EPA Wins a Delay on Clean Air Rules

A federal court gave the Environmental Protection Agency an additional three weeks to issue new air quality standards, affording the public more time to weigh in on the EPA’s controversial proposal. With the new deadline, the public comment period on the EPA’s proposed soot and smog standards was extended to March 12, and the agency is to issue a final rule by July 19. The EPA, at the urging of the National Governors’ Assn., had asked a U.S. District Court in Arizona to extend the public comment period and court-imposed deadline on the new air pollution rule by 60 days.