The Environmental Protection Agency received a mixed ruling from the Sixth Circuit on Friday over an environmental challenge concerning whether the greater Detroit area complied with Clean Air Act standards.
“We affirm the approval of Michigan’s exceptional-events request and vacate the redesignation of the Detroit area to attainment,” the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit said.
The EPA—which is responsible under the CAA for identifying areas of a state with unsafe air—determines compliance by comparing the state’s air monitoring data to federal air quality standards. A state that receives a “nonattainment” designation must fulfill certain requirements ...