Trump admin to stop enforcing certain criminal Clean Air Act cases

The Trump administration Wednesday announced it would stop enforcing certain criminal violations of the Clean Air Act.

The move signals President Donald Trump and his administration's latest action to pull back previous environmental protections under the federal law that regulates air emissions and pollution.

"Today, @TheJusticeDept is exercising its enforcement discretion to no longer pursue criminal charges under the Clean Air Act based on allegations of tampering with onboard diagnostic devices in motor vehicles," the DOJ Environment and Natural Resources Division wrote in a statement on X.

"DOJ is committed to sound enforcement principles, efficient use of government resources, and avoiding overcriminalization of federal environmental law. In partnership with the @EPA, DOJ will still pursue civil enforcement for these violations when appropriate," the agency wrote.

The Clean Air Act is landmark federal legislation originally enacted in 1970 and substantially amended in 1990, designed to regulate air pollution and protect public health by establishing national air quality standards and emissions limits for various pollutants. The law created the framework for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set and enforce air pollution standards, required states to develop implementation plans to meet those standards and established regulations for stationary sources such as power plants and industrial facilities, as well as mobile sources like automobiles. It has been considered one of the most significant environmental protection laws in U.S. history.