The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-2 Tuesday to uphold a cross-state air pollution rule that had previously been vacated on appeal after being challenged by power plant owners and others.
The ruling upholds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to control interstate air pollution. The rule specifically identifies Connecticut and several other states as affected downwind areas.
An EPA court brief said that 93 percent of the air pollution in New Haven comes from out of state.
Connecticut officials said they were pleased by the reversal, but said more was needed to prevent upwind states from sending air pollution to their neighbors.
“For far too long Connecticut has been burdened by the air pollution carried here from other states,” Robert Klee, commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said in a statement.
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