Seven AGs Submitted Comments on EPA’s Proposed Emission Standards

JUNE 21, 2022

New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of seven attorneys general in submitting comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its proposed rule to establish nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions standards under the “good neighbor” provision of the Clean Air Act. NOx emissions from upwind states can react with volatile organic compounds and create smog downwind. The rule would create an emissions budget trading system for fossil fuel-fired power plants and place emissions limitations on certain industries in a number of states when their emissions harm the ability of downwind states to meet air quality standards. While the AGs supported the “critical progress” made by EPA’s proposal, the comments urged the agency to set even stronger limits and to expedite the timeline for enforcing them in order to comply with the Clean Air Act.