US environmental regulators pause air pollution rules for 11 states

The US environmental regulators are temporarily stopping new air pollution rules for 11 states. This means these states do not have to meet stricter standards for ozone pollution while courts review the plan.

The US environmental regulators had a plan to reduce ozone pollution that crosses state lines. This pause means that plan is on hold for a significant portion of the country. It also means that states that were supposed to receive cleaner air from their neighbors will continue to deal with the existing pollution levels.