California air regulators get new rules for ozone pollution enforcement

US environmental regulators have approved new rules for how California's South Coast Air Quality Management District measures and enforces ozone pollution. This means the district now has a clearer legal path to meet federal clean air standards.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District covers a large, heavily populated area of Southern California, including Los Angeles. For years, this region has struggled to meet federal air quality standards, particularly for ozone. This rule change provides a specific, legally binding method for the district to show it is making progress toward those standards, which could lead to more consistent enforcement and cleaner air.