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Culture War Roundup for the week of March 3, 2025

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Well, with respect, that's the entire dispute between the EPA and SF.

What I'm saying is that I think it would be reasonable policy and a reasonable interpretation of the quoted statutory clause for the EPA to require polluters change their discharge methods, if overall pollution in their primary discharge environment exceeds a set limit.

To clarify, I surmise but want to confirm, this was intended to mean that, under those conditions, the EPA can require polluters to change their discharge methods going forwards.

If so, I agree wholeheartedly. The EPA can restrict existing sources of pollution, provided that it gives polluters a specific limit of pollutants to which they must comply in the future.

That is not what the EPA proposed to do here, which is why even San Francisco sued over it.

Yes, I was referring to the EPA needing/having the ability to restrict future permitted pollution by regulated actors, in response to observed overall pollution levels, as a condition of granting said permits to pollute. I should have been more clear I wasn't commenting on the specific case.

That would be an excellent way to run the EPA. Alas.