The State - News from April 12, 1987

Accusing the Environmental Protection Agency of foot-dragging, a federal judge in San Francisco ordered the EPA to set nationwide air quality standards for nitrogen oxides at parks and other clean-air sites by October, 1988--nine years after a congressional deadline for development of the standards. U.S. District Judge William Schwarzer said violation of his deadline “will not be tolerated” and would be grounds for ordering EPA Administrator Lee Thomas into court to answer contempt charges. “This case,” he said, “is the most recent instance of the EPA’s longstanding unwillingness to comply with the Clean Air Act.” The ruling was praised by environmental groups but Andrea Field, a lawyer representing about 70 utility companies and trade associations, said the deadline would be difficult to meet.