Federal Implementation Plan proposes stringent air quality regulations.

Southern California may soon face new air quality regulations. On July 18th, 1994, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be receiving public testimony on EPA's proposed Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) -- a plan designed to heavily regulate business in the South Coast Air Basin to achieve the air quality goals set by Congress in the Clean Air Act of 1990.

Despite local plans to achieve clean air, the EPA determined in the late 1980's that such efforts would not be sufficient to reach attainment by deadlines set forth in the Clean Air Act. The Act requires EPA to develop its own regulations for an area if the local authorities are unable to demonstrate reasonable progress towards attainment. EPA did not at first develop these regulations. However, as a result of three separate lawsuits by the environmental community against EPA, the federal courts have ordered EPA to develop and adopt a Federal Implementation …