CT, NJ and NY pull lawsuit against EPA

Connecticut and two other states have withdrawn a federal lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency. At issue was pollution from Pennsylvania and Virginia blowing into the Northeast.

In a lawsuit last year, plaintiffs from New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York argued the EPA did not adequately police pollution from Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Attorneys from the states said delays extended the amount of time their residents had to breathe polluted air.

After the lawsuit was filed, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the EPA took a months-overdue action, citing the polluting states for a failure to submit so-called “good neighbor” ozone plans.

As a result, the plaintiffs withdrew their claim on January 3.

In a statement, Tong said his office “should not have to file suit” to force the EPA to take action “required by the Clean Air Act.”

Tong said the EPA now has two years to issue a plan to address this interstate pollution problem.