Minnesota and Oregon AGs Notified EPA of Intent to Sue over Unreasonable Delay in Establishing NAAQs for Greenhouse Gas Emissions

OCTOBER 30, 2023

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum joined the Center for Biological Diversity, 350.org, and the San Carlos Apache Tribe in sending a citizen suit letter notifying the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of their intent to sue the agency over its failure to establish strong national pollution limits for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions pursuant to the Clean Air Act. Specifically, the letter argued that EPA’s delay in responding to a 2009 petition calling for the establishment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards for greenhouse gas emissions was unreasonable and unlawful, especially “given the urgency of the threat posed by GHG pollution to human health and environment.” The letter indicated that the parties would file suit 180 days after the letter was sent if EPA failed to contact them to resolve the matter.