Madison, WI – A federal appeals court has sided with Wisconsin in the fight against burdensome ozone regulations, granting a stay on the EPA’s decision to classify parts of southeastern Wisconsin as a “serious” nonattainment area under the 2015 ozone standard. This includes Waukesha County.
The ruling comes just months after Representative Dave Maxey (R–New Berlin) and Senator Rob Hutton (R–Brookfield) sounded the alarm, urging President Trump to intervene and reverse the EPA’s reclassification. Their June letter warned that the new designation would stall economic growth, block business expansion, and jeopardize thousands of jobs while failing to address the true source of the problem – pollution drifting in from neighboring states.
In response, Representative Maxey issued the following statement:
“From the start, I said these impossible standards would prevent new businesses from coming here and drive out the businesses that have been thriving here. The Court’s decision validates the concerns we raised and keeps businesses from being strangled by rules that make absolutely no sense.
“This fight is not over. The truth is simple. Wisconsin is being punished for pollution we did not create. This ruling is an important step to protecting Wisconsin from this madness.”
The EPA rule, issued late last year, would have imposed strict permitting and compliance hurdles across Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Racine, Sheboygan, and Kenosha counties. With the Court’s stay, enforcement of those rules is paused while the legal challenge continues.
