Maryland shifts how it caps air pollution from large industrial facilities

US environmental regulators approved Maryland's plan to change how it allocates nitrogen oxide emission caps for large industrial facilities that are not power plants. This means Maryland can now adjust these pollution limits more flexibly, rather than following older, fixed rules.

Maryland has been trying to reduce ozone-season nitrogen oxide emissions for years. This change gives the state more direct control over how it manages pollution from specific industrial sources. It allows Maryland to re-allocate emission allowances based on current needs, rather than relying on a fixed system that might not reflect actual industrial activity or environmental goals.