U.S. EPA Misses Deadline for Air Quality Maps; 14 States Sue

"California and 13 other states sued the Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday for ignoring an Oct. 1 deadline to update the nation's map of areas with unhealthy smog levels," reports Bob Egelko.

The states, joined by the District of Columbia, said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is violating a law that requires the agency, every two years, to designate areas that exceed federal air-quality standards for ozone, the harmful gas produced in sunlight by pollutants from tailpipes and smokestacks.

The lawsuit by the states follows a similar lawsuit by environmental groups earlier this week. The state of California's involvement in the lawsuit also makes a series. "[California Attorney General Xavier] Becerra earlier sued the Trump administration on behalf of the state over the EPA's loosened regulations of pesticides and emissions of planet-warming methane gas, and for delaying new motor vehicle fuel-economy standards," according to Egelko.