EPA chief backtracks on delaying rules reducing emissions

WASHINGTON — One day after getting sued by 15 states, Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt reversed his earlier decision to delay implementation of Obama-era rules reducing emissions of smog-causing air pollutants.

Pruitt announced in June he would delay compliance by one year to give his agency more time to study the plan and avoid “interfering with local decisions or impeding economic growth.”

Pruitt, who was Oklahoma’s state attorney general prior to his appointment by President Trump, has long served as a reliable opponent of stricter environmental regulations.

Since arriving in Washington, Pruitt has repeatedly moved to block or delay regulations opposed by the chemical and fossil-fuel industries.

Last month, a federal appeals court in Washington ruled the EPA administrator overstepped his authority in trying to delay implementation of an Obama administration rule requiring oil and gas companies to monitor and reduce methane leaks.

In a statement issued Wednesday evening, Pruitt suggested his about-face on ozone standards simply reinforced the EPA’s commitment to working with states through the complex process of meeting the new standards on time.