Washington state must now clean up its air faster, using new federal rules

The US environmental regulators are approving Washington state's plan to reduce regional haze, which is air pollution that makes distant objects look blurry. This means the state must now follow new federal rules to clean up its air, specifically targeting pollution that travels across state lines and affects national parks.

States have to submit plans to clean up their air every ten years. This approval means Washington's plan for the next decade is now legally binding. It sets specific targets and timelines for reducing pollution from sources like power plants and industrial facilities, which will affect their operating costs and emissions controls. This is part of a national effort to improve visibility in national parks and wilderness areas, which have seen air quality degrade over decades.