The Washington Post’s Del Quentin Wilber reports that a federal appeals court struck down a 2004 Environmental Protection Agency ruling that states and local govt. cannot have their own air pollution monitoring. The EPA rule had said that since the federal govt. already has standards under the Clean Air Act to monitor pollution from power plants, factories, and oil refineries, local govt’s couldn’t make their own rules. Four environmental groups brought the suit to court.

The courts have been almost as disdainful toward the Bush administration’s interpretation of the Clean Air Act as enviros. Judges have thrown out past industry-friendly rules on mercury emissions and controlling air pollution, comparing EPA with the capricious Queen of Hearts, and saying the agency is living in a humpty-dumpty world. Hopefully the next administration can put the Clean Air Act back together again.-MB

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