California desert air district avoids federal sanctions for air pollution permits

The US environmental regulators have temporarily stopped sanctions against a California air quality district. This means the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District will not face penalties for issues with its industrial pollution permits.

The US environmental regulators had previously found the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District's rules for new industrial pollution permits were too weak. This decision means the district gets a reprieve from federal penalties, like losing highway funding or having to find extra pollution offsets. It gives the district more time to fix its permitting program without immediate federal pressure.