Aug. 27, 2008 at 10:51am

Washington joins suit against EPA

Washington has joined 12 other states, the District of Columbia, and the City of New York in a suit against the federal Environmental Protection Agency for failing to adopt regulations to control oil refinery emissions that contribute to global warming. The suit alleges that the EPA's refusal to require new or renovated oil refineries to install technologies that control pollution violates the federal Clean Air Act.

"The people of Washington state have always stood up to protect the environment," Attorney General Robert McKenna said. "It's time for leaders in the other Washington to do their part to address smog and global warming."

The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to adopt standards for emissions control – known as New Source Performance Standards – for oil refineries, power plants, and other major stationary sources that may pose a danger to public health and welfare. But on June 24, the EPA finalized new air polution control regulations for refineries without setting a standard for global warming pollution.

Today's challenge was filed in the federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The coalition also includes California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The suit seeks to vacate the EPA's decision not to control oil refinery emissions of global warming pollution and to order the EPA to adopt proper standards.

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