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Environmental groups sue Wisconsin DNR over air standards

Published  December 11, 2014 1:59pm CST
Associated Press

MADISON (AP) — Two environmental groups have filed a lawsuit accusing the state Department of Natural Resources of failing to upstate the state's air quality standards to reflect tighter federal restrictions.

The Midwest Environmental Defense Center, Inc., and Clean Wisconsin filed the lawsuit Thursday in Dane County Circuit Court.

They allege that the DNR hasn't promulgated rules updating the state's air standards to reflect tighter restrictions the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set for sulfur dioxide and smog-forming nitrogen oxide in 2010 and for fine particulate matter in 2012.

The lawsuit asks a judge to declare the DNR has violated the law, order the updates and put a hold on all pending air permits until they're completed.

A DNR spokesman didn't immediately return a message.