EPA Reviews Air Pollution Investigations

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031106/ap_on_go_ot/epa_clean_air_1

WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites), after loosening anti-pollution rules, is leaving open the possibility of dropping some investigations into whether coal-burning power plants, refineries and factories are violating federal clean air laws.



While the agency said in a statement that it is vigorously pursuing cases it already has filed against various plants, it also said it would take a case-by-case approach to decide whether to pursue or set aside pending investigations.


However, an EPA official said senior agency managers were told Tuesday night at a meeting in Seattle to set aside current investigations and enforcement work unless past activities violated the new rules. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said such a retroactive application of new regulations to possible past violations was unprecedented.


Sen. Jim Jeffords, I-Vt., a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said the instructions — attributed by the agency source and an environmental group to J.P. Suarez, EPA's enforcement chief — confirm his worst fears.

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