Connecticut must now prove its air is cleaner, using new data

US environmental regulators are proposing to approve Connecticut's updated plans for tracking air pollution. This means the state's 2014 and 2017 emissions data for ozone-forming pollutants are now officially part of its clean air compliance record.

States are required to regularly submit inventories of air pollution to show they are meeting federal clean air standards. These inventories are the baseline for future enforcement actions and for measuring progress. This approval means Connecticut's recent emissions data is now locked in, setting the stage for how future air quality improvements will be measured and enforced.