Madison, WI—In a bipartisan effort, Senator Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) and Representative Dave Maxey (R-New Berlin) sent a letter to President Trump on Monday asking him to roll back stricter federal ozone pollution standards that are affecting southeastern Wisconsin.
In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lowered the federal ozone standard. As a result, Milwaukee County, Ozaukee County, and parts of Washington, Waukesha, Racine, Sheboygan, and Kenosha counties were first classified as “marginal” nonattainment areas and later re-designated as “moderate” in 2021. These areas have now been reclassified as “serious” nonattainment, triggering stricter regulations on development that took effect on January 16, 2025.
The “serious” classification places major new limitations on the construction of new facilities and the expansion of existing ones—changes that will threaten job growth and economic development across southeastern Wisconsin.
Southeastern Wisconsin’s ozone pollution primarily results from emissions in neighboring states. In a 2023 letter to the EPA, the director of air management for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources emphasized this point, stating the nonattainment classification is “based almost entirely on the lack of effective controls on out-of-state emissions transported to Wisconsin.” Meeting this new standard through state-level emission reductions alone, the letter notes, is not feasible.
“These impossible standards will significantly hinder economic growth in southeastern Wisconsin,” said Representative Maxey. “I shudder to think what will happen if companies decide doing business here is not sustainable. We’re talking thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic impact. The EPA is gambling with Wisconsin’s economy and people’s lives, and this needs to stop now. I urge President Trump to take all necessary actions to eliminate these restrictive standards.”
“Stricter federal mandates will further harm southeastern Wisconsin employers, workers and families just trying to get by. These senseless rules would deal yet another setback to
communities that already face a host of other challenges and won’t even achieve the objective we all share of cleaner air. I’m glad to see leaders from all corners of our state and region come together to recognize the dire consequences and urge a resolution to this arbitrary federal action,” said Senator Hutton.
Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation supports lifting these restrictions. The letter now heads to the President’s desk for his consideration.
