Petition — Environmental Protection Agency v. Brown
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Suorome Court, U. &
fFiLED
DEC 24 1975
MICHAEL b g tA
In the Supreme Court af the United Staten
OCTOBER TERM, 1975
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, PETITIONER
Vv.
EDMUND G. BROWN, JR., GOVERNOR OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, ET AL.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, PETITIONER
Y.
STATE OF ARIZONA, ET AL.
PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR
THE NINTH CIRCUIT
ROBERT H. BORK,
Solicitor General,
PETER R. TAFT,
Assistant Attorney General,
HARRIET S. SHAPIRO,
Assistant to the Solicitor General,
EDMUND B. CLARK,
MICHAEL D. GRAVES,
NEIL T. PROTO,
Attorneys,
Department of Justice,
Washington, D.C. 20530.
ROBERT V. ZENER,
General Counsel,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Washington, D.C. 205380.
Page
I ID in s.nicnittnnsitensiaieliistiigaiinaiateaniasiaabiiiadiile 1
EIEIO sccisccncittsescissustppaciabisiiiehiandantieadiicnoas sauilindua 2
A aS nee 2
Constitutional and statutory provisions and
regulations involved 3
SI cecal bataneeatacs ddinindiendipaidlamenadiaeei 3
A. The statutory scheme >
B. The California and Arizona Trans-
portation Control Plans —...----.____. 8
C. The decisions below 11
Reasons for granting the writ 15
Conclusion 19
CITATIONS
Cases:
District of Columbia v. Train, et al., 521
ff ee
Maryland v. Environmental Protection
Agency, C.A. 4, No. 74-1007, decided
September 19, 1975 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Natural Resources Defense Council v.
Environmental Protection Agency, 475
F.2d 968 __........ eee saahaeeeaae Eames 9, 10-11
Pennsylvania v. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, 500 F.2d 246. t(Cttsé«i2 3 16
Train Vv. Natural Resources Defense
6 6 ee ene 15
II It
Constitution, statutes and regulations: Page Constitution, statutes and
United States Constitution: regulations—Continued Page
Article I, Section 8 A7a 40 C.F.R. 51.1(r) onsen eonncocenecnenenes 11
I I saccisiciniciniirinmennenanmniies 67a-68a
Article VI 47a ri
Tenth Amendment 47a 49 C.F.R. 52.137-52.139 o Henaee RacaossensSeeSesenes
40 C.F.R. 52.242 19, 68a-T1a
Clean Air Act, 81 Stat. 485, as amended,
42 U.S.C. 1857 et seq.: Miscellaneous:
Sec. 101 _...__. 48a-49a Committee Print, Serial No. 93-18, A
Sec. 101 (a) (2) 3-4, 48a Legislative History of the Clean Air
See. 101(a) (3) _ ee 4, 48a Amendments of 1970, 93d Cong., 2d
Sec. 101(b) (1) a 8, 48a-49a Sess. (1974) 6
Sec. 107a - ce eee ee. By 498 Department of Health, "Education. and
Sec. 109 6, Ga-Bla Welfare, Nos. AP-63 and AP-64, “Air
Sec. 109(b) (1) Ls Quality Criteria for Photochemical Oxi-
Sec. 109(b) (2) —. _4, 50a-5la dants” and “Air Quality Criteria for
Sec. 110 _. ees 5, 7, 13, 5la-62a Hydrocarbons” (1970) _. ila 6
Sec. 110(a) - __6, 5la-55a 36 Fed. Reg. 8186 6
Sec. 110(a) (1) = _4, 5la-52a ke SS 6
Sec. mre eal (A) __5, 52a-54a 37 Fed. Reg. 10842 _. 8
Sec. 110(c)(1) - 1, 55a-56a 37 Fed. Reg. 10851 8
See. 110(d) CO, a 88 Fed. Reg. 2194 8
Sec. 110(e) BR TE ph a _9, 59a-60a fu peeeeeneeee 9
_ >: an 4, 12, 13, 62a-66a 38 Fed. Reg. 10119 - 11
See. 113(a)(1) __ _7, 8, 10, 62a-63a 38 Fed. Reg. 30626, 30632 - 18
See. 113(a)(2) 000 «8 Bl | 38 Fed. Reg. 31232 et seg. iano 9
Sec. 113(a) (4) _. 8, 64a 2 ff dll 11
See. 113(b) 8 haa 40 Fed. Reg. 28064 - 11
FF FT 40 Fed. Reg. 29713 _ _. 11
See. 302(e) «7, Oe H. R. Pep. No. 91-1196, 91st Cong., 2d
Eee 4, 67a I MII scene eatltlinaianaheeniianiads 6
sec. 570) (i) tttstst—CSsS 11 S. Rep. No. 91-1196, 91st Cong., 2d Sess.
Ann. Cal. Code, Bus. & Prof., See. tei RENEE 5, 6
9889.50 et seg. (1973) 10
In the Supreme Court of the United Stater
OCTOBER TERM, 1975
No.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, PETITIONER
Vv.
EDMUND G. BROWN, JR., GOVERNOR OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, ET AL.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, PETITIONER
v.
STATE OF ARIZONA, ET AL,
PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR
THE NINTH CIRCUIT
The Solicitor General, on behalf of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency, petitions for a writ of cer-
tiorari to review the judgments of the United States
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in these cases.
OPINIONS BELOW
The opinions of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit in Brown vy. Environmental Protection
Agency (App. A, infra, la-37a) and State of Ari-
(1)
2
zona v. Environmental Protection Agency (App. C,
infra, 40a-44a) are reported at 521 F.2d 827 and
521 F.2d 825, respectively.
JURISDICTION
The judgment of the Court of Appeals for the
Ninth Circuit in Brown v. Environmental Protection
Agency was entered on August 15, 1975 (App. B,
infra, 38a-39a). By order of November 3, 1975, Mr.
Justice Douglas extended the time within which to
file a petition for a writ of certiorari to and including
December 18, 1975. By order of December 8, 1975,
Mr. Justice Rehnquist further extended the time
within which to file a petition for a writ of certiorari
to and including December 24, 1975. The judgment
of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in
State of Arizona v. Environmental Protection Agency
(App. D, infra, 45a-46a) was entered on September
8, 1975. By order of December 1, 1975, Mr. Justice
Rehnquist extended the time within which to file a
petition for a writ of certiorari to and including
December 18, 1975, and by order of December 8,
1975, he further extended that time to and including
December 24, 1975, The jurisdiction of this Court is
invoked under 28 U.S.C. 1254(1).
QUESTIONS PRESENTED
1. Whether, upon a State’s failure to adopt an im-
plementation plan meeting the requirements of the
Clean Air Act, the EPA Administrator has authority
under the Act to require the State to inspect motor
3
vehicles to assure that they are properly maintained
to control airborne pollutants within the State.
2. Whether, if the EPA Administrator has such
statutory authority, the Clean Air Act is in this re-
spect a valid exercise of Congress’ power under the
Commerce Clause of the Constitution.
CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY PROVISIONS
AND REGULATIONS INVOLVED
The pertinent provisions and regulations are set
forth in Appendix E, infra, 47a-7la.
STATEMENT
A.
The Statutory Scheme
The Clean Air Act, 81 Stat. 485, as amended, 42
U.S.C. 1857 et seg. (the Act), requires the reduction
of pollutants in the ambient air in order “to protect
and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources
so as to promote the public health and welfare and
the productive capacity of its population.” Section
101(b)(1).’ In concluding that it was necessary to
attain this objective, Congress found that (Section
101(a) (2) )—
the growth in the amount and complexity of air
pollution brought about by urbanization, indus-
trial development, and the increasing use of
motor vehicles, has resulted in mounting dangers
1 For the purpose of clarity, Section references to the Act
will be used; cross-references to the United States Code cita-
tions appear in the Appendix.
4
to the public health and welfare, including injury
to agricultural crops and livestock, damage to
and the deterioration of property, and hazards to
air and ground transportation.
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) must establish standards governing
maximum concentrations of particular pollutants in
the air, but the Act gives state and local governments
the primary responsibility for promulgating enforce-
able regulations to establish and implement air quality
control programs (Section 101(a)(3)). The Act re-
quires each State to submit to the Administrator
plans for “implementation, maintenance, and enforce-
ment” of the national primary and secondary stand-
ards* for every portion of the State within nine
months after the Administrator promulgates those
standards. Section 110(a) (1).
These state plans must provide a_ regulatory
scheme for controlling emissions from stationary and
2 National primary air quality standards are “ambient air
quality standards the attainment and maintenance of which
in the judgment of the Administrator * * * are requisite to
protect the public health.” Section 109(b) (1). A national
secondary ambient air quality standard is “a level of air
quality the attainment and maintenance of which in the judg-
ment of the Administrator * * * is requisite to protect the
public welfare from any known or anticipated adverse effects
associated with the presence of [each] air pollutant [for
which criteria have been established] in the ambient air.”
Section 109(b) (2). The “public welfare” includes “effects on
soils, water, crops, vegetation, manmade materials, animals,
wildlife, weather, visibility, and climate, damage to and deter-
ioration of property, and hazards to transportation, as well as
effects on economic values and on personal comfort and well-
being.” Section 302 (h).
5
moving sources of pollution to the extent necessary to
attain the national standards within each of the
State’s air quality control regions (Section 110). The
Act expressly defines the primary role of the States,
through the mechanism of the implementation plan,
in assuring the attainment of the air quality stand-
ard (Section 107(a)):
Each State shall have the primary responsi-
bility for assuring air quality within the entire
geographic area comprising such State by sub-
mitting an implementation plan for such State
which will specify the manner in which national
primary and secondary ambient air quality
standards will be achieved and maintained with-
in each air quality control region in such State.
The required elements of a state implementation plan
are set forth in Section 110(a)(2)(A)-(H) of the
Act and include: (1) regulations limiting emissions
from old and new pollution sources; (2) schedules
for compliance with the limitations; (3) provisions
for collecting, analyzing and making available emis-
sions data; (4) provisions for such additional meth-
ods of pollution control as may be necessary, includ-
ing land-use and transportation controls;* (5) a de-
scription of the State’s legal authority and resources
to implement its plan; (6) a procedure for revision
* A transportation control measure is “any measure, such
as reducing vehicle use, changing traffic flow patterns, decreas-
ing emissions from individual motor vehicles, or altering
existing modal split patterns [patterns of use of various
transportation methods] that is directed toward reducing
emissions of air pollutants from transportation sources.” 40
C.F.R. 51.1(r). See S. Kep. No. 91-1196, 91st Cong., 2d Sess.
12 (1970).
6
of its plan; (7) provisions for intergovernmental co-
operation; and (8) a procedure for inspection and
testing of motor vehicles.
On April 30, 1971, the Administrator, acting pur-
suant to Section 109 of the Act, promulgated national
primary and secondary air quality standards for six
pollutants. 36 Fed. Reg. 8186. Four of these pollu-
tants—carbon monoxide, photochemical oxidants, ni-
trogen dioxides and hydrocarbons—result chiefly
from motor vehicle emissions, which constitute forty-
eight percent of the total of approximately 190 mil-
lion tons of air pollutants produced in this country
annually.*
Each State was required to submit its implementa-
tion plan to the Administrator for approval no later
than January 30, 1972, and he was to act on all plans
by May 31, 1972 (Section 110(a)).° If the pian
* Motor vehicles emit carbon monoxide (CO) directly into
the air. Emitted hydrocarbons, however, combine with oxides
of nitrogen (NOx) in the presence of sunlight to produce the
secondary pollutant, photochemical oxidants (Smog). See De-
partment of Health, Education and Welfare, Nos. AP-63 and
AP-64, “Air Quality Criteria for Photochemical Oxidants”
and “Air Quality Criteria for Hydrocarbons” (1970); S. Rep.
No. 91-1196, 91st Cong., 2d Sess. 25-28 (1970); H.R. Rep. No.
91-1146, 91st Cong., 2d Sess. 6, 11-13 (1970); Committee
Print, Serial No. 93-18, A Legislative History of the Clean
Air Amendments of 1970, 93d Cong., 2d Sess. (Jan. 1974)
(“Leg. Hist.”), pp. 381-382 (S. Debate on S. 4358, Sept. 22,
1970, Sen. Montoya); Leg. Hist. 228 (S. Debate on S. 4358,
Sept. 21, 1970, Sen Muskie).
°On August 14, 1971, the Administrator announced that
although transportation controls were required as part of a
state plan, a lack of experience and available data made de-
ferral of such controls necessary. Thus submission by the
States of separate transportation control plans was deferred
until February 15, 1973. 36 Fed. Reg. 15486.
ee ee ee
7
submitted was inadequate to meet the primary am-
bient air quality standards, the Administrator was
required to develop and promulgate an appropriate
plan for the State (Section 110(c).°
Section 113 of the Act sets forth the manner in
which EPA is to enforce the Act’s provisions, It pro-
vides in part that whenever the Administrator finds
that “any person is in violation of any requirement
of an applicable implementation plan,”” he shall
notify the person and the State involved of his finding
(Section 113(a) (1) ). If the violation is not corrected
* Section 110(c) (1) provides in pertinent part:
The Administrator shall, after consideration of any
State hearing record, promptly prepare and publish pro-
posed regulations setting forth an implementation plan,
or portion thereof, for a State if—
x * * * *
(B) the plan, or any portion thereof, submitted for
such State is determined by the Administrator not to be
in accordance with the requirements of this section, * * *
a * + * *
* * * The Administrator shall, within six months after
the date required for submission of such plan (or revision
thereof), promulgate any such regulations unless, prior to
such promulgation, such State has adopted and submitted
a plan (or revision) which the Administrator determines
to be in accordance with the requirements of this section.
7 Section 302(e) defines “person”:
The term “person” includes an individual, corporation,
partnership, association, State, municipality, and political
subdivision of a State.
An “applicable implementation plan” includes an implemen-
tation plan promulgated by the Administrator under Section
110 (Section 110(d)).
8
within 30 days, the Administrator “may issue an
order requiring such person to comply with the re-
quirements of such plan or he may bring a civil
action” in the appropriate district court (ibid.).* In
the civil action the court may issue a permanent or
temporary injunction against “any person” who vio-
lates or fails or refuses to comply with an order or
any requirement of an applicable implementation plan
(Section 113(b) ).’
The California and Arizona Transportation Control Plans
1. California. On February 21, 1972, the State of
California submitted its ‘mplementation plan for
achieving and maintaining the national ambient air
quality standards, 37 Fed. Reg. 10851. As permitted
by the Administrator (supra, note 5), the plan did
not contain transportation control measures. The Ad-
ministrator found the plan inadequate in several re-
spects (37 Fed. Reg. 10842; 38 Fed. Reg. 2194).
While development of a revised plan was being nego-
tiated, the United States Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia Circuit held that the Adminis-
trator had improperly permitted postponement of
* The order does not take effect until the person to whom
it is issued has had an opportunity to confer with the Admin-
istrator concerning the violation (Section 113(a) (4) ).
°The Act also provides for “Federally assumed enforce-
ment” of an “applicable implementation plan” whose require-
ments are being implemented by the State ineffectively (Sec-
tion 113 (a) (2)).
nee er eerie
9
submission of the transportation control portions of
state implementation plans beyond the statutory dead-
line of January 30, 1972. Natural Resources Defense
Council v. Environmental Protection Agency, 475
F.2d 968. The court ordered the Administrator to
rescind all previously granted extensions for the sub-
mission and implementation of transportation control
measures and to require the States to submit appro-
priate measures by April 15, 1973. The court directed
the Administrator to prepare and publish a plan as
required by the Act if a State failed to submit such
measures, 475 F.2d at 970-971.
On March 20, 1973, the Administrator notified the
States of the requirement to submit transportation
control measures. 38 Fed. Reg. 7323. The State of
California failed to submit adequate measures; ac-
cordingly, on June 22, 1973, the Administrator dis-
approved the measures submitted, and promulgated
a substitute transportation control plan for the State
of California on November 12, 1973 (38 Fed. Reg.
31232 et seqg.)”
The Administrator's plan included specific re-
quirements applicable to the various California air
quality control regions and general requirements ap-
plicable throughout the State."' One basic requirement
10 The Administrator granted the State a two-year extension
of time to meet the primary standards for photochemical oxi-
dants and carbon monoxide under Section 110(e) of the Act.
11 These requirements are summarized in the opinion below
(App. A, infra, 10a-lla); some of them have subsequently
been revoked or suspended (App. A, infra, 12a).
10
was that the State “establish an inspection and main-
tenance program applicable to all light-duty vehicles”
operating on state-owned streets and highways (40
C.F.R. 52.242, App. E, infra, 70a). The State was
required to submit “a detailed compliance schedule
showing the steps it will take to establish and en-
force” the inspection and maintenance program, in-
cluding the text of needed statutory proposals or
regulations, and a “signed statement from the Gov-
ernor” identifying the sources and amount of funds
for the program (id. at 70a-7la).
The State of California did not timely submit an
inspection and maintenance program, as required by
the EPA plan, and on April 14, 1975, EPA sent the
State of California a notice of violation pursuant to
Section 113(a)(1) of the Act. The notice cited the
State’s failure “to submit the compliance schedule or
the adopted regulations establishing the inspection and
maintenance program” pursuant to the EPA-promul-
gated implementation plan (App. A, infra, 7a). The
legislature of California has authorized the Governor
to implement a mandatory inspection and mainte-
nance program in the Los Angeles air quality con-
trol region, and later to expand the program to other
parts of the State. Ann. Cal. Code, Bus. & Prof.,
Sec. 9889.50 et seg. (1973).
2. Arizona. The implementation plan submitted
by Arizona on January 28, 1972, also omitted trans-
portation control plans. On April 13, 1973, following
the decision in Natural Resources Defense Council, v.
Environmental Protection Agency, supra, the State
11
submitted its transportation control plan. 38 Fed.
Reg. 10119. The Administrator concluded that this
plan contained an acceptable program for the inspec-
tion and maintenance of motor vehicles (38 Fed. Reg.
33369), but he added three provisions to assure com-
pliance with the Act: (1) a management-of-parking-
supply regulation, (2) an employee carpool incentive
program, and (3) a bus/carpool lane program (40
C.F.R. 52.137-52.139).’* These provisions required
the State to submit schedules showing how it planned
to meet the required deadlines for implementing the
programs. No such schedules were submitted; in-
stead, the State petitioned the court of appeals for
review of the Administrator’s action pursuant to
Section 307(b) (1) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 1857h-5(b)
(1).
C.
The Decisions Below
1. Edmund G. Brown, Jr., et al. v. Environmental
Protection Agency. Petitions to review the California
implementation plan promulgated by EPA were time-
ly filed in the court of appeals by approximately 208
parties pursuant to Section 307/b)(1) of the Act,
42 U.S.C. 1857h-5(b)(1). After preliminary pro-
ceedings, the court and the parties determined that the
question of the scope of EPA’s authority to require
compliance by the State was ripe for immediate ad-
1? EPA subsequently suspended the management-of-parking-
supply regulation (40 Fed. Reg. 28064, 29713).
12
judication. Other constitutional and statutory ques-
tions were to be heard at a iater date.
The court concluded that the Clean Air Act does
not authorize the “imposition of sanctions on a state
or its officials for failure to comply with the Adminis-
trator’s regulations which direct the state to regulate
the pollution-creating activities of those other than
itself * * *” (App. A, infra, 9a). The court reached
this conclusion on the basis of Section 113, which it
read as distinguishing between “persons” (agaizist
whom sanctions for non-compliance with implementa-
tion plans could be enforced) and States (App. A,
infra, 17a-23a) ; in light of court’s view of the struc-
ture of the Act; and because “Congress would not
have intended to take such a step in the light of the
delicacy with which federal-state relations always
have been treated by all branches of the Federal gov-
ernment in this obscure manner” (App. A, infra,
16a). The court recognized that “our reading of
section 113 and our perception of the structure of the
Act is not unambiguously supported by the appli-
cable legislative history” (App. A, infra, 19a).
Although resting its decision on statutory inter-
pretation, the court discussed the constitutional is-
sues that would be raised by a cortrary interpreta-
tion. Economic activity by the States that substan-
tially affects interstate commerce is subject to federal
regulation under the Commerce Clause, but no case,
according to the court of appeals, “holds or even sug-
gests that a state’s exercise of its police power with
respect to an econom:c activity which affects inter-
13
state commerce is itself an economic activity or ‘spe-
cies of commercial intercourse’ subject to regulation
by Congress” (App. A, infra, 27a). Thus, the federal
government cannot force a State to regulate air pol-
lution caused by others. Otherwise, the court sug-
gested, States might be deprived of cortrol over the
manner in which their tax revenues are spent and
might become simply tools for effectuating federally-
prescribed policies (App. A, infra, 32a-37a).
2. State of Arizona v. Environmental Protection
Agency. Petitions for review of EPA’s revisions of
the Arizona Transportation Control Plan were timely
filed by six parties, including the State of Arizona.
On September 8, relying on its decision in Brown v.
Environmental Protection Agency, supra, the court
of appeals held that “the Clean Air Act does not
authorize the imposition of sanctions against the
State of Arizona or its officials for failure to comply
with” the EPA amendments to the state inyplementa-
tion plan (App. C, infra, 43a).
3. Shortly after the Ninth Cireuit decided Brown
and Arizona, the Fourth Cireuit faced the issues pre-
sented in these cases in Maryland v. Environmental
Protection Agency, No. 74-1007, decided September
19, 1975."* Although focusing on Section 110 of the
Act, rather than Section 113, the court reached a con-
18 The Third Circuit had previously held, in Pennsylvania V.
Environmental Protection Ageney, 500 F.2d 246, that the
Clean Air Act gives the Administrator the authority to compel
state compliance with federally-promulgated implementation
plans and that the Act is constitutional.
14
clusion similar to that of the Ninth Circuit. In order
to avoid serious constitutional questions, it held that
“the EPA was without authority under the statute, as
a matter of statutory construction, to require Mary-
land to establish [transportation control] programs
and furnish legal authority for the administration
thereof” (slip op. at 41-42).
In District of Columbia v. Train, 521 F.2d 971,
the most recent case to consider these issues, the
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
took a somewhat different approach. It held that the
Administrator has no authority under the Act to re-
quire the States to adopt legislation or regulations to
establish a transportation control program found
necessary by EPA. Thus, if a State fails to submit
an acceptable plan, the Administrator must promul-
gate the regulations to be applied within the State;
he cannot compel the State to do so (521 F.2d at 983-
986). But, the court held, once such regulations have
been promulgated, the Act authorizes the Adminis-
trator to require the States to enforce them. The
court then faced the constitutional issue avoided by
the Ninth and Fourth Circuits and concluded that
a State could be required to enforce federal regu-
lations designed to control pollution the State caused
directly (e.g., through operation of state owned ve-
hicles) or indirectly (e.g., through allowing use of
state roads by vehicles not conforming to federal
requirements). But although the federal power ex-
tended to requiring the States to prohibit the use
of state roads by vehicles that do not comply with
'
i
:
H
15
federal standards, it could not constitutionally extend
to requiring the State to inspect privately operated
vehicles to assure that they are properly equipped and
maintained (521 F.2d at 992-994).
REASONS FOR GRANTING THE WRIT
The EPA Administrator’s authority to promulgate
transportation control plans to be enforced by the
States is of basic importance to the effectiveness of
the Clean Air Act. The courts of appeals that have
considered the extent of that authority have reached
widely varying and inconsistent conclusions on both
statutory and constitutione! grounds, Review by this
Court can end the uncertainty and confusion that
have resulted.“ Moreover, the constitutional princi-
ples involved here are fundamental to the federal
system, and the final resolution of the conflict among
the circuits may substantially determine what legis-
lative alternatives are available to Congress in the
future.
If the Clean Air Act does not permit the Adminis-
trator to promulgate effective plans to control the
-emission of pollutants by motor vehicles after the
States have failed to do so and to require the States
to implement and enforce them, then, as a practical
matter, the Act may be as ineffectual as previous
efforts to persuade the States to improve air quality
(See Train v. Natural Resources Defense Council,
14 The Solicitor General has authorized the filing of petitions
for writs of certiorari in Maryland v. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, supra, and District ef Columbia v. Train, supra.
16
421 U.S. 60, 63-65). This will mean that air pollu-
tion associated with our existing transportation sys-
tems will remain substantially uncontrolled since
comprehensive pollution control programs governing
motor vehicles in use are financially and adminis-
tratively beyond the capability of EPA.
Alternatively, if the Act does provide for federal
supervision of state transportation control systems,
but the means Congress chose to provide that super-
vision are unconstitutional, this would not only pro-
voke congressional reconsideration of the Act; it
would also indicate that other state administered,
federally supervised programs not tied to grants-in-
aid are of dubious constitutionality, and that the
statutory scheme utilized here must be avoided in
future legislation.
As matters now stand, the Administrator faces a
dilemma from the conflicting decisions concerning
his obligations under the Act. In the Third Circuit, he
has the duty to promulgate, when necessary, substitute
transportation control plans, including inspection and
maintenance programs, requiring the States to adopt
and enforce pollution control measures (Pennsyl-
vania v. Environmental Protection Agency, 500 F.2d
246). In the Ninth and Fourth Circuits, he must him-
self adopt and enforce the necessary measures (Brown
v. Environmental Protection Agency, supra, and
Maryland y. Environmental Protection Agency, su-
pra). In the District of Columbia Circuit, he must
adopt a detailed substitute state inspection and main-
tenance program, but may require the States to en-
ee
aid
17
force it in part. (District of Columbia v. Train,
supra). |
The difficulty of the Administrator’s position is
highlighted by the fact that the plan at issue in
District of Columbia v. Train includes the entire
national capital area. Thus, the Administrator has
been instructed by one court of appeals that the Act
requires him to develop regulations for enforcement
by the States of Maryland and Virginia in the Wash-
ington suburban area, while he has been told by an-
other court of appeals with jurisdiction over Mary-
land and Virginia that he has no authority to require
the States to enforce such plans (Maryland v. Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency, supra). Only this
Court can resolve this dilemma.
As to the merits, we believe the court below erred
in its interpretation of the Act, misreading the Act’s
provisions to avoid facing admittedly difficult consti-
tutional issues. The Act contemplates that if a State
fails to promulgate an appropriate implementation
plan, the Administrator must himself do so. But
once substitute measures have been promulgated to
control motor vehicle emissions, the State can be
compelled to implement them, although this may re-
15 EPA does not challenge in this Court the decision of the
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that,
in the absence of a satisfactory state plan, the Administrator
must promulgate a comprehensive substitute plan, and cannot
simply direct the State to pass legislation or regulations
establishing programs that comply with the Act.
18
quire appropriation of state funds or even enactment
of complementary state legislation.’
° The Administrator has described his interpretation of the
scope of his authority as follows (38 Fed. Reg. 30626, 30632
(Nov. 6, 1973):
Many of the measures promulgated herein include re-
quirements that Federal, State or local units of govern-
ment take specified actions to control air pollution from
transportation systems. The Clean Air Act and its legis-
lative history demonstrate that this was the intent of
Congress. The approach of leaving primary responsibility
for implementation at the State and local level is also
made necessary by the nature of air pollution generated
by millions of individual vehicles operating on an exten-
sive network of public roads owned and administered by
State and local governments.
The specific requirements imposed herein upon States
and localities are based largely on two conclusions in ad-
dition to the factors discussed above: (1) that the gov-
ernmental units must abide by valid implementation plan
requirements just as much as any other source owners,
and (2) that they are the owners and operators of pol-
lution sources through their ownership and operation
of highway transportation facilities.
x x * * *
Transportation is a necessary service. In our society,
the form in which it is provided depends overwhelmingly
on the regulatory, taxing, and investment decisions made
at all levels of government. By building and maintaining
roads and highways, by licensing vehicles and operators,
by providing a system of traffic laws, and in many other
ways, government has encouraged the growth of auto-
mobile use to its present levels. There is nothing in-
evitable about such a choice. Governments could equally
well have chosen ‘o discharge their basic function of
maintaining a transportation system in ways that would
have discouraged the use of single-passenger automobiles,
and encouraged the use of mass transit. But often they
have not.
19
While we recognize that this interpretation of the
Act raises significant constitutional questions, we
do not believe that they can legitimately be avoided.
Congress acted on the firm belief that when analyzed
in the light of this Court’s decisions and the precise
scope of the authority granted by the Act, the Con-
stitution permits the allocation of responsibilities Con-
gress has enacted.
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, the petition for a writ of
certiorari should be granted.
Respectfully submitted.
ROBERT H. Bork,
Solicitor General.
PETER R. TAFT,
Assistant Attorney General.
HARRIET S. SHAPIRO,
Assistant to the Solicitor General.
EDMUND B. CLARK,
MICHAEL D. GRAVES,
NEIL T. PROTO,
Attorneys.
ROBERT V. ZENER,
General Counsel,
Environmental Protection Agency.
DECEMBER 1975.
la
APPENDIX A
(CORRECTED OPINION )
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
No. 73-3306
EDMUND G. BROWN, JR., GOVERNOR OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, ET AL., PETITIONERS,
v8.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT.
No. 73-3305
TRUSTEES OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
& COLLEGES, ETC., PETITIONER,
v8.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT.
No. 73-3307
CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, ET AL.,
PETITIONERS,
v8.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT.
2a
On Petition to Review Actions of the Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency
OPINION
[August 15, 1975]
Before: WRIGHT, KILKENNY and SNEED, Cir-
Cuit Judges.
SNEED, Circuit Judge:
This is a proceeding growing out of numerous
petitions for review of certain regulations of the En-
vironmental Protection Agency. Petitioners included
the Governor of the State of California, Trustees of
the California State University and Colleges, the
California Air Resources Board, numerous California
cities and counties, private business concerns, and
others. Certain of these petitioners filed consolidated
briefs in which certain constitutional questions were
raised. In due course, the Agency moved to expedite
the hearing with respect to these constitutional is-
sues. This motion was granted. Those petitioners
seeking to present constitutional issues thereafter
were directed to appear at a prehearing conference
pursuant to Rule 33, Fep. R. App. P., at which the
issues sought to be raised were identified and the
time to be allowed for oral argument was fixed. At
this prehearing conference, the petitioners were in-
formed that this Court contemplated entering a judg-
ment regarding the constitutional issues pursuant to
Rule 54(b), Fep. R. Civ. P., prior to a hearing on,
or disposition of, such other issues as were raised by
3a
the petitioners. Oral argument on the constitutional
issues has been heard and our disposition of them is
set forth herein. Our jurisdiction to hear these peti-
tions is based on Section 307(b) of the Clean Air
Act.*
I.
The Background of This Proceeding
The controversy between the petitioners and the
Administrator has its roots in the Clean Air Amend-
ments of 1970.2 Under these Amendments, Califor-
nia was required to submit for the approval of the
Administrator a state plan providing for the imple-
mentation, maintenance, and enforcement of national
ambient air quality standards,’ including, if neces-
sary, land-use and transportation controls.‘ Califor-
nia complied by submitting its plan on February 21,
1 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857h-5(b) (West Supp. 1975). In view of
the issuance of a “Notice of Violation” by EPA to the State,
which is the initial step in applying sanctions for non-
compliance with EPA regulations, and in view of the interre-
lationship between the enforcement procedures and the sub-
stantive regulations contained in the EPA’s implementation
plan, the constitutional challenges here made are clearly ripe
for adjudication. See Pennsylvania v. Environmental Pro-
tection Agency, 500 F.2d 246, 256 n.17 (3d Cir. 1974); and
text pp. 6-7.
2 Act of Dec. 31, 1970, P.L. 91-604, 84 Stat. 1676, amending
42 U.S.C. § 1857 et seq. (Supp. V, 1969).
Clean Air Act §110(a), 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857c-5(a) (West
Supp. 1975).
*Clean Air Act §110(a) (2) (B), 42 U.S.C. § 1857c-5(a)
(2) (B) (West Supp. 1975).
4a
1972.° The Administrator approved this plan in part
and disapproved it in part on May 31, 1972.° Fol-
lowing a further revision by California and partial
approval by the Administrator, there were promul-
gated rules by the Administrator on September 22,
1972, applicable to certain aspects of air pollution
control." These rules, however, did not purport to
control photochemical oxidants.
This omission led to City of Riverside v. Ruckels-
haus 4 E.R.C. 1728 (C.D. Cal. 1972), a suit in the
District Court for the Central District of California,
in which the Administrator was ordered to promul-
gate regulations to control photochemical oxidants,
including all necessary transportation controls and
land-use controls, not later than January 15, 1973.
The Administrator thereafter issued such regulations
but, pursuant to discretion recognized by the court in
City of Riverside, extended the time within which
the national primary standard for photochemical oxi-
dants in California could be attained for two years.*
Such extensions were held impermissible under the
terms of the Clean Air Act in National Resources
Defense Council, Inc. v. Environmental Protection
Agency, 475 F.2d 968 (D.C. Cir. 1973). The court
directed the Administrator to inform the states which
had not submitted an implementation plan enabling
°37 Fed. Reg. 10851 (1972).
°37 Fed. Reg. 10852 (1972).
737 Fed. Reg. 19812-15, 19829-35 (1972).
° 38 Fed. Reg. 2194, 10851 (1973).
5a
them to meet the primary standard by May 31, 1975
to submit such plans, including but not limited to
land-use and transportation controls, not later than
April 15, 1973. California failed to submit the re-
quired plan and the Administrator disapproved its
previous plan because it did not provide for attain-
ment and maintenance of the national standards for
photochemical oxidants.’ Thereafter, the Administra-
tor promulgated a transportation control plan for
California*’ which, together with the regulations
promulgated pursuant to the mandate of the court in
City of Riverside, supra, covered all of California’s
Air Quality Control Regions.
After concluding that attainment of the required
ambient air quality standard for photochemical oxi-
dants and carbon monoxide must be deferred until
1977 because the necessary technology or other alter-
natives are not available,” the Administrator’s plan
contemplated among other things, the reduction of
gasoline sold within the Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Sacramento Valley, San Joaquin Valley and San
Diego Regions; the operation by the State of Califor-
nia of an inspection and maintenance program de-
signed to reduce emissions from automobiles; limita-
tions to be imposed by the State on the use of motor-
cycles; the institution by the State of an oxidizing
catalyst retrofit program; control of dry cleaning
* 38 Fed. Reg. 16550, 16556, 16564 (1973).
1° 88 Fed. Reg. 31232, as corrected, 38 Fed. Reg. 34124,
35467 (1973); 39 Fed. Reg. 1025, 1848 (1974).
11 See Clean Air Act § 110(e) (1) (A), 42 U.S.C. § 1857c-5
(e) (1) (A) (1970).
6a
solvent vapor losses; the imposition of surcharges on
parking spaces; the development of a procedure of
review and approval of construction or modification
of parking facilities; the establishment by the State
of a computer-aided carpool matching system; and
the fixing by the State of certain preferential bus and
carpool lanes.“* This plan specifically directed the
State of California to undertake those tasks assigned
to it, to report its compliance to the Agency, and, in
the case of the inspection and maintenance program,
to report the date by which the State would recom-
mend any needed legislation and to submit “[a]
signed statement from the Governor and State Treas-
urer identifying the sources and amounts of funds
for the program” and the “text of needed legislation”
if existing legislation does not authorize the funds
which the program will require.** Other miscellane-
ous duties were imposed upon the State.* The Agency
has made clear that it believes it has the legal au-
thority to bring civil actions or seek penalties against
the states which fail to comply with its regulations."
At least 208 parties petitioned this Court for a
review of these actions within the 30-day period
12238 Fed. Reg. 31232-55 (1973). The Agency’s require-
ments are codified at 40 C.F.R. §§ 52.220-52.266 (1974).
13 40 C.F.R. § 52.242(f). For similar requirements, see, e.g.,
40 C.F.R. §§ 52.243(f), 52.244(f), 52.257(c), 52.258(f),
52.259(g) (1974).
4 F.g., 40 C.F.R. § 52.262 (1974) (status report on “corri-
dor issues”’).
*° 38 Fed. Reg. 30632-33 (1973).
7a
allowed by the Clean Air Act.’* Many of these have
been dismissed, but a large number are currently
pending. In addition to certain revisions, the Admin-
istrator has suspended indefinitely the regulations
pertaining to management of parking supply” and
has withdrawn all parking surcharge regulations.”
The indefinite suspension of the parking management
regulations has enabled us to dismiss without preju-
dice a number of petitions which were directed to
the validity of these regulations.”
Nonetheless, the Administrator insists that the re-
mainder of its regulations constitute a valid exercise
of its authority and that its directions to the State of
California contained therein must be obeyed. In
keeping with this view, the Administrator on April
11, 1975, dispatched to California a “Notice of Viola-
tion” pursuant to Section 113(a)(1) of the Clean
Air Act” for failure “to submit the compliance
schedule or the adopted regulations establishing the
inspection and maintenance program” required by the
Administrator’s regulations.
The Administrator, however, suggests that a deter-
1% Clean Air Act § 307(b), 42 U.S.C.A. 1857h-5(b) (West
Supp. 1975). The figure 208 is acknowledged by the Agency in
its brief.
740 Fed. Reg. 29713 (1975).
** 39 Fed. Reg. 1848 (1974).
1® California Business Properties Ass’n v. United States
Environmental Protection Agency, No. 73-3268 (9th Cir.,
20 42 U.S.C. § 1857c-8(a) (1) (1970).
8a
mination regarding its authority under the Clean Air
Act and the Constitution is not ripe at the present
time because it has not instituted as yet the proce-
dures necessary to invoke sanctions against the State
of California. The sanctions include, the Administra-
tor insists, injunctive relief,” imposing a receivership
on certain state functions,” holding a state official in
civil contempt with a substantial daily fine until
compliance is secured,” and requiring a state to allo-
cate funds from one portion of its budget to another
in order to finance the undertakings required by the
Agency.“ The Agency disclaims any authority to seek
criminal penalties against state legislators.” It also
indicates that in the final analysis the fashioning of
sanctions is within the discretion of the appropriate
court. We do not believe any doctrine of ripeness or
exhaustion of administrative remedies should pre-
clude our determination of the issues raised in this
proceeding by the State of California and others re-
garding the authority to impose the regulations with
respect to which these petitions for review were filed.
*1 Clean Air Act § 113(b), 42 U.S.C. 1857c-8(b) (Supp. III,
1973).
22 Cf. Turner v. Goolsby, 255 F. Supp. 724, 730, 733-34 (S.D.
Ga. 1966).
*8 Harvest v. Board of Public Instruction, 312 F. Supp. 269,
278 (M.D. Fla. 1°70).
* Wyatt v. Stickney, 344 F. Supp. 373, 377-78 (M.D. Ala.
1972), aff'd, Wyatt v. Aderholt, 503 F.2d 1305, 1316 (5th Cir.
1974).
** Cf. Gravel v. United States, 408 U.S. 606, 616 (1971).
Such issues must be determined in this proceeding
for it is unlikely they could be raised “in a civil or
criminal proceeding for enforcement.” * Moreover,
the orderly administration of the Clean Air Act re-
quires that the serious questions to which the parties
have addressed themselves be resolved as expediti-
ously as possible.
The position of the State of California and the
other petitioners in this proceeding is simply that
the Clean Air Act does not authorize the Adminis-
trator to impose sanctions on the state or its officials
for failure to comply with the regulations here being
reviewed, and that any such attempt based on the
Commerce Power would be unconstitutional. While
we do not feel it necessary to embrace fully Califor-
nia’s position, we do believe that the meaning of the
Clean Air Act, insofar as the impositions of sanc-
tions is concerned, is sufficiently ambiguous to p»rmit
us to interpret it in a fashion that avoids the consti-
tutional issues. Accordingly, we hold that the Clean
Air Act does not authorize the imposition of sanctions
on a state or its officials for failure to comply with
the Administrator’s regulations which direct the state
to regulate the pollution-creating activities of those
other than itself, its instrumentalities and subdivi-
sions, and the municipalities within its borders. Spe-
cifically, we hold that the Clean Air Act does not
authorize the imposition of sanctions for any failure
of the State of California to comply with the direc-
26 See Clean Air Act § 307(b) (2), 42 U.S.C. § 1857h-5(b)
(2) (1970), and note 1 supra.
10a
tions contained in 40 C.F.R. §52.22(a) (growth
plans for maintenance of national standards); 40
C.F.R. § 52.242 (inspection and maintenance pro-
gram); 40 C.F.R. § 52.243 (motorcycle limitation) ;
40 C.F.R. § 52.244 (oxidizing catalyst retrofit); 40
C.F.R. § 52.245 (control of oxides of nitrogen, hydro-
carbon, and carbon monoxide emissions from in-use
vehicles) ; 40 C.F.R. § 52.257 (computer car-pooling
matching) ; 40 C.F.R. § 52.258 (mass transit priority-
exclusive bus use); 40 C.F.R. § 52.259 (ramp meter-
ing and preferential bus/carpool lanes); 40 C.F.R.
§ 52.261 (preferential bus/carpool lanes, San Fran-
cisco Bay Area); 40 C.F.R. § 52.263 (priority treat-
ment for buses and carpools, Los Angeles Region) ;
40 C.F.R. § 52.264 (mass transit priority strategy
and planning) ; 40 C.F.R. § 52.265 (mass transit and
transit priority planning); and 40 C.F.R. § 52.266
(mass transit and transit priority planning). It
follows that we consider 40 C.F.R. § 52.23 (violations
and enforcement) invalid to the extent it is contrary
to this holding.
Our holding recognizes that the pollution-creating
activities of the State of California, its instrumen-
talities and subdivisions, and its municipalities, are
subject to valid regulations promulgated by the Ad-
ministrator. We also recognize that the State must
avoid impeding any enforcement of valid regulations
which the Administrator undertakes. We reject, how-
ever, the view that the Clean Air Act authorizes the
imposition of sanctions against the State for its fail-
ure to administer and enforce a system of regulations
lla
promulgated by the Administrator which are designed
to control the pollution-creating activities of the citi-
zens of the State and others subject to its jurisdic-
tion. Tersely put, the Act, as we see it, permits sanc-
tions against a state that pollutes the air, but not
against a state that chooses not to govern polluters
as the Administrator directs.
In support of this proposition, we shall examine
those portions of the Clean Air Act upon which the
Administrator relies and demonstrate that the Act
does not unambiguously vest him with the powers he
here asserts. Thereafter, we shall examine the consti-
tutional difficulties which the Administrator’s view
encounters and which induce us to reject his interpre-
tation of his powers.”
Il
Interpretation of the Act
The Clean Air Act as amended ™ is both lengthy
27 To support his interpretation, the Administrator relies
upon Weinberger v. Bentex Pharmaceutical, Inc., 412 U.S.
645, 653 (1973); Udall v. Tallman, 380 U.S. 1 (1965); Mitchell
v. DeMario Jewelry, 361 U.S. 288, 291-92 (1960); Porter v.
Warner Holding Co., 328 U.S. 395, 398 (1946); Ashwander
v. Tennessee Valley Authority, 297 U.S. 288, 346-48 (1936);
South Terminal Corp. v. Environmental Protection Agency,
504 F.2d 646 (ist Cir. 1974); Pennsylvania v. Environmental
Protection Agency, 500 F.2d 246, 263 (3d Cir. 1974); Powell
v. Katzenbach, 359 F.2d 221, 235 (D.C. Cir. 1965), cert-
denied, 384 U.S. 906 (1966); 5 B.N.A. “Environmental Re-
porter-—Current Developments” 755 (Sept. 20, 1974); and
cases cited notes 22-25 supra.
28 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857 et seq. (West Supp. 1975) (Chap.
15B-Air Pollution Control).
12a
and complex. It is divided into four subchapters des-
ignated “Air Pollution Prevention and Control,”
“Motor Vehicle Emission Standards,” “General Pro-
visions,” and “Noise Pollution.” As already indi-
cated, the controversy between the Administrator and
the State of California before us grows out of sec-
tion 110(c)(1) of the Act,”® which empowers the
Administrator to promulgate an implementation plan
if the plan submitted by a state is not “in accordance
with the requirements of this section.” * The Admin-
istrator contends that having promulgated such a
plan the Act empowers him to impose sanctions on
the State, or at least on the administrative officials
of the State, should it or they fail to administer and
enforce the plan. It is clear that the Administrator’s
regulation, 40 C.F.R. § 52.23, so provides.”
* 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857c-5 (West Supp. 1975).
* Clean Air Act §110(c)(1)(B), 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857c-5
(c) (1) (B) (West Supp. 1975).
** 40 C.F.R. § 52.23 (1974) provides:
Failure to comply with any provisions of this part shall
render the person or Governmental entity so failing to
comply in violation of a requirement of an applicable
implementation plan and subject to enforcement action
under Section 113 of the Clean Air Act. With regard to
compliance schedules, a person or Governmental entity
will be considered to have failed to comply with the re-
quirements of this part if it fails to timely submit any
required compliance schedule, if the compliance schedule
when submitted does not contain each of the elements
it is required to contain, or if the person or Governmental
entity fails to comply with such schedule. [38 Fed. Reg.
30633 (1973) .]
13a
The statutory authority for this regulation is by
no means apparent. The most likely place in the Act
for such authority to be found would seem to be
section 113 of the Cles Air Act,** which deals with
“Federal enforcement procedures.” More particu-
larly, this authority should appear in subsection
(a) (2) which deals with the situation in which viola-
tions of implementation plans “appear to result from
a failure of the state in which the plan applies to
enforce the plan effectively.” * It does not unambigu-
ously so appear. The subsection first provides that if
the “Administrator finds such failure extends beyond
the 30th day after such notice, he shall give public
2 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857¢c-8 (West Supp. 1975).
% Clean Air Act § 113(a) (2), 42 U.S.C. § 1857c-8(a) (2)
(1970) provides:
(2) Whenever, on the basis of information available
to him, the Administrator finds that violations of an
applicable implementation plan are so widespread that
such violations appear to result from a failure of the
State in which the plan applies to enforce the plan effec-
tively, he shall so notify the State. If the Administrator
finds such failure extends beyond the 30th day after such
notice, he shall give public notice of such finding. During
the period beginning with such public notice and ending
when such State satisfies the Administrator that it will
enforce such plan (hereafter referred to in this section
as “period of federally assumed enforcement”), the Ad-
ministrator may enforce any requirement of such plan
with respect to any person—
(A) by issuing an order to comply with such re-
quirement, or
(B) by bringing a civil action under subsection
(b) of this section.
l4a
notice of such finding.” Thereafter, it provides that
during the period of the state’s recalcitrance or neg-
lect, “the Administrator may enforce any require-
ment of such plan with respect to any person (A) by
issuing an order to comply with such requirement, or
(B) by bringing a civil action under subsection (b)
of this section.” The Administrator contends that,
inasmuch as the term “person” is defined in subsec-
tion 302(e)”* to include a state, municipality, or
political subdivision, subsection 113(a)(2) author-
izes a civil action against a recalcitrant state.
Moreover, he contends that subsections (b)* and
#42 U.S.C. § 1857h(e) (1970).
*° Clean Air Act § 113(b), 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857c-8(b) (West
Supp. 1975) provides:
(b) The Administrator may commence a civil action
for appropriate relief, including a permanent or tempo-
rary injunction, whenever any person—
(1) violates or fails or refuses to comply with any
order issued under subsection (a) of this section; or
(2) violates any requirements of an applicable
implementation plan (a) during any period of Fed-
erally assumed enforcement, or (b) more than 30
days after having been notified by the Administrator
under subsection (a) (1) of this section of a finding
that such person is violating such requirement; or
(3) violates section 1857c-6(e), 1857c-7(c), or
1857c-10(g) of this title; or
(4) fails or refuses to comply with any require-
ment of section 1857c-9 of this title.
Any action under this subsection may be brought in the dis-
trict court of the United States for the district in which the
defendant is located or resides or is doing business, and such
court shall have jurisdiction to restrain such violation and to
15a
(c)** of section 113 which impose sanctions also are
applicable to states because of their use of the term
“person.”
require compilance. Notice of the commencement of such
action shall be given to the appropriate State air pollution
control agency.
* Clean Air Act § 113(c), 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857c-8(c) (West
Supp. 1975) provides:
(c) (1) Any person who knowingly—
(A) violates any requirement of an applicable imple-
mentation plan (i) during any period of Federally as-
sumed enforcement, or (ii) more than 30 days after hav-
ing been notified by the Administrator under subsection
(a) (1) of this section that such person is violating such
requirement, or
(B) violates or fails or refuses to comply with any
order issued by the Administrator under subsection (a)
of this section, or
(C) violates section 1857c-6(e), section 1857c-7 (c), or
section 1857c-10(g) of this title shall be punished by a
fine of not more than $25,000 per day of violation, or by
imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both. If
the conviction is for a violation committed after the first
conviction of such person under this paragraph, punish-
ment shall be by a fine of not more than $50,000 per day
of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than two
years, or by both.
(2) Any person who knowingly makes any false statement,
representation, or certification in any application, record,
report, plan, or other document filed or required to be main-
tained under this chapter or who falsifies, tampers with, or
knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or
method required to be maintained under this chapter; shall
upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than
$10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than six months,
or by both.
l6a
We disagree. While we are not prepared to say
that under no circumstances should the term “per-
son” be read to include a state when used in connec-
tion with a sanction-imposing provision of the Act,
we are convinced that section 113(a)(2) is designed
to provide the Administrator with power to enforce
against polluters provisions of an implementation
plan not being enforced by the state. Moreover, we
are not convinced that the section is designed to equip
the Administrator with power to sanction the non-
enforcing state.
Our lack of conviction on this point primarily is
grounded in our belief that Congress would not have
intended to take such a step in the light of the deli-
cacy with which federal-state relations always have
been treated by all branches of the Federal govern-
ment in this obscure manner. In addition, we should
be reluctant to interpret expansively a provision such
as subsection 113(a)(2) when by doing so we en-
counter fundamental constitutional questions. We
also find comfort in the fact that in subsection 113
(a) (1), as well as within subsection 113(a) (2), the
* Clean Air Act §113(a) (1), 42 U.S.C. § 1857c-8(a) (1)
(1970) provides:
(a) (1) Whenever, on the basis of any information
available to him, the Administrator finds that any person
is in violation of any requirement of an applicable imple-
mentation plan, the Administrator shali notify the person
in violation of the plan and the State in which the plan
applies of such finding. If such violation extends beyond
the 30th day after the date of the Administrator’s notifi-
cation, the Administrator may issue an order requiring
17a
term “State” is employed in a manner that distin-
guishes it from the term “person.” That is, in sub-
section 113(a)(1) the Administrator must notify
both the “person” in violation of a plan and the
“State” in which the plan being violated applies. In
subsection 113(a)(2) when a “State” fails to en-
force the plan effectively, the Administrator may
enforce it against “any person.” Had Congress in-
tended the term “person” in that context to include
the “State,” the natural language to have employed
would have been as follows:
During the period beginning with such public
notice and ending when such State satisfies the
Administrator that it will enforce such plan
(hereinafter referred to in this section as
“period of federally assumed enforcement”), the
Administrator may enforce any requirement of
such plan with respect to any person [, including
the State so failing to enforce the plan effec-
tively |—
The language in brackets is missing from the text of
section 113(a)(2) and we decline to read it in by
way of the statutory definition of the term “person.”
The Administrator had no difficulty in making clear
his intention to impose sanctions on states not en-
forcing effectively implementation plans.“ Congress
can be expected to have no less capacity for clarity.
As we see it, subsections 113(a)(1) and (a) (2)
such person to comply with the requirements of such
plan or he may bring a civil action in accordance with
subsection (b) of this section.
88 See note 31 supra.
18a
are designed to vest the Administrator with power to
enforce a state implementation plan should the state
fail to do so. This parallels the Administrator’s power
to promulgate an implementation plan for a state
which fails to prepare a suitable plan.” A diligent
search of the sections of the Clean Air Act fails to
reveal a single instance in which Congress explicitly
has vested in the Administrator power to compel
the states to administer and enforce regulations
promulgated by him designed to govern polluters,
potential or actual, other than the state, municipality,
or political subdivision of the state. Counsel for the
Administrator also have been unable to guide us to
such a provision. This strengthens our belief that
the function of subsections 113(a)(1) and (a) (2) is
as we perceive it to be.
Viewed generally, the structure of the Clean Air
Act reflects a genuine effort to develop an elaborate
form of cooperative federalism in which both the
Federal government and the states are assigned vital
roles. Techniques such as preemption, total and par-
tial,’ delegations to the states of federal authority,”
* Clean Air Act § 110(c) (1), 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857c-5(c) (1)
(West Supp. 1975).
* Clean Air Act § 119(f), 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857c-10(f) (West
Supp. 1975) (unavailable fuels use requirements); Clean Air
Act § 209(a), 42 U.S.C. § 1857f-6a(a) (1970) (new motor
vehicle emission standards); Clean Air Act § 211(c) (4) (A),
42 U.S.C. § 1857f-6e(c) (4) (A) (1970) (fuel use controls);
Clean Air Act § 233, 42 U.S.C. § 1857f-11 (1970) (aircraft
emission standards).
“E.g., Clean Air Act §107(a), 42 U.S.C. § 1857c-2(a)
(1970) (responsibility for assuring air quality); Clean Air
19a
and the creation of opportunities for states to partici-
pate in the task of controlling air pollution ** are em-
ployed. We find this complex structure incompatible
with the view that buried within section 113 is the
Congressional intent to make the states departments
of the Environmental Protection Agency no less obli-
gated to obey its Administrator’s command than are
its subordinate officials.
We readily acknowledge that our reading of sec-
tion 113 and our perception of the structure of the
Act is not unambiguously supported by the applicable
legislative history. On the other hand, we have found
nothing that marks our interpretation as plainly er-
roneous. An important example of the ambiguity
that characterizes the relevant history is the follow-
ing colloquy between Senator Eagleton of Missouri
and Senator Muskie of Maine following the presen-
tation by Senator Muskie of the Conference Report
on the Clean Air Amendments of 1970. Senator
Eagleton, in commenting on “the significance and the
parameters of this noteworthy piece of legislation,”
said,
Act § 111(c), 42 U.S.C. § 1857c-6(a) (1970) (power to imple-
ment and enforce standards of performance); Clean Air Act
§ 112(d), 42 U.S.C. § 1857c-7(d) (1970) (power to implement
and enforce emission standards for hazardous air pollutants) ;
Clean Air Act § 211(c) (4) (B)-(C), 42 U.S.C. § 1857f-6c(c)
(4) (B)-(C) (1970) (power to prescribe and enforce vehicle
emission controls).
* F.g., Clean Air Act § 210, 42 U.S.C. § 1857f-6b (1970)
(grants for developing and maintaining inspection and con-
trol programs).
20a
I think we should also pause to record that this
bill also marks a very significant step forward
in the continuing development of more respon-
sive and responsible relationships among the
Federal Government and the State and local gov-
ernments of our country .... Would the Sena-
tor from Maine agree that this bill has very
broad significance in the area of Federal-State
relations?
Senator Muskie’s reply was imprecise:
Yes. May I say to the Senator that during the
deliberations on this bill I have been very much
interested in preserving “local option’ features
.... In my judgment, the bill will give State
and local authorities sufficient latitude in select-
ing ways to prevent and control air pollution.
116 Cong. Rec. 42386 (1970).
Another example of this ambiguity is the follow-
ing excerpt pertaining to section 113 taken from the
Senate Report:
If the Secretary should find a State or local
control agency not acting to-abate violations of
implementation plans or to enforce certification
requirements, he would be expected to use the
full force of Federal law. Also, the Secretary
should apply the penalty provisions of this sec-
tion to the maximum extent necessary to under-
write the strong public demand for abatement
of air pollution and to enforce compliance with
the provisions of the Act.
If the Secretary and State and local agencies
should fail their responsibility, the public would
be guaranteed the right to seek vigorous en-
2la
forcement action under citizen suit provisions of
section 304 [42 U.S.C. §1857h-2 (1970) }.
S. Rep. No. 91-1196, 91st Cong., 2d Sess. 20 (1970).
While it is possible to read this as the Administrator
insists we should, it is far more natural and reason-
able to read it as indicating that the Administrator
had ample power to enforce an implementation plan
when a state has failed to do so.
Supporting this view of the Act is the following
comment appearing in the House Report with respect
to the House version of what became section 113 of
the Act:
Whenever the Secretary finds that as a result
of the failure of a state to enforce the plan ap-
plicable to such State, any ambient air quality
standard is not met, the Secretary is directed to
notify the affected State or States, persons not
in compliance with the plan and other interested
parties. If the failure of the State to take ac-
tion extends beyond the 30 days after the Secre-
tary’s notification, the Secretary may request the
Attorney General to bring suit on behalf of the
United States in the appropriate U. S. district
court to secure abatement of the pollution.
H. R. Rep. No. 91-1146, 91st Cong., 2d Sess. 8
(1970).
While the House version was significantly different
from section 113 as enacted, it is by no means clear
that section 113 intended to lump ineffectively-en-
forcing states with polluters and subject each of them
to the same far-ranging set of remedies provided by
22a
that section. To so intend indicates an insensitivity
to the delicacy of federal-state relations which nei-
ther is reflected in other portions of the Act nor is
worthy of Congress.
This recital of inconclusive bits of legislative his-
tory could be continued; however, we limit it to a
few additional examples set forth in the margin.”
*s Congressman Springer, during presentation of the House
Report, said,
The bill provides . . . that State governments will create
plans for the implementation and enforcement of the air
standards. In fact a State may declare more stringent
standards if it feels necessary. ... [But i]f a State hangs
back and fails to move out, the Federal Government will
take over and make rules and regulations amounting to
a State plan. Machinery for forcing a plan upon a State
is spelled out including penalties of $10,000 a day for
failing to act.
116 Cong. Rec. 19206 (1970).
Congressman Vanik, duri: r the same debate, said,
Further, if a State fails to enforce its plan, the Secretary
of Health, Education, and Welfare can notify the State
and persons who violate the plan. If, after such notice,
the State fails to act within 30 days, the Secretary ...
may request the Attorney General of the United States to
bring suit to secure abatement and cessation of the pollu-
tion. A court may then assess a fine of up to $10,000 a
day for each day during which the polluter fails to take
corrective action.
116 Cong. Rec. 19218 (1970).
The Senate Committee on Public Works reported:
If the Secretary should find that a State or local pollution
control agency is not acting to abate violations of imple-
mentation plans or to enforce certification requirements,
23a
he would be expected to use the full force of Federal
law. Also, the Secretary should apply the penalty pro-
visions of this section to the maximum extent necessary
to underwrite the strong public demand for abatement
of air pollution and to enforce compliance with the pro-
visions of this Act.
S. Rep. No. 91-1196, 91st Cong., 2d Sess. 20 (1970).
But Senator Muskie, the floor manager of the Senate bill,
inserted this summary of provisions into the record:
Federal enforcement under section 113 leaves the primary
responsibility with the States for enforcing requirements
under implementation plans. The administrator can issue
an abatement order to a polluter or go to court seeking
an injunction only after 30 days’ notice to an individual
polluter, or 30 days after notifying the State that the
Federal Government is generally assuming enforcement
powers in that State because of a widespread failure of
State’s enforcement. This gives States 30 days in which
to take appropriate action themselves.
116 Cong. Rec. 42385 (1970).
The Senate Report, on the other hand, said this:
The new section [section 116, State retention of author-
ity] prohibits and provides for the enforcement of any
violation by any person, as the term is defined in section
302 of the Act, of any applicable implementation plan,
including any emission requirements forming a part of
the plan, or any emission standard or standard of per-
formance, or procedural requirement established under
the Act.
S. Rep. No. 91-1196, 91st Cong., 2d Sess. 57 (1970).
Finally, the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Com-
merce reported:
If at any time the Secretary determines that any person
is violating the emission standards or that the State or
interstate agency is failing to carry out such plan, the
Secretary is directed to notify the agencies as well as the
violator and specify the time within which such viola-
24a
Enough has been said to demonstrate why we do not
feel compelled by the language of the Act to reach
the serious constitutional issues which the Adminis-
trator’s interpretation raises. Validation of our in-
terpretation, however, requires that we set forth
these issues and, by suggesting our evaluation of
them, reveal the intensity of our desire to avoid con-
fronting them. To this task we now turn.
ITI.
Constitutional Issues
The Administrator contends that his interpreta-
tion encounters no constitutional barriers. Planting
himself on Chief Justice Marshall’s expansive defini-
tion of the power of Congress to regulate commerce
set forth in Gibbons v. Ogden, 22 U.S. (9 Wheat.) 1
(1824), he then points to that Chief Justice’s classic
statement of the Necessary and Proper Clause: “Let
the end be legitimate, let it be within the scope of
tion must cease. If the violation does not cease within
such time, the Secretary may request the Attorney Gen-
eral to bring suit on behalf of the United States in the
appropriate U. S. district court to secure abatement of
the pollution. The court may enter such judgment as
the public interest and the equities of the case may re-
quire. Also, the court may assess a penalty of up to
$10,000 for each day of violation after the time specified
by the Secretary for the cessation of the violation. In
determining the amount of such penalty, the court is
directed to take into account the efforts of the defendant
to abate the pollution involved.
H. Rep. No. 91-1146, 91st Cong., 2d Sess. 9-16 (1970).
25a
the constitution, and all means which are appropri-
ate, which are plainly adapted to that end, which are
not prohibited, but consistent with the letter and
spirit of the constitution, are constitutional.” Mc-
Culloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. (4 Wheat.) 316 (1819).
On these foundations, the Administrator correctly
asserts, were built the decisions in Wickard v. Fil-
burn, 317 U.S. 111 (1942), Heart of Atlanta Motel
v. United States, 379 U.S. 241 (1964), and Katzen-
bach v. McClung, 379 U.S. 294 (1964), in which
activities, otherwise local in scope and character,
which exert a “substantial effect on interstate com- .
merce” were held subject to regulation under the
Commerce Power.
The emission of air pollutants without regard to
their source, the Administrator asserts, has been
found by Congress to exert the requisite effect on
interstate commerce. This finding, moreover, cannot
be said to be without a “rational basis.” Having the
power to regulate air pollution, the Administrator
continues, Congress, under the Necessary and Proper
Clause, has the power to direct that state officials
either incorporate in the law of their state or ad-
minister and enforce on behalf of the Federal Gov-
ernment those regulations designed to control air
pollution which are properly promulgated by the Ad-
ministrator. The end (abatement of air pollution)
is legitimate; it (the power to regulate air emissions)
is within the scope of the Constitution; and the means
(state administration and enforcement) are appro-
priate, plainly adapted to the end, which is not pro-
26a
hibited, and consistent with the letter and spirit of
the Constitution.
States by reason of their position under the Con-
stitution are not inimune from federal regulation
under the Commerce Power, continues the Adminis-
trator. This has been established, he points out, by
United States v. California, 297 U.S. 175 (1936),
Maryland v. Wirtz, 392 U.S. 183 (1968), Fry v.
United States, USS. (1975). It was put
in Maryland v. Wirtz, supra, as follows:
But while the commerce power has limits, valid
general regulations of commerce do not cease
to be regulations of Commerce because a state
is involved. If a state is engaging in economic
activities that are validly regulated by the Fed-
eral Government when engaged in by private
persons the state too may be forced to conform
its activities to federal regulation.
392 U.S. at 196, 197. This regulation includes the
power to direct that a state either enact such laws
to control air pollution as the Administrator might
require, or administer and enforce such regulations
as the Administration might properly promulgate.
The state, as a builder of roads, maker of traffic laws,
licensor of vehicles, is no more immune from this
form of coercion, says the Administrator, than is a
state-owned railroad exempt from the duty to comply
with Federal safety regulations.** See United States
v. California, 297 U.S. 175 (1936).
** For an exposition of this view by the Administrator, see
38 Fed. Reg. 30632-33 (1973).
27a
The petitioners sharply challenge this reading of
the Commerce Power. Their fundamental contention
is that the Commerce Power does not extend to re-
quiring a state to undertake such governmental tasks
as might be assigned to it by Congress, or its proper
delegate, with respect to activities which admittedly
are within the reach of the Commerce Power. The
Constitution’s Tenth Amendment and Article IV, Sec-
tion 4, which obligates the United States to guaran-
tee to every state a Republican Form of Government,
precludes such an extension of the Commerce Power,
assert the petitioners. Moreover, insofar as the Nec-
essary and Proper Clause is concerned, the petition-
ers contend that the means, compulsory state admin-
istration and enforcement, is inappropriate and in-
consistent with the letter and spirit of the Constitu-
tion.
We do not view these contentions as frivolous.
Moreover, we are certain that neither Maryland v.
Wirtz nor Fry v. United States passed upon the pre-
cise issues raised by the petitioners. These cases
establish that the payment of wages by states to cer-
tain types of state employees is an economic activity
that substantially affects interstate commerce and is
thus subject to those regulations imposed by Con-
gress which were then before the Court. Neither of
these cases holds or even suggests that a state’s exer-
cise of its police power with respect to an economic
activity which affects interstate commerce is itself
an economic activity or “species of commercial inter-
course” subject to regulation by Congress. See Gib-
28a
bons v. Ogden, 72 U.S. (9 Wheat.) 1, 193 (1824).
Nor do we believe that it is proper to equate the
operation by a state of a railroad, an economic ac-
tivity indistinguishable from that of private parties,
with its governance of the use of highways and auto-
mobiles, an exercise of its police power with respect
to commerce.“
The power of states over commerce has no more
been recognized as commerce than has the power of
Congress which is derived from the Commerce
*° We recognize that our views both with regard to the in-
terpretation of the Clean Air Act and the constitutional issues
here discussed differ from those expressed in Pennsylvania v.
Environmental Protection Agency, 500 F.2d 246 (3d Cir.
1974). With regard to the latter issues, we believe with all
deference that the Third Circuit failed to recognize the dif-
ference between a state engaging in commerce, as all states
must under the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Com-
merce Power, and a state’s regulation of the commerce of
others. This failure is reflected in the following passage, at
261:
This reasoning indicates that the basis for the Court’s
decision in Maryland v. Wirtz, supra, is the principle that
the constitutionality of federal regulation of state ac-
tivities is subject to the same analyses as that of private
activities; viz. the determinative factor is simply whether
they have an impact on interstate commerce. Following
this principle, we believe that the Administrator acted
within the federal commerce power in requiring the Com-
monwealth to enforce its transportation plan.
The conclusion is a non sequitur. The principle deduced from
Maryland v. Wirtz far exceeds its holding in our respectful
opinion. We cannot believe that a careful craftsman like Mr.
Justice Harlan intended in Maryland v. Wirtz to announce a
principle so clearly inconsistent with the history of our federal
structure.
29a
Clause. Each find their source in the Constitution.
Both are of the same family and genus, although
not of the same species. The power of the states
must yield to Federal power in order to effectuate
Federal supremacy, not because the power of the
states is commerce. This distinction between com-
merce and governmental power to regulate commerce,
we suggest, was recognized by Mr. Chief Justice
Hughes when he observed, “The subject of federal
power is ‘commerce’ and not all commerce but com-
merce with foreign nations and among the several
states.” Santa Cruz Co. v. Labor Board, 303 U.S.
453, 466 (1937). We also believe that Mr. Justice
Harlan recognized this distinction in Maryland v.
Wirtz, supra at 196, when he quoted Mr. Chief Jus-
tice Hughes’ observation to demonstrate that the
Commerce Power would not disable the Court from
preventing “the utter destruction of the State as a
sovereign political entity.”
To treat the governance of commerce by the states
as within the plenary reach of the Commerce Power
would in our opinion represent such an abrupt de-
parture from previous constitutional practice as to
make us reluctant to adopt an interpretation of the
Clean Air Act which would force us to confront the
issue. Such treatment, for example, would authorize
Congress to direct the states to regulate any eco-
nomic activity that affects interstate commerce in any
manner Congress sees fit. While such an interpreta-
tion might not enable Congress to direct the enact-
ment or enforcement of a federal probate code, there
30a
is sufficient doubt about even that to illumine the
breadth of the sweeping claim here being made by
the Administrator. To make governance indistin-
guishable from commerce for the purposes of the
Commerce Power cannot be equated to the “unin-
trusive” regulation of economic activities of the states
upheld by the Supreme Court in Maryland v. Wirtz
and Fry v. United States. A Commerce Power so
expanded would reduce the states to puppets of a
ventriloquist Congress. We will not attribute to Con-
gress any such intent unless it is expressly unequi-
vocally. As we have already pointed out, that was
not done in the Clean Air Act.
To emphasize our reluctance to embrace the Ad-
ministrator’s interpretation, we wish to underscore
that he is not merely insisting that the state’s ex-
ercise uf its police power must not improperly bur-
den interstate commerce. See Pike v. Bruce Church,
397 U.S. 137 (1970); Bibb v. Navajo Freight Lines
Inc., 359 U.S. 520 (1959); Southern Pacific Co. v.
Arizona, 325 U.S. 761 (1945). With this proposi-
tion no one differs. Nor is the Administrator merely
insisting that in the area of control of air pollution
federal law has preempted state law. See, e.y.,
Florida Lime and Avocado Growers, Inc. v. Paul,
373 U.S. 132 (1963); Campbell v. Hussey, 368 U.S.
297 (1961); Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator Corp., 331
U.S. 218 (1947); Hines v. Davidowitz, 312 U.S.
52 (1941). The petitioners do not question the right
of Congress to exclude states from participating in
regulating interstate commerce.
ee nelle
3la
Neither of these doctrines, if applied in a conven-
tional manner, supports the Administrator’s position.
To provide such support, they must be distorted al-
most beyond recognition. Preemption must be in-
voked to eliminate a free exercise of state power,
and the doctrine of unconstitutional burdens must
be read to proscribe all state activities, including
abandonment to the Federal Government of all regu-
latory responsibility, other than obedience to the
Administrator’s will. We are aware of no such ver-
sion of these doctrines.
We hasten to point out that our reluctance to
accept the Administrator’s interpretation of the Act
is not an effort at this late date to ignore Chief
Justice Marshall’s triumph over Mr. Jefferson with
regard to the power of the Federal government vis-
a-vis the states. Our concern, as we believe was
Chief Justice Marshall’s, is to preserve and protect
a strong government of the United States and viable
governments of the states. As we see it, our in-
terpretation of the Act is more compatible with these
objectives than that of the Administrator.
Our interpretation, moreover, does not deprive the
Administrator of power to regulate air pollution in
the manner provided by the Act. We merely hold
that under the Act a state may decline, without be-
coming liable to sanctions, to undertake a program
of control suggested by the Administrator; a state,
however, may not interfere with such regulation of
the sources of pollution as the Administrator pur-
suant to the Act undertakes. Our interpretation is
32a
in no way inconsistent with the recognition that Con-
gress has the power to authorize the Administrator
to obtain the consent of a reluctant state by con-
ditioning certain federal expenditures within that
state on the granting of such consent. See Steward
Machine Co. v. Davis, 301 U.S. 548 (1937). Nor
should our constitutional concerns be interpreted as
disfavoring a determination by Congress that the
states may regulate certain aspects of commerce
which have an effect on interstate commerce only in
certain specified ways if a state chooses to regulate
that aspect of commerce at all. We are, however,
adopting an interpretation which makes it unneces-
sary for us to face the issue of whether Congress
can prevent a state’s withdrawal from the field.
Confrontation with this issue would require us to
consider the effect such a power would have on the
structure of the United States. Its existence, we sus-
pect, would enable Congress to control ever increas-
ing portions of the states’ budgets. The pattern of
expenditures by states would increasingly become a
Congressional responsibility. The maintenance of tax
revenues at the state level would be deterred by the
realization of the people of each state that their con-
trol of the expenditures of such revenues increasingly
was passing from their hands. Their likely responses
would be, first, to demand increased federal subven-
tions, whether in the form of revenue-sharing or oth-
erwise, and second, to earmark state tax receipts for
purposes over which the state has complete control.
Neither response is consistent with either healthy
federalism or sound public finance.
83a
This severance of spending from taxing at the
state level in our view does suggest that the peti-
tioners are not irresponsible when they strongly sug-
gest that the Republican Form of Government of the
states would be seriously impaired. The power of
each voter of each state over state expenditures, to
the extent not supplied by the Federal government,
would be less than his power over state taxation.
Voters of other states, acting through their repre-
sentatives in Congress would dilute the strength of
the voters of the states whose revenues would be
spent as Congress directs. A structure in which all
power on the part of states to spend was vested in
Congress while the power and obligation to tax re-
mained with the states would encourage few even
casually acquainted with the writings of Montesquieu
and the Federalist papers to assert that the states
enjoyed a Republican Form of Government. Nor
could such an assertion be made were all taxation
and expenditure responsibility to reside in the Fed-
eral Government. The limited severance of spending
from taxing which the Administrator’s interpreta-
tion of the Act and the Constitution would permit,
therefore, should not be viewed as unrelated to the
Guarantee Clause.
We do not consider our hesitancy to embrace the
Administrator’s interpretation as being in any way
inconsistent with the obligation of the state courts,
recognized by Mr. Justice Story in Martin v. Hunter's
Lessee, 14 U.S. (1 Wheat.) 304 (1816), to enforce
and recognize the supremacy of valid federal law as
34a
interpreted by the Supreme Court. As Mr. Justice
Story points out, this obligation was understood by
Founding Fathers and is imbedded in the Constitu-
tion. No such plain command exists in the Constitu-
tion to support the Administrator’s reading of the
Commerce Power. Our constitutional practice has
been quite contrary to his reading. In this regard,
we find particularly revealing the following words
of the late Professor Henry M. Hart, Jr., written
as recently as 1954:
Federal law often says to the states, “Don’t
do any of these things,” leaving outside the scope
of its prohibition a wide range of alternative
courses of action. But it is illuminating to ob-
serve how rarely it says, “Do this thing,” leaving
no choice but to go ahead and do it. The Fed-
eralist papers bear ample witness to the Framers’
awareness of the delicacy, and the difficulties of
enforcement, of affirmative mandates from a
federal government to the governments of the
member states.
The Constitution counts upon the necessary
participation of the states in the electoral process
not by direct command but by the incentive of
not losing the opportunity of participation. In
similar fashion Congress now elicits desired af-
firmative performances from the states by at-
taching them as conditions to the receipt of
federal grants-in-aid. If we search the Con-
stitution for provisions which have the appear-
ance of affirmative requirements, two of the
most striking are those which call for the sur-
render of fugitive slaves and fugitives from jus-
Aah Pen. weet
35a
tice. But the first was disembowelled by the
tour de force of Prigg v. Pennsylvania, and the
second was flatly held, in Kentucky v. Denison,
to be judicially unenforceable. “And we think
it clear,” said Chief Justice Taney in the latter
case, “that the Federal Government, under the
Constitution, has no power to impose on a State
officer, as such, any duty whatever, and compel
him to perform it.” Taney’s statement can stand
today, if we except from it certain primary
duties of state judges and occasional remedial
duties of other state officers. Both exceptions,
it will be observed, involve enforcement through
the orderly and ameliorating forms of the ju-
dicial process. In any event, experience with
the exceptions does little to bring into question
the principle of the rule.
The judges of the state courts are not only
sworn to support the Constitution, like other
state officers, but are bound also to observance
of federal law by the special direction of the
supremacy clause. This may on occasion require
them, specifically and affirmatively, to enter a
particular judgment, as in complying, for ex-
ample, with the injunction of the full faith and
credit clause. State courts ordinarily fulfil such
obligations without question. But Congress nev-
ertheless has recognized the possibility of con-
flict and authorized the Supreme Court, in its
discretion, to avoid it by entering judgment it-
self. The imbroglio of Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee
suggests the wisdom of making this alternative
available.
Judicial mandates to non-judicial state officers
to enforce either primary or remedial duties re-
36a
quiring the performance of affirmative acts are
relatively infrequent. Lower federal courts may
prohibit state officers, in their individual capac-
ity, from taking action under color of office in
violation of law. But an action to compel the
performance of an affirmative act would en-
counter, ordinarily, the bar of the Eleventh
Amendment. Whether a writ of mandamus to
compel performance of a ministerial duty would
be regarded as an action against the state is not
altogether clear. But it is significant that a
practice of issuing such writs to state officers
has never become established.
Hart, The Relations Between State and Federal Law,
54 CoLum. L. R. 515-16 (1954) (footnotes omitted).
Finally, we are encouraged by the Supreme Court’s
footnote 7 in Fry v. United States. In describing the
Tenth Amendment, it was said in the footnote:
The [Tenth] Amendment expressly declares the
constitutional policy that Congress may not ex-
ercise power in a fashion that impairs the States’
integrity or their ability to function effectively
in a federal system.
US. at n.7. Moreover, the Supreme Court
in Maryland v. Wirtz observed:
The Court has ample power to prevent what the
appellants purport to fear, “the utter destruc-
tion of the State as a sovereign political entity.”
392 U.S. at 196.
It is our task, where possible, to avoid a statutory
interpretation which would require us to decide
whether the extensive control of state expenditures,
which the Administrator’s view would permit, does
37a
either threaten “the utter destruction of the State
as a sovereign political entity,” or “impair the States’
integrity or their ability te function effectively in a
federal system.” As we have made abundantly clear,
we are sufficiently apprehensive about the ability of
states “to function effectively in a federal system”’
under the Administrator’s interpretation to justify
our strong preference for an interpretation that puts
our concerns at rest. In addition, we reject as a
means of allaying our fears the assumption that the
prospect of “utter destruction of the State as a sov-
ereign political entity” is confronted only when Con-
gress asserts the power to regulate all aspects of
state and local government. Only the mischievous
would contend that not until then is the issue ripe.
All efforts by the Administrator to impose sanc-
tions on the State of California are stayed to the
extent indicated in this opinion. To that extent the
petitions for review are granted.
Pursuant to Rule 54(b), FED. R. Civ. P., to the
extent that there remain unresolved claims presented
by the petitioners, the disposition of the issues set
forth herein shall be treated as a final judgment
with respect to fewer than all the claims presented
by the petitioners and we expressly determine that
there is no just reason for delay in entering such
final judgment wtih respect to the claims of which
this opinion disposes.
PETITIONS FOR REVIEW GRANTED IN
PART.
38a
APPENDIX B
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
Nos. 73-3306, 73-3305, 73-3307
EDMUND G. BROWN, JR., GOVERNOR OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, ET AL., PETITIONERS
VU.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT
TRUSTEES OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
& COLLEGES, ETC., PETITIONER
Vv.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT
CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, ET AL.,
PETITIONERS
Vv.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT
JUDGMENT
A petition for review from the United States En-
vironmental Protection Agency.
39a
This cause came on to be heard on the transcript
of the record of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency and was duly submitted. On con-
sideration whereof IT IS NOW HERE ORDERED
AND ADJUDGED by this Court that, pursuant to
Rule 54(b), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, to the
extent that there remain unresolved claims presented
by the petitioners the disposition of the issues set
forth herein shall be treated as a final judgment with
respect to fewer than all the claims presented by the
petitioners and we expressly determine that there is
no just reason for delay in entering such final judg-
ment with respect to the claims of which this opinion
disposes.
Petitions for review granted in part.
Filed and entered August 15, 1975.
40a
APPENDIX C
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
No. 73-3577
STATE OF ARIZONA, ET AL., PETITIONERS,
vs.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT.
No. 73-3588
BROADWAY-HALE STORES, INC., ET AL., PETITIONERS,
vs.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT.
No. 74-1001
PROPER ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING, INC.,
PETITIONER,
v8.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT.
7 ore eee: aoe eee
nemebaned on:
Se
4la
No. 74-1002
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND COMPANY, PETITIONER,
v8.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT.
No. 74-1009
SAFEWAY STORES, INC., PETITIONER,
vs.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT.
No. 74-1013
HOMART DEVELOPMENT CO., PETITIONER,
vs.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT.
OPINION
[September 8, 1975]
On Petition for Review of Orders and Regulations
of the Environmental Protection Agency
42a
Before: ELY, TRASK and SNEED, Circuit Judges.
SNEED, Circuit Jud e:
The Environmenta: Protection Agency has indefi-
nitely suspended those portions of the Maintenance
of National Standards regulation, 40 C.F.R. § 52.22
(1974), which cover parking-related facilities, and
the Management of Parking Supply regulation 40
C.F.R. § 52.139 (1974), in its entirety. 40 Fed. Reg.
28064, 29713 (1975). Further, the EPA indicated
in oral argument of Brown v. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, F.2d ——- (9th Cir. 1975), that
the latter suspension was equivalent to a revocation
of the regulation. Therefore, for purposes of filing a
new petition for review, lifting the suspension or
amending the regulation would be the same as a pro-
mulgation of the regulation anew. A statement to
similar effect is incorporated by reference in the
Supplemental Submission filed by EPA in these cases
on July 21, 1975. Under such circumstances, new
petitions for review may be filed within 30 days of
such promulgation, pursvant to section 307 of the
' Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C.A. § 1857h-5 (West Supp.
1975).
In view of these developments, the Court finds that
so much of the petitioners’ dispute with the EPA as
pertained to the Management of Parking Supply
regulation, supra, or those portions of the Mainte-
nance of National Standards regulation, swpra, which
cover parking-related facilities, is moot, and that any
future dispute is not before us. Thorpe v. Housing
Ae see ete meh Oe Aloe
43a
Authority, 393 U.S. 268, 281-84 (1969) ; Abbott Lab-
oratories v. Gardner, 387 U.S. 136, 148 (1967);
Aetna Life Insurance Co. v. Haworth, 300 U.S. 227,
239-41 (1937); Vulcanized Rubber & Plastics Co. v.
Federal Trade Comm’n, 258 F.2d 684 (D.C. Cir.
1958). Accordingly, so much of the petitions of the
parties listed above as is concerned with the regula-
tions herein referenced is dismissed without preju-
dice to the petitioners should the Administrator lift
his suspension of 40 C.F.R. § 52.22 or § 52.139
(1974) or promulgate new regulations pertaining to
the same general subject matter.
The petition of the State of Arizona also raises
issues we dealt with in Brown v. Environmental
Protection Agency, supra. We dispose of that por-
tion of the petition as is directed to these issues in
the same manner as was done in that case. That is,
we hold that the Clean Air Act does not authorize
the imposition of sanctions against the State of Ari-
zona or its officials for failure to comply with the
directives set forth in 40 C.F.R. §$§ 52.22, 52.129,
52.132, 52.133, 52.137, 52.1388 and 52.140 (1974).
The basis for our decision is the same in all respects
as in Brown v. Environmental Protection Agency,
supra. Therefore, there exists no reason to repeat
them here.
In view of these actions, each of the above-listed
parties is directed to inform this Court not later
than 21 days following the date of this decision
which, if any, of the other issues set forth in their
petitions for review they continue to desire this Court
44a
to review. Pursuant to Rule 54(b), Fen. R. Civ. P.,
to the extent that there remain unresolved claims
presented by the petitioners, the disposition of the
issues set forth herein shall be treated as a final
judgment with respect to fewer than all the claims
presented by the petitioners and we expressly deter-
mine that there is no just reason for celay in enter-
ing such final judgment with respect to the claims
of which this opinion disposes.
GRANTED IN PART AND DISMISSED WITH-
OUT PREJUDICE IN PART.
a ee ee
45a
APPENDIX D
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
Nos. 73-3577, 73-3588, 74-1001, 74-1002,
74-1009 and 74-1013
STATE OF ARIZONA, ET AL., PETITIONERS
Vv.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT
BROADWAY-HALE STORES, INC., ET AL., PETITIONERS
v.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT
PROPER ENVIRONMENT PLANNING, INC., PETITIONER
Vv.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND COMPANY, PETITIONER
v.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT
SAFEWAY STORES, INC., PETITIONER
— ®
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT
HOMART DEVELOPMENT CO., PETITIONER
Vv.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, RESPONDENT
46a
JUDGMENT
A petition for review from the United States En-
vironmental Protection Agency.
This cause came on to be heard on the transcript
of the record of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency and was duly submitted. On con-
sideration whereof IT IS NOW HERE ORDERED
AND ADJUDGED by this Court that, pursuant to
Rule 54(b), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, to the
extent that there remain unresolved claims presented
by the petitioners the disposition of the issues set
forth herein shall be treated as a final judgment with
respect to fewer than all the claims presented by the
petitioners and we expressly determine that there is
no just reason for delay in entering such final judg-
ment with respect to the claim of which this opinion
disposes.
Petitions granted in part and dismissed without
prejudice in part.
Filed and entered September 8, 1975.
ee en ee
47a
APPENDIX E
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS, STATUTES
AND REGULATIONS INVOLVED
I. The Constitution of the United States provides
in pertinent part:
Article I, Section 8:
The Congress shall have Power * * *
* * * * *
To regulate Commerce * * * among the
several States * * *
To make all Laws which shall be neces-
sary and proper for carrying into Execu-
tion the foregoing Powers, and all other
Powers vested by this Constitution in the
Government of the United States, or in any
Department or Officer thereof.
Article VI:
* « o * *
This Constitution, and the laws of the
United States which shall be made in Pur-
suance thereof * * * shall be the supreme
Law of the Land * * *.
Tenth Amendment:
The powers not delegated to the United
States by the Constitution, nor prohibited
by it to the States, are reserved to the
States respectively, or to the people.
II. Sections 101, 107, 109, 110, 113 and 302(e) of
the Clean Air Act of 1967, 81 Stat. 485, as amended
48a
by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970, 84 Stat.
1676, 42 U.S.C. 1857 et seg., as amended by Section
302, 85 Stat. 464 and Section 4 of the Energy Supply
and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974, Pub.
L. No. 93-319, 88 Stat. 256, provide in relevant part:
Section 101 (42 U.S.C. 1857)
Congressional findings; purposes of subchapter.
(a) The Congress finds—
(1) that the predominant part of the Na-
tion’s population is located in its rapidly expand-
ing metropolitan and other urban areas, which
generally cross the boundary lines of local juris-
dictions and often extend into two or more
States;
(2) that the growth in the amount and com-
plexity of air pollution brought about by urbani-
zation, industrial development, and the increas-
ing use of motor vehicles, has resulted in mount-
ing dangers to the public health and welfare,
including injury to agricultural crops and live-
stock, damage to and the deterioration of prop-
erty, and hazards to air and ground transporta-
tion;
(3) that the prevention and control of air
pollution at its source is the primary responsi-
bility of States and local governments; and
(4) that Federal financial assistance and
leadership is essential for the development of
cooperative Federal, State, regional, and local
programs to prevent and control air pollution.
(b) The purposes of this subchapter are—
(1) to protect and enhance the quality of the
Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public
49a
health and welfare and the productive capacity
of its population;
(2) to initiate and accelerate a national re-
search and development program to achieve the
prevention and control of air pollution;
(3) to provide technical and financial assist-
ance to State and local governments in connec-
tion with the development and execution of their
air pollution prevention and control programs;
and
(4) to encourage and assist the development
and operation of regional air pollution control
programs.
Section 107 (42 U.S.C. 1857c-2)
Air quality control regions.
(a) Responsibility of State for air quality; sub-
mission of implementation plan.
Each State shall have the primary responsi-
bility for assuring air quality within the en-
tire geographic area comprising such State by
submitting an implementation plan for such
State which will specify the manner in which
national primary and secondary ambient air
quality standards will be achieved and main-
tained within each air quality control region in
such State.
* * * * ”
Section 109 (42 U.S.C. 1857c-4)
National primary and secondary ambient air quality
standards; promulgation; procedure.
(a)(1) The Administrator—
(A) within 30 days after December 31, 1970,
shall publish proposed regulations prescribing a
national primary ambient air quality standard
50a
and a national secondary ambient air quality
standard for each air pollutant for which air
quality criteria have been issued prior to such
date; and
(B) after a reasonable time for interested
persons to submit written comments thereon (but
no later than 90 days after the initial publica-
tion of such proposed standards) shall by reg-
ulation promulgate such proposed national pri-
mary and secondary ambient air quality stand-
ards with such modifications as he deems ap-
propriate.
(2) With respect to any air pollutant for which
air quality criteria are issued after December 31,
1970, the Administrator shall publish, simultaneously
with the issuance of such criteria and information,
proposed national primary and secondary ambient
air quality standards for any such pollutant. The
procedure provided for in paragraph (1)(B) of this
subsection shall apply to the promulgation of such
standards.
(b)(1) National primary ambient air quality
standards, prescribed under subsection (a) of this
section shall be ambient air quality standards the
attainment and maintenance of which in the judg-
ment of the Administrator, based on such criteria
and allowing an adequate margin of safety, are req-
uisite to protect the public health. Such primary
standards may be revised in the same manner as
promulgated.
(2) Any national secondary ambient air quality
standard prescribed under subsection (a) of this sec-
5la
tion shall specify a level of air quality the attainment
and maintenance of which in the judgment of the
Administrator, based on such criteria, is requisite to
protect the public welfare from any known or antici-
pated adverse effects associated with the presence of
such air pollutant in the ambient air. Such secondary
standards may be revised in the same manner as pro-
mulgated.
Section 110 (42 U.S.C. 1857¢-5)
State implementation plans for national primary and
secondary ambient air quality standards.
(a)(1) Each State shall, after reasonable notice
and public hearings, adopt and submit to the Ad-
ministrator, within nine months after the promulga-
tion of a national primary ambient air quality stand-
ard (or any revision thereof) under section 109 for
any air pollutant, a plan which provides for imple-
mentation, maintenance, and enforcement of such
primary standard in each air quality control region
(or portion thereof) within such State. In addition,
such State shall adopt and submit to the Adminis-
trator (either as a part of a plan submitted under
the preceding sentence or separately) within nine
months after the promulgation of a national ambient
air quality secondary standard (or revision there-
of), a plan which provides for iniplementation, main-
tenance, and enforcement of such secondary standard
in each air quality control region (or portion there-
of) within such State. Unless a separate public hear-
ing is provided, each State shall consider its plan
52a
implementing such secondary standard at the hear-
ing required by the first sentence of this paragraph.
(2) The Administrator shall, within four months
after the date required for submission of a plan un-
der paragraph (1), approve or disapprove such plan
for each portion thereof. The Administrator shall
approve such plan, or any portion thereof, if he de-
termines that it was adopted after reasonable notice
and hearing and that—
(A) (i) in the case of a plan implementing
a national primary ambient air quality stand-
ard, it provides for the attainment of such pri-
mary standard as expeditiously as practicable
but (subject to subsection (e)) in no case later
than three years from the date of approval of
such plan (or any revision thereof to take ac-
count of a revised primary standard) ; and, (ii)
in the case of a plan implementing a national
secondary ambient air quality standard, it speci-
fies a reasonable time at which such secondary
standard will be attained;
(B) it includes emission limitations, sched-
‘ules, and timetables for compliance with such
limitations, and such other measures as may be
necessary to insure attainment and maintenance
of such primary or secondary standard, includ-
ing, but not limited to, land-use and transporta-
tion controls;
(C) it includes provision for establishment
and operation of appropriate devices, methods,
systems, and procedures necessary to (i) moni-
tor, compile, and analyze data on ambient air
quality and, (ii) upon request, make such data
available to the Administrator ;
53a
(D) it includes a procedure, meeting the re-
quirements of paragraph (4), for review (prior
to construction or modification) of the location
of new sources to which a standard of perform-
ance will apply;
(E) it contains adequate provisions for in-
tergovernmental covperation, including measures
necessary to insure that emissions of air pollu-
tants from sources located in any air quality
control region will not interfere with the attain-
ment or maintenance of such primary or second-
ary standard in any portion of such region out-
side of such State or in any other air quality
control region;
(F) it provides (i) necessary assurances
that the State will have adequate personnel,
funding, and authority to carry out such imple-
mentation plan; (ii) requirements for installa-
tion of equipment by owners or operators of sta-
tionary sources to monitor emissions from such
sources; (iii) for periodic reports on the nature
and amounts of such emissions; (iv) that such
reports shall be correlated by the State agency
with any emission limitations or standards es-
tablished pursuant to this Act, which reports
shall be available at reasonable times for public
inspection; and (v) for authority comparable to
that in section 303, and adequate contingency
plans to implement such authority;
(G) it provides, to the extent necessary and
practicable, for periodic inspection and testing
of motor vehicles to enforce compliance with ap-
plicable emission standards; and
(H) it provides for revision, after public
hearings, of such plan (i) from time to time as
54a
may be necessary to take account of revisions
of such national primary or secondary ambient
air quality standard or the availability of im-
proved or more expeditious methods of achiev-
ing such primary or secondary standard; or (ii)
whenever the Administrator finds on the basis
of information available to him that the plan is
substantially inadequate to achieve the national
ambient air quality primary or secondary stand-
ard which it implements.
(3)(A) The Administrator shall approve any re-
vision of an implementation plan applicable to an
air quality control region if he determines that it
meets the requirements of paragraph (2) and has
been adopted by the State after reasonable notice and
public hearings.
(B) As soon as practicable, the Administrator
shall, consistent with the purposes of this Act and
the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination
Act of 1974, review each State’s applicable implemen-
tation plans and report to the State on whether such
plans can be revised in relation to fuel burning sta-
tionary sources (or persons supplying fuel to such
sources) without interfering with the attainment and
maintenance of any national ambient air quality
standard within the period permitted in this sec-
tion. If the Administrator determines that any such
plan can be revised, he shall notify the State that
a plan revision may be submitted by the State. Any
plan revision which is submitted by the State shall,
after public notice and opportunity for public hear-
ing, be approved by the Administrator if the re-
55a
vision relates only to fuel burning stationary sources
(or persons supplying fuel to such sources), and the
plan as revised complies with paragraph (2) of this
subsection. The Administrator shall approve or dis-
approve any revision no later than three months
after its submission.
(4) The procedure referred to in paragraph (2)
(D) for review, prior to construction or modification,
of the location of new sources shall (A) provide for
adequate authority to prevent the construction or
modification of any new source to which a standard
of performance under section 111 will apply at any
location which the State determines will prevent the
attainment or maintenance within any air quality
control region (or portion thereof) within such State
of a national ambient air quality primary or second-
ary standard, and (B) require that prior to com-
mencing construction or modification of any such
source, the owner or operator thereof shall submit to
such State such information as may be necessary to
permit the State to make a determination under
clause (A).
(b) The Administrator may, wherever he de-
termines necessary, extend the period for submis-
sion of any plan or portion thereof which imple-
ments a national secondary ambient air quality stand-
ard for a period not to exceed 18 months from the
date otherwise required for submission of such plan.
(c)(1) The Administrator shall, after considera-
tion of any State hearing record, promptly prepare
56a
and publish proposed regulations setting forth an im-
plementation plan, or portion thereof, for a State if—
(A) The State fails to submit an implemen-
tation plan for any national ambient air quality
primary or secondary standard within the time
prescribed,
(B) the plan, or any portion thereof, sub-
mitted for such State is determined by the Ad-
ministrator not to be in accordance with the re-
quirements of this section, or
(C) the State fails, within 60 days after no-
tification by the Administrator or such longer
period as he may prescribe, to revise an imple-
mentation plan as required pursuant to a provi-
sion of its plan referred to in subsection (a) (2)
(H).
If such State held no public hearing associated with
respect to such plan (or revision thereof), the Ad-
ministrator shall provide opportunity for such hear-
ing within such State on any proposed regulation.
The Administrator shall, within six months after the
date required for submission of such plan (or re-
vision thereof), promulgate any such regulations un-
less, prior to such promulgation, such State has
. adopted and submitted a plan (or revision) which the
Administrator determines to be in accordance with
the requirements of this section.
(2)(A) The Administrator shall conduct a study
and shall submit a report to the Committee on Inter-
state and Foreign Commerce of the United States
House of Representatives and the Committee on Pub-
lic Works of the United States Senate not later than
57a
three months after date of enactment of this para-
graph on the necessity of parking surcharge, manage-
ment of parking supply, and preferential bus/car-
pool lane regulations as part of the applicable imple-
mentation plans required under this section to achieve
and maintain national primary ambient air quality
standards. The study shall include an assessment of
the economic impact of such regulations, considera-
tion of alternative means of reducing total vehicle
miles traveled, and an assessment of the impact of
such regulations on other Federal and State programs
dealing with energy or transportation. In the course
of such study, the Administrator shall consult with
other Federal officials including, but not limited to,
the Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Energy
Administrator, and the Chairman of the Council on
Environmental Quality.
(B) No parking surcharge regulation may be re-
quired by the Administrator under paragraph (1)
of this subsection as a part of an applicable imple-
mentation plan. All parking surcharge regulations
previously required by the Administrator shall be
void upon the date of enactment of this subparagraph.
This subparagraph shall not prevent the Adminis-
trator from approving parking surcharges if they
are adopted and submitted by a State ds part of an
applicable implementation plan. The Administrator
may not condition approval of any implementation
plan submitted by a State on such plan’s including a
parking surcharge regulation.
(C) The Administrator is authorized to suspend
58a
until January 1, 1975, the effective date or applica-
bility of any regulations for the management of
parking supply or any requirement that such regula-
tions be a part of an applicable implementation plan
approved or promulgated under this section. The ex-
ercise of the authority under this subparagraph shall
not prevent the Administrator from approving such
regulations if they are adopted and submitted by a
State as part of an applicable implementation plan.
If the Administrator exercises the authority under
this subparagraph, regulations requiring a review or
analysis of the impact of proposed parking facilities
before construction which take effect on or after
January 1, 1975, shall not apply to parking facilities
on which construction has been initiated before Janu-
ary 1, 1975.
(D) For purposes of this paragraph—
(i) The term ‘parking surcharge regulation’
means a regulation imposing or requiring the im-
position of any tax, surcharge, fee, or other charge
on parking spaces, or any other area used for the
temporary storage of motor vehicles.
(ii) The term ‘management of parking sup-
ply’ shall include any requirement providing that any
new facility containing a given number of parking
spaces shall receive a permit or other prior approval,
issuance of which is to be conditioned on air quality
considerations.
(iii) The term ‘preferential bus/carpool lane’
shall include any requirement for the setting aside
of one or more lanes of a street or highway on a
59a
permanent or temporary basis for the exclusive use
of buses or carpools, or both.
(E) No standard, plan, or requirement, relating
to management of parking supply or preferential
bus/carpool lanes shall be promulgated after the date
of enactment of this paragraph by the Administra-
tor pursuant to this section, unless such promulgation
has been subjected to at least one public hearing
which has been held in the area affected and for
which reasonable notice has been given in such area.
If substantial changes are made following public
hearings, one or more additional hearings shall be
held in such area after such notice.
(d) For purposes of this Act, an applicable im-
plementation plan is the implementation plan, or
most recent revision thereof, which has been approved
under subsection (a) or promulgated under subsec-
tion (c) and which implements a national primary or
secondary ambient air quality standard in a State.
(e)(1) Upon application of a Governor of a
State at the time of submission of any plan imple-
menting a national ambient air quality primary
standard, the Administrator may (subject to para-
graph (2)) extend the three-year period referred to
in subsection (a)(2)(A)(i) for not more than two
years for an air quality control region if after re-
view of such plan the Administrator determines
that—
(A) one or more emission sources (or classes
of moving sources) are unable to comply with
the requirements of such plan which implement
60a
such primary standard because the necessary
technology or other alternatives are not available
or will not be available soon enough to permit
compliance within such three-year period, and
(B) the State has considered and applied as
a part of its plan reasonably available alterna-
tive means of attaining such primary standard
and has justifiably concluded that attainment of
such primary standard within the three years
cannot be achieved.
(2) The Administrator may grant an extension
under paragraph (1) only if he determines that the
State plan provides for—
(A) application of the requirements of the
plan which implement such primary standard to
all emission sources in such region other than
the sources (or classes) described in paragraph
(1)(A) within the three-year period, and
(B) such interim measures of control of the
sources (or classes) described in paragraph (1)
(A) as the Administrator determines to be rea-
sonable under the circumstances.
(f)(1) Prior to the date on which any stationary
source or class of moving sources is required to com-
ply with any requirement of an applicable implemen-
tation plan the Governor of the State to which such
plan applies may apply to the Administrator to post-
pone the applicability of such requirement to such
source (or class) for not more than one year. If
the Administrator determines that—
(A) good faith efforts have been made to
comply with such requirement before such date,
6la
(B) such source (or class) is unable to com-
ply with such requirement because the necessary
technology or other alternative methods of con-
trol are not available or have not been available
for a sufficient period of time,
(C) any available alternative operating pro-
cedures and interim control measures have re-
duced or will reduce the impact of such source
on public health, and
(D) the continued operation of such source
is essential to national security or to the public
health or welfare,
then the Administrator shall grant a postponement of
such requirement.
(2)(A) Any determination under paragraph (1)
shall (i) be made on the record after notice to inter-
ested persons and opportunity for hearing, (ii) be
based upon a fair evaluation of the entire record at
such hearing, and (iii) include a statement setting
forth in detail the findings and conclusions upon
which the determination is based.
(B) Any determination made pursuant to this
paragraph shall be subject to judicial review by the
United States court of appeals for the circuit which
includes such State upon the filing in such court
within 30 days from the date of such decision of a
petition by any interested person praying that the
decision be modified or set aside in whole or in part.
A copy of the petition shall forthwith be sent by
registered or certified mail to the Administrator and
thereupon the Administrator shall certify and file in
such court the record upon which the final decision
62a
complained of was issued, as provided in section
2112 of title 28, United States Code. Upon the filing
of such petition the court shall have jurisdiction to
affirm or set aside the determination complained of
in whole or in part. The findings of the Administra-
tor with respect to questions of fact (including each
determination made under subparagraphs (A), (B),
(C), and (D), of paragraph (1)) shall be sustained
if based upon a fair evaluation of the entire record
at such hearing.
(C) Proceedings before the court under this para-
graph shall take precedence over all the other causes
of action on the docket and shall be assigned for
hearing and decision at the earliest practicable date
and expedited in every way.
(D) Section 307 (a) (relating to subpenas) shall
be applicable to any proceeding under this subsection.
. * « * *
Section 113 (42 U.S.C. 1857c-8)
Federal enforcement procedures.
(a)(1) Whenever, on the basis of any informa-
tion available to him, the Administrator finds that
any person is in violation of any requirement of an
applicable implementation plan, the Administrator
shall notify the person in violation of the plan and
the State in which the plan applies of such finding.
If such violation extends beyond the 30th day after
the date of the Administrator’s notification, the Ad-
ministrator may issue an order requiring such per-
son to comply with the requirements of such plan or
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he may bring a civil action in accordance with sub-
section (b).
(2) Whenever, on the basis of information avail-
able to him, the Administrator finds that violations of
an applicable implementation plan are so widespread
that such violations appear to result from a failure
of the State in which the plan applies to enforce the
plan effectively, he shall so notify the State. If the
Administrator finds such failure extends beyond the
30th day after such notice, he shall give public no-
tice of such finding. During the period beginning
with such public notice and ending when such State
satisfies the Administrator that it will enforce such
plan (hereafter referred to in this section as ‘period
of Federally assumed enforcement’), the Adminis-
trator may enforce any requirement of such plan
with respect to any person—
(A) by issuing an order to comply with such
requirement, or
(B) by bringing a civil action under subsec-
tion (b).
(3) Whenever, on the basis of any information
available to him, the Administrator finds that any
person is in violation of section 111(e) (relating to
new source performance standards), 112(c) (re-
lating to standards for hazardous emissions), or 119
(g) (relating to energy-related authorities), or is in
violation of any requirement of section 114 (relating
to inspections, etc.), he may issue an order requir-
ing such person to comply with such section or re-
64a
quirement, or he may bring a civil action in accord-
ance with subsection(b).
(4) An order issued under this subsection (other
than an order relating to a violation of section 112)
shall not take effect until the person to whom it is
issued has had an opportunity to confer with the Ad-
ministrator concerning the alleged violation. A copy
of any order issued under this subse.. »n shall be
sent to the State air pollution control agency of any
State in which the violation occurs. Any order issued
under this subsection shall state with reasonable spe-
cificity the nature of the violation, specify a time for
compliance which the Administrator determines is
reasonable, taking into account the seriousness of
the violation and any good faith efforts to comply
with applicable requirements. In any case in which
an order under this subsection (or notice to a viola-
tor under paragraph (1)) is issued to a corporation,
a copy of such order (or notice) shall be issued to
appropriate corporate officers.
(b) The Administrator may commence a civil ac-
tion for appropriate relief, including a permanent or
temporary injunction, whenever any person—
(1) violates or fails or refuses to comply
with any order issued under subsection (a); or
(2) violates any requirement of an appli-
cable implementation plan (A) during any pe-
riod of Federally assumed enforcement, or (B)
more than 30 days after having been notified by
the Administrator under subsection (a)(1) of
65a
a finding that such person is violating such re-
quirement; or
(3) violates section 111(e), 112(c), or 119
(g); or
(4) fails or refuses to comply with any re-
quirement of section 114.
Any action under this subsection may be brought in
the district court of the United States for the district
in which the defendant is located or resides or is do-
ing business, and such court shall have jurisdiction to
restrain such violation and toe require compliance.
Notice of the commencement of such action shall be
given to the appropriate State air pollution control
agency.
(c)(1) Any person who knowingly—
(A) violates any requirement of an appli-
cable implementation plan (i) during any pe-
riod of Federally assumed enforcement, or (ii)
more than 30 days after having been notified by
the Administrator under subsettion (a) (1) that
such person is violating such requirement, or
(B) violates or fails or refuses to comply
with any order issued by the Administrator un-
der subsection (a), or
(C) violates section 1li(e), section 112(c),
or section 119(g) shall be punished by a fine of
not more than $25,000 per day of violation, or
by imprisonment for not more than one year, or
by both. If the conviction is for a violation eom-
mitted after the first conviction of such person
under this paragraph, punishment shall be by a
fine of not more than $50,000 per day of viola-
66a
tion, or by imprisonment for not more than twu
years, or by both.
(2) Any person who knowingly makes any false
statement, representation, or certification in any ap-
plication, record, report, plan, or other document filed
or required to be maintained under this Act or who
falsifies, tampers with, or knowingly renders inac-
curate any monitoring device or method required to
be maintained under this Act, shall upon conviction,
be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or
by imprisonment for not more than six months, or
by both. ;
Section 302 (42 U.S.C. 1857h)
Definitions.
When used in this chapter—
(a) The term “Administrator” means the Admin-
istrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
* * ® * *
(d) The term “State” means a State, the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.
(e) The term “person” includes an individual,
corporation, partnership, association, State, munici-
pality, and political subdivision of a State.
67a
(f) The term “municipality” means a city, town,
borough, county, parish, district, or other public body
created by or pursuant to State law.
(h) All language referring to effects on welfare
includes, but is not limited to, effects on soils, water,
crops, vegetation, manmade materials, animals, wild-
life, weather, visibility, and climate, damage to and
deterioration of property, and hazards to transpor-
tation, as well as effects on economic values and on
personal comfort and well-being.
III. 40 C.F.R. Part 52 provides in pertinent part:
§ 52.23 (as amended Sept. 18, 1974, 39 Fed. Reg. 33512)
Violation and Enforcement.
Failure to comply with any provisions of this
part, or with any approved regulatory provision
of a state implementation plan, or with any per-
mit condition or permit denial issued pursuant
to approved or promulgated regulations for the
review of new or modified stationary or indirect
sources, shall render the person or governmental
entity so failing to comply in violation of a re-
quirement of an applicable implementation plan
and subject to enforcement action under section
113 of the Clean Air Act. With regard to com-
pliance schedules, a person or Governmental en-
tity will be considered to have failed to comply
with the requirements of this part if it fails to
timely submit any required compliance schedule,
if the compliance schedule when submitted does
not contain each of the elements it is required
68a
to contain, or if the person or Governmental
entity fails to comply with such schedule.
* = s * .
Subpart F—California
* * * * a
§ 52.242 Inspection and maintenance program.
(a) Definitions:
(1) “Inspection and maintenance program”’
means a program to reduce emissions from in-
use vehicles through identifying vehicles which
need emission control-related maintenance and
requiring that maintenance be performed.
(2) “Light-duty vehicle” means any gasoline-
powered motor vehicle rated at 6,000 pounds
GVW or less.
(3) All other terms used in this section that
are defined in Appendix N to Part 51 of this
chapter, are used herein with the meanings so
defined.
(b) This section is applicable in the Metro-
-politan Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento
Valley, San Joaquin Valley, and San Francisco
Bay Area Intrastate Air Quality Control Re-
gions (hereinafter referred to as the Regions).
(c) The State of California shall establish an
inspection and maintenance program applicable
to all light-duty vehicles registered in the Re-
gions that operate on streets or highways over
which it has ownership or control. No later than
June 1, 1974, the State shall submit legally
adopted regulations to EPA establishing such a
program. The State may exempt any class or
category of vehicles which it finds are rarely
69a
used on public streets and highways (such as
classic or antique vehicles). The regulations
shall include:
(1) Provisions for inspection of all light-duty
motor vehicles at periodic intervals no more than
one year apart by means of a loaded test.
(2) Provisions for inspection failure criteria
consistent with the emission reductions claimed
in the plan for the strategy. These emission re-
ductions are 15 percent for hydrocarbons and 12
percent for carbon monoxide. These criteria are
estimated to include failure of 50 percent of the
vehicles in the first inspection cycle.
(3) Provisions to ensure that failed vehicles
receive within two weeks, the maintenance nec-
essary to achieve compliance with the inspection
standards. This shall include sanctions against
noncomplying individual owners and repair fa-
cilities, retest of failed vehicles following main-
tenance, a certification program to ensure that
repair facilities performing the required main-
tenance have the necessary equipment, parts,
and knowedgeable operators to perform the tasks
satisfactorily, and such other measures as may
be necessary or appropriate.
(4) A program of enforcement to ensure that,
following inspection or maintenance, vehicles are
not intentionally readjusted or modified in such
a way as would cause them no longer to comply
with the inspection standards. This might in-
clude spot checks of idle adjustments and/or a
suitable type of physical tagging. This program
shall include appropriate penalties for violation.
(5) Provisions for beginning the first inspec-
70a
tion cycle on October 1, 1975, and completing it
by September 30, 1976.
(6) Designation of an agency or agencies re-
sponsible for conducting, overseeing, and enforc-
ing the inspection and maintenance program.
(d) After September 30, 1976, the State shall
not register or allow to operate on its streets or
highways and light-duty vehicle that does not
comply with the applicable standards and pro-
cedures adopted pursuant to paragraph (c) of
this section. This shall not apply to the initial
registration of a new motor vehicle.
(e) After September 30, 1976, no owner of a
light-duty vehicle shall operate or allow the op-
eration of such vehicle that does not comply with
the applicable standards and procedures adopted
pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section. This
shall not apply to the initial registration of a
new vehicle.
-(f) The State of California shall submit no
later than February 1, 1974, a detailed compli-
ance schedule showing the steps it will take to
establish and enforce an inspection and mainte-
nance program pursuant to paragraph (c) of
this section, including the text of needed statu-
tory proposals and needed regulations that it
will propose for adoption. The compliance sched-
ule shall also include:
(1) The date by which the State will recom-
mend any needed legislation to the State legis-
lature.
(2) The date by which necessary equipment
will be ordered.
Tla
(3) A signed statement from the Governor
and State Treasurer identifying the sources and
amount of funds for the program. If funds can-
not legally be obligated under existing statutory
authority, the text of needed legislation shall be
submitted.
©. 6. covsenment paintine orrice; 1975 seee7e i159
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.