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Finalized Haze Pollution Settlement to Speed Up Protections for National Parks and Wilderness Areas in Texas

Summary

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has signed a consent decree requiring the EPA to act on haze pollution plans from Texas and 31 other states. This action is the result of a lawsuit by the Sierra Club, Earthjustice, the Environmental Integrity Project, and the National Parks Conservation Association. The settlement mandates the EPA to decide by May 30, 2025, whether Texas' plan complies with the Clean Air Act’s Regional Haze Rule, potentially leading to federal intervention. This will impact major haze polluters, including the Martin Lake, Parish, and Limestone coal plants. The decree aims to improve air quality and visibility in parks like Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains.

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