On July 13, 2026, Environmental Protection Network submitted formal comments opposing EPA’s proposed revisions to the ozone State Implementation Plan (SIP) requirements for areas reclassified to higher levels of non-attainment, arguing that the proposal weakens Clean Air Act protections by allowing states to avoid required emission-reduction measures after missing attainment deadlines. EPN feels the proposal ignores key statutory provisions requiring reasonable further progress, sanctions for noncompliance, and anti-backsliding safeguards, fails to adequately consider public reliance interests, and unlawfully reinterprets the Clean Air Act in a way that rewards delay rather than advancing public health protections.
EPN Comments on Ozone Reclassification State Implementation Plan Rule