EPA Will Make Pollution Determinations In Calif. Valley To Settle Federal Lawsuit

( September 11, 2025, 2:44 PM EDT) -- SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreed in a joint motion filed Sept. 10 in a federal court in California to sign a final rule making an attainment determination for the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the San Joaquin Valley and to sign final rules approving or disapproving Smog Check Contingency Measure State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions by specified dates to avoid further federal litigation brought by a group of environmental nonprofits alleging that the agency’s failure to make the air quality determinations was causing a “public health crisis” in the area....