Chemical industry-backed laws in three US states restrict use of air pollution data

An investigation by Floodlight reveals that Louisiana, Kentucky, and Ohio have passed near-identical laws, backed by the chemical industry, barring regulators from using community-collected air-quality data from low-cost sensors. This follows federal rollbacks and a deteriorating national air monitoring network, reducing public oversight of polluters. The coordinated state-level legislative push signals a deliberate strategy to limit citizen enforcement tools, though the full impact on regulatory enforcement remains to be seen.