"The Supreme Court declined today to review a lower court's ruling prohibiting U.S. EPA from suspending normal emissions standards for major pollution sources during "startup, shutdown and malfunction" (SSM) periods.

Environmental groups praised the court's decision not to grant review in American Chemistry Council v. Sierra Club, saying the policy struck down in 2008 had created a "loophole" for polluters. In some cases, industrial facilities have evaded federal emissions restrictions by using the SSM exemption during times of normal operation, the groups said in a statement today."

Gabriel Nelson reports for Greenwire March 8, 2010. [2]