Race to the Top

This report reviews creative actions that states have taken to cut air emissions from some of the dirtiest power plants and manufacturing facilities in the  country. These state actions are particularly important today in light of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) weakening of the New Source Review (NSR) rules for existing industrial plants and its decision to drop enforcement investigations against more than 70 power companies for violations of NSR requirements in effect prior to its rule changes. The report examines state laws that will help to blunt the impact of the EPA rollbacks, and suggests alternatives for states considering taking their own steps to fill the void left by EPA.