportation emissions on air quality -- including possible relief for areas that fail to comply with EPA's yet-to-be-implemented fine particle and ozone standards, along with changes to congestion programs. Discussion of possible changes to the program -- aired at a July 30 hearing by the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee -- comes as Congress gears up for a reauthorization of the...

Administration Unveils Clear Skies Plan, Including Details Of Air Act Changes

The Bush administration's Clear Skies power plant legislation unveiled this week outlines the most detail to date on White House proposals for Clean Air Act changes in exchange for overall emissions caps on the industry -- proposing new criteria to shield the industry from separate legal attacks by downwind states, and significantly narrowing the scope of new source review (NSR) rules for the power sector. The administration's proposal -- which was introduced by Reps. Joe Barton (R-TX), W.J. "Billy" Tauzin...

Court Boosts Industry Role In Clean Air Act 'Conformity' Cases

A federal appeals court has boosted industry's role in clean air transportation conformity cases, ruling that a trade association representing road builders can intervene in an environmentalists' suit accusing the federal government of failing to fully consider the air quality impact of road construction projects. The ruling will likely boost the participation of road building interests in similar suits currently pending in Atlanta, Houston and St. Louis, industry sources say. A federal appeals court ruled July 5 in for Better...

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