| HARRIS COUNTY — Harris County has filed suit against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) alongside a nationwide coalition of states and local governments over the EPA’s failure to implement a lifesaving 2024 Clean Air Act rule strengthening national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), commonly known as soot. The lawsuit asks the court to order EPA to take the steps required by Congress to begin implementing the rule’s protections and initiate planning to reduce dangerous air pollution. This action follows Harris County’s earlier notice of intent to sue the EPA after the agency failed to properly carry out its obligations under the updated 2024 standard. EPA’s failure to designate areas that exceed the strengthened standard is preventing communities like Harris County from accessing key tools needed to reduce pollution and protect public health. “Harris County residents deserve clean air and meaningful action to address pollution that affects their health every day,” said Harris County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne. “The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to act on its own science and implement these updated protections. By failing to do so, the agency is delaying critical steps that would help improve air quality and save lives. Harris County is filing suit to ensure the law is followed and our communities receive the protection they deserve.” “This lawsuit is about protecting families in communities like Settegast and across Harris County who are already living with some of the highest pollution levels in the state,” said Commissioner Rodney Ellis. “When the EPA fails to implement its own strengthened clean air standards, it denies our residents the protections they are entitled to under the law. Harris County is stepping up to make sure those protections are delivered and that vulnerable communities are not left behind.” “Families across Harris County deserve meaningful protections from dangerous air pollution that can harm children’s lungs, worsen asthma, and contribute to serious long-term health conditions,” said Commissioner Lesley Briones. “When federal agencies fail to act on clear scientific evidence and legal requirements, local governments must step forward. This lawsuit reflects our commitment to protecting public health and advancing cleaner air for every neighborhood in Harris County.” In 2024, the EPA strengthened the national soot standard based on overwhelming scientific evidence showing that reducing fine particulate matter would prevent thousands of premature deaths and hundreds of thousands of asthma-related health impacts nationwide each year. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA must then designate which areas meet the updated standard and which do not. Harris County’s pollution levels exceed the strengthened standard, but the EPA has not made the required attainment or nonattainment designation, delaying implementation of protections that help communities reduce harmful pollution. Through this lawsuit, the coalition is asking the court to declare EPA’s failure to act unlawful and to order the agency to make the required designations within a court-ordered timeline so communities like Harris County can move forward with plans to improve air quality and protect public health. |