The Center is representing the Sierra Club in a case against the EPA that says the agency has not taken adequate action in addressing West Pinal County’s dangerously high levels of particulate pollution known as “PM10.” E&E News, an energy and environmental newsletter, called on Jennifer Anderson, an experienced environmental attorney, for an update on the case.
By failing to approve or disapprove Arizona’s plan to address this pollution, the EPA is violating the Clean Air Act. Jennifer explained the EPA had yet to determine whether the state’s approach demonstrated “reasonably available control measures” (RACM) for emission sources. Everything must be addressed, Jennifer continued, and this includes RACM, the emissions inventory, the attainment demonstration, the reasonable further progress demonstration, contingency measures, modeling and emission inventory methodologies and transportation conformity. The agency is now taking public feedback on the draft settlement.
West Pinal County is one of only 10 areas in the nation listed in “serious nonattainment” with the agency’s clean air standards. The elderly, children and people with chronic respiratory diseases are considered particularly vulnerable to the issue.
Jennifer supports the Center’s work in many ways but she primarily focuses on clean air and water, renewable energy and public access to government.
