Two progressive organizations have initiated legal proceedings against the Trump administration, targeting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over air pollution issues in California and Colorado.
The Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Environmental Health contend that these states have not adhered to a specific environmental agenda, prompting the lawsuit.
According to WND, the dispute centers on the State Implementation Plans (SIPs) submitted by California and Colorado. These plans are essential for setting national air quality standards, requiring each state or air regulator in the U.S. to submit a SIP with a timeline to address pollution.
The EPA is expected to approve these plans within two years, after which a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) is enacted. However, the lawsuit claims that several SIP elements from the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District in California and the State of Colorado have been pending before the EPA for years without final approval or disapproval.
The lawsuit further alleges that the EPA has not established a FIP for Colorado, despite partially disapproving its SIP two years ago. This inaction, the plaintiffs argue, leaves residents of California and Colorado underserved by the federal government. Ryan Maher of the Center for Biological Diversity criticized the situation, stating, "Trumps EPA is forcing millions of people to breathe extremely harmful levels of smog, day after day." He further accused the administration of favoring the fossil fuel industry and other polluters, expressing hope that the courts will intervene to protect public health.
It is important to note that much of the period during which the EPA allegedly failed to act falls under the current administration's oversight. The plaintiffs assert that the agency has delayed action on plans submitted by California in 2020 and 2023, missing the May 2025 deadline mandated by law. At that time, President Trump had only recently assumed office.
Regarding Colorado, the EPA disapproved several SIP revisions submitted between 2018 and 2022, citing insufficient reporting requirements that undermine public enforcement of the rules. This lack of progress has prompted the organizations to file suit, seeking to compel the EPA to act promptly.
The lawsuit aims to address the prolonged inaction by the Biden administration, urging the EPA to fulfill its responsibilities and ensure cleaner air for the residents of these states.
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