The EPA wants Colorado to be transparent about who is polluting. The state is suing to keep it a secret.

In a rare show of solidarity, local environmental groups are stepping up to side with the EPA against a lawsuit filed by the state of Colorado. The state’s lawsuit argues that it should not have to make air pollution records accessible to the public.

The EPA mandated Colorado to make these pollution records more easily accessible as part of the state’s required Clean Air Act plan. They say that the state cannot hold polluters accountable unless everyone can see who is polluting.

Robert Ukeiley is a senior attorney in the Environmental Health Program at the Center for Biological Diversity. In his 28 years working in environmental law, he has only found himself on the same side as the EPA one other time.  The first time, he says, involved a case against Weld County.

KGNU and Report for America’s Jackie Sedley sat down with Ukeiley to discuss why he and his colleagues are siding with the EPA again.

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