The federal court told the EPA to review some factors related to pollution control standards in 2007. We uphold most aspects of the rule but remand several particulars to the agency for reconsideration,' the court said.
Nitrogen oxide combined with hydrocarbons in the atmosphere creates ozone, or smog.
The EPA ruled that stationary sources of smog from a number of states and the District of Columbia were blowing into northeastern states, making it difficult for these states to meet clean air rules. The cited states include Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Virginia and West Virginia. We are gratified that the DC circuit largely upheld the EPA interpretation of provisions of the Clean Air Act that allows states to petition EPA to address interstate transport of pollution,' the EPA official said. Clearly, this means cleaner air throughout the Northeast and the Midwest as well,' O'Donnell said. He noted that efforts by utilities owning coal-burning power plants had failed to persuade the court that EPA acted wrongly.