Six states, including Connecticut, are suing the Trump administration over the “good neighbor” provision in the Clean Air Act.
It’s an effort to get the Environmental Protection Agency to protect American citizens from pollution.
“States like Connecticut who are downwind of some of our country's heaviest polluters need the protection of strong interstate ozone pollution regulation,” said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong in a written statement. “The Trump EPA's failure to comply with the Clean Air Act violates federal law and endangers the health of Connecticut families."
Tong was recently sworn in as Connecticut’s attorney general. He replaced George Jepsen.
Connecticut and the other northeastern states involved in this latest action have been active on the emissions front because they are “downwind” of points west where coal plants pollute the air.
Under Jepsen’s leadership, the state was involved in several lawsuits against the Trump administration aimed at defending policies enacted to curb greenhouse emissions like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Power Plan.
The state had also complained to the EPA about pollution by upwind states during Barack Obama’s presidency.