The legal battles over the Trump Administration's handling of environmental regulations at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fired up again this week.
"California and 13 other states sued the Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday for ignoring an Oct. 1 deadline to update the nation's map of areas with unhealthy smog levels," reports Bob Egelko.
The states, joined by the District of Columbia, said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is violating a law that requires the agency, every two years, to designate areas that exceed federal air-quality standards for ozone, the harmful gas produced in sunlight by pollutants from tailpipes and smokestacks.
The lawsuit by the states follows a similar lawsuit by environmental groups earlier this week. The state of California's involvement in the lawsuit also makes a series. "[California Attorney General Xavier] Becerra earlier sued the Trump administration on behalf of the state over the EPA's loosened regulations of pesticides and emissions of planet-warming methane gas, and for delaying new motor vehicle fuel-economy standards," according to Egelko.
FULL STORY: California, 13 other states sue EPA over smog levels
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