Wyoming Must Step Up to Curb Haze Pollution, EPA Says

CHEYENNE – Today marks the conclusion of EPA’s public comment period on its proposal to partially disapprove Wyoming’s regional haze state implementation plan (SIP), meant to show progress towards reducing haze pollution that blurs iconic views in national parks from world-famous Yellowstone to Grand Teton National Park. Community members had 30 days to weigh in ahead of EPA’s final decision slated to be issued in November. During this time, the National Parks Conservation Association supported EPA’s partial disapproval, which forces Wyoming to go back to the drawing board and enforce stricter controls on emissions, reducing haze pollution in Wyoming’s national parks.

EPA’s proposal to partially disapprove the plan came after years of delay and litigation tactics from Wyoming’s worst polluting power plants to avoid regulation, enabled by a previous state plan that required no new emissions reductions. Additionally, the most recent flawed plan, submitted by Wyoming’s Air Quality Division to EPA on February 2022, concluded that no new reductions in pollution were warranted for any of the state’s industrial sources – the same sources directly harming national park experiences that locals and visitors alike rely upon for unforgettable experiences in the outdoors and economic value.

“Visitors flock from around the world to Wyoming’s incredible national parks and expect clear, stunning scenic views and clean healthy air, yet haze pollution is a leading threat to these cherished experiences,” said Allison Michalski, Northern Rockies Connectivity Program Manager at the National Parks Conservation Association. “As economic engines, we must put these special places and the communities that rely on them first. For parks to thrive, it’s imperative and long overdue for Wyoming polluters to cut emissions causing hazy skies. EPA must hold Wyoming accountable to ensure clear skies and clean air in accordance with the tried-and-true Regional Haze Rule.”

Weak haze plans have impacted national parks in Wyoming and across the region for years. That’s why advocates are now calling on EPA to enact a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) that includes strong and significant emission-reducing measures for the state’s top haze polluters that include the Jim Bridger, Naughton, Dave Johnston, and Wyodak coal plants. Without action, these facilities will continue spewing haze pollution throughout Wyoming’s beloved national parks.

“National parks in Wyoming, from Devil’s Tower to the majestic Tetons and Yellowstone are incredible sights to behold. As are other parks in nearby states like Wind Cave, Badlands, and Rocky Mountain, but not when they all are obscured with regional haze, resulting from coal plants and industrial facilities that lack modern pollution controls. I appreciate efforts by the EPA and my former National Park Service colleagues to ensure cleaner skies in these special places,“ said Sue Consolo-Murphy, a retired NPS employee and member of the Coalition to Preserve America’s National Parks in Wapiti, Wyoming.

EPA has until November 22, 2024 to issue its final rule based on a consent decree signed by the U.S. District Court in response to legal action by Earthjustice, Environment Integrity Project, National Parks Conservation Association, and Sierra Club, which includes deadlines for EPA to take action on 32 states’ plans to reduce haze pollution in national parks and wilderness areas. If EPA finalizes its current decision to disapprove the SIP, it has two years to implement a federal plan.

“People come to Wyoming for our crystal clear skies and to escape the smog they may live in. They won’t come to Yellowstone and Grand Teton if their views of the Grand are impeded by preventable haze, or if they are forced to breathe air filled with dust and particulates,” said Andrew Salter, Northern Rockies Regional Council Member for National Parks Conservation Association in Jackson, Wyoming. “I have made the choice, like many others, to make this region my home, in the clear air of the Grand Tetons – the backdrop that defines our community. WYDEQ proposed a weak, do-nothing regional haze plan that does not hold our state’s polluters accountable for their haze-causing pollution. Thanks to today’s decision, EPA has taken a critical step towards achieving cleaner air in Wyoming.”

“Until EPA implements and enforces a Federal Implementation Plan, Wyoming will continue to submit flawed plans that allow our state’s worst polluters off the hook for emission controls,” said Rob Joyce, chapter director of the Sierra Club in Wyoming. “The longer that Wyoming is back at the drawing board, the more our air quality suffers, impacting the iconic and defining landscapes in treasured national parks. It’s urgent that EPA finalizes its proposal to disapprove the state’s flawed plan. In the meantime, it’s vital that community members weigh in, and call for the rejection and replacement of the state plan.”

“The people of Wyoming are thankful EPA is following the law and the science and forcing our state leaders to do more to clean up the pollution that mars our skies and hurts our health,” said Shannon Anderson, staff attorney at Powder River Basin Resource Council. “Wyomingites are calling on EPA to act swiftly to finally hold our coal-burning utilities accountable.”

Regional haze pollution in Wyoming muddies scenic views and can travel hundreds of miles from its original source, through communities and neighborhoods, causing serious health impacts like heart and respiratory disease.

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.6 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.

About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.