U.S. EPA smog limits challenged in court

Washington -- A group of 13 states, two cities and several environmental organizations are challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's smog standards.

The federal lawsuit is aimed at the EPA's refusal to adopt strong ozone
standards urged by its own scientists.

Attorneys general in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon and Rhode Island, along with Washington, D.C., the city of New York and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection joined the legal action.

The public interest law firm Earthjustice filed the lawsuit in Washington on behalf of the American Lung Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund, the National Parks Conservation Association and the Appalachian Mountain Club.

The federal lawsuit seeks to overturn standards the U.S. EPA adopted in March for ozone pollution -- commonly known as smog.

"EPA officials ignored the advice of their own scientists when they chose these deficient standards, but they can't ignore the law," said Earthjustice attorney David Baron. "The Clean Air Act requires EPA to adopt standards strong enough to protect our lungs and our environment. We're fighting to make sure that happens."

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.