Tennessee gets a pass on its plan to clean up regional haze
What happened
US environmental regulators are proposing to approve Tennessee's plan to reduce regional haze. This means the state's strategy for improving visibility in national parks and wilderness areas meets federal requirements.
Why it matters
States must regularly show how they plan to clean up air pollution that drifts across state lines and obscures views in protected areas. This approval means Tennessee's current approach is considered sufficient, even if the actual air quality improvements are slow. It sets a precedent for what other states might propose and get approved in this second planning period for regional haze.
The signal
Watch for similar approvals or rejections of regional haze plans from other states, especially those with significant industrial emissions or located upwind of national parks.