The Maryland Attorney General's office issued a statement Tuesday afternoon identifying the four other states as Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.
The suit alleges the corporate owners of three large coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania have violated the Clean Air Act, some of which they charge have operated since the 1950s without adequate air pollution controls.
According to the statement, Allegheny Energy Inc. and its subsidiaries own the power plants named in the suit. The states acknowledge improvements made at the plants, but allege the owners did not install modern pollution controls.
As a result, the suit alleges, the plants emit thousands of tons of air pollution each year, causing smog and acid rain.
The states attribute Environmental Protection Agency documents detailing how the power plant owners violated the New Source Review provision of the Clean Air Act. Despite compiling such a case, federal officials have not yet enforced the code.
Maryland Attorney General Joe Curran said the violations affect Maryland's air quality and the Chesapeake.
The states call on Allegheny Energy to install equipment and change procedures to meet environmental codes.
The statement points to the energy company's new management, and their efforts to clean the company's financial and environmental performance.
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