California air regulators can use an alternative plan to reduce ozone pollution
What happened
US environmental regulators are proposing to let California's San Joaquin Valley use an alternative plan to reduce ozone pollution. This means the Valley will not have to follow a specific federal rule about how to clean up its air.
Why it matters
The San Joaquin Valley has some of the worst air quality in the US. This proposal allows local regulators to use their own methods to meet federal clean air goals, rather than a specific federal program. It could mean more flexibility for the Valley, but also less direct federal oversight on how they achieve air quality improvements.
The signal
Watch whether the EPA approves this alternative plan, and if so, whether the San Joaquin Valley's ozone levels actually improve faster or slower than if they had followed the original federal rule.