R.I., Mass. threaten joining states in EPA law suit

Rhode Island and Massachusetts both joined New York and four other states in saying they plan to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for violating federal law by failing to regulate methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry, Bloomberg News reported.
The EPA violated the Clean Air Act by failing to address methane emissions in revised regulations this year, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said last week in a statement.
“Our coalition is putting EPA on notice that we are prepared to sue to force action on curbing climate change pollution from the oil and gas industry,” Schneiderman said.
The industry is the largest source of manmade methane emissions in the U.S., according to New York. The EPA is leaving almost 95 percent of these emissions uncontrolled, the state said.
New York joined Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont in sending a notice of intent to sue to the EPA.
A spokesman for the agency didn’t return a phone message seeking comment, Bloomberg said. •

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