The hazy skyline in the photo isn’t due to bad image quality, that’s smog. Taken Fall 2021 by one of our staff members on an Ozone Action Day.

This month, in response to a suit filed last year by AAH and partners, the Northern California U.S. District Court ruled that the EPA take action to ensure states implement a stricter air quality standard for ozone (smog).

The court ruled that the EPA must review whether the plans of each state – including Texas – to address ozone pollution are up to the most recent federal Ozone Standard (2015). Until now, EPA had not enforced this Standard (the highest standard currently set), allowing state agencies like the TCEQ to continue following an older, weaker standard. In a further win, this same ruling requires EPA to issue a Federal Interstate Ozone Plan to address cross-state ozone pollution at the stronger 2015 standard.