GOP States Sue EPA Over Delay Of SDWA Lead Rule, Citing Health Fears

摘要

Five Republican state attorneys general (Ags), led by Arizona, are suing EPA over its June decision to extend key deadlines in the lead and copper drinking water rule (LCR), arguing the delay is an illegal attempt to kill Trump-era changes to the rule and will result in adverse health effects.Arizona, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas have filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review EPA's June 16 rule delaying the effective date of the Trump-era revisions to the LCR until Dec. 16, and extending the compliance date for the rule until Oct. 16, 2024."Petitioners respectfully request that this Court hold unlawful, vacate and set aside the [delay rule], and grant such further relief as may be deemed just and proper," the July 29 petition says.While the filing does not contain any details of the states' arguments, Arizona AG Mark Brnovich outlined the states' concerns in a July 30 press release announcing the litigation.Among the alleged ways in which the delay is unlawful is that the Biden administration's own cost-benefit analysis reveals the delay is a bad policy and will result in adverse health effects that exceed the reduced costs on water system operators, Brnovich says.