Without NSR, Americans would suffer from increases in pollution from thousands of old and dirty industrial facilities, including oil refineries and power plants.

Beginning in December 2002, the Bush administration has made major changes to the NSR program that greatly weakened its safeguards. This was done amid huge outcries from states, public health organizations and environmental groups. The changes allow older, dirty facilities—up to 17,000 of them—to continue operating and even increase their emissions without installing modern pollution controls.

Earthjustice is challenging the Bush administration’s blatant violation of the Clean Air Act. Representing a broad coalition of groups including the American Lung Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club, Earthjustice attorneys will fight to protect communities around the nation from the dangers of dirty air.