clean air act

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    Trump Admin Goes After States for Protecting the Environment

    Trump Admin Goes After States for Protecting the Environment

    By Don Anair The Trump administration has been on a collision course with California, and it appears that collision is imminent. An administrative action to undermine the authority granted to the state by the Clean Air Act to protect its citizens from vehicle pollution appears to be imminent. This illegal attack is not just harmful […]

    The Environmental Stakes of Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Nomination

    The Environmental Stakes of Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Nomination

    When President Donald Trump announced Brett Kavanaugh as his pick to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy on Monday, he picked the potential justice with the most environmental law experience of his final four frontrunners, E&E reported. The announcement sent environmentalists and legal experts scouring through his more than 300 rulings on the D.C. […]

    U.S. Air Pollution Falling More Slowly Than EPA Data Suggests

    U.S. Air Pollution Falling More Slowly Than EPA Data Suggests

    U.S. air pollution isn’t declining as fast as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has claimed, a study published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed. To track the levels of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, two pollutants that contribute to smog formation, an international research team used satellite pollution measurements backed up […]

    Koch vs. California: These Groups Want Pruitt to Undo the State’s Right to Regulate Auto Emissions

    Koch vs. California: These Groups Want Pruitt to Undo the State’s Right to Regulate Auto Emissions

    By Ben Jervey A coalition of conservative groups, many with close ties to the Koch brothers, is calling for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to strip California of its right to set stricter greenhouse gas limits for personal vehicles. Not satisfied with Pruitt’s decision to rewrite the Obama-era emissions standards—which had been […]

    Why California Gets to Write Its Own Auto Emissions Standards: 5 Questions Answered

    Why California Gets to Write Its Own Auto Emissions Standards: 5 Questions Answered

    By Nicholas Bryner and Meredith Hankins Editor’s note: On April 2, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced that the Trump administration plans to revise tailpipe emissions standards negotiated by the Obama administration for motor vehicles built between 2022 and 2025, saying the standards were set “too high.” Pruitt also said the EPA […]

    Scott Pruitt: California Can’t ‘Dictate’ National Emissions Policy

    Scott Pruitt: California Can’t ‘Dictate’ National Emissions Policy

    Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Scott Pruitt had fighting words for California in an interview with Bloomberg News Tuesday, deepening a rift between the Trump administration and the Golden State over the future of Obama-era fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks. The EPA faces an April 1 deadline to determine if the emissions […]

    Two Major Climate Change Lawsuits Move Forward

    Two Major Climate Change Lawsuits Move Forward

    By Ken Kimmell A major front in the climate change debate has moved to the courtroom, as I’ve previously discussed. Last week, plaintiffs in two separate cases won significant procedural victories—one against major fossil fuel companies, and a second against the Trump administration. Here are the latest developments and their implications. Bay Area vs. Big […]