Wisconsin DNR Officials Respond To Suit Over Air Pollutants Limits

Officials with the state Department of Natural Resource are responding to a lawsuit filed last week over its response to federal regulations on three air pollutants.

Environmental groups say state officials should have moved faster to put in place tougher national limits on sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and fine particles, or soot.

Clean Wisconsin attorney Elizabeth Wheeler said U.S. Environmental Protection Agency strengthened the national standards for soot two years ago and for the chemicals four years ago, but the state hasn’t adopted the limits.

But DNR air program director Bart Sponseller said for the sulphur and nitrogen limits ordered by the EPA, the department has had to do an economic impact analysis.

“This is the first that we’ve had to do this evaluation so this been something that has been a bit challenging for us,” he said. “But, we are at a point where we’re about to finalize the assessment and be able to move forward in the rule-making,” he said.

Sponseller said one of the federal limits on fine particles will be rolled into other new regulations while a second limit has already been in effect when major air pollution sources get permits.

He said all parts of the state meet the tougher standards on all three pollutants mentioned in the lawsuit, except for sulphur dioxide in the Rhinelander area.

The lawsuit was filed in Dane County court.