PORT TOWNSEND — Environmental groups challenging the Port Townsend Paper Corp.’s and other kraft mills’ compliance with the Clean Air Act may go to the federal level.

The Center for Biological Diversity, Greenpeace and Port Townsend Airwatchers on Monday officially gave the federal Environmental Protection Agency 60 days’ notice of their intent to sue the agency over its failure to review and update Clean Air Act rules regulating pollution from kraft pulp mills such as Port Townsend Paper.

“Kraft pulp mill performance standards have been neglected for a quarter of a century, and our citizens’ health has suffered the consequences,” said Gretchen Brewer of Port Townsend Airwatchers.

This 60-day notice of intent to sue is required by the citizen suit provision of the Clean Air Act.

Greenpeace and Port Townsend Airwatchers are represented by Helen Kang and law students at the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic at Golden Gate University School of Law.

Town hall tonight

PORT ANGELES — The City Council will hold a town hall-style meeting tonight to hear from residents on their priorities for 2012 as the council and staff formulate the annual budget.

The meeting will start at 5 p.m. in City Council chambers in City Hall at 321 E. Fifth St.

Once City Manager Kent Myers finishes an introduction and explanation of the rules, the microphone will be turned over to anyone who wants to tell the council what is most — and least — important, Myers said.

The city needs to cut $300,000 from the 2012 budget, and the council wants to know where residents want those cuts made.

Governor in crash

DES MOINES — Gov. Chris Gregoire was uninjured Monday when the state-owned SUV in which she was riding on Interstate 5 was sideswiped by another vehicle.

Nobody was injured in the 2 p.m. incident as Gregoire was returning to the state capital from Seattle, the State Patrol reported.

As always, the governor was accompanied by a security detail from the State Patrol. Other troopers responded to the scene for the collision investigation and Gregoire returned to Olympia.

“The governor is transported in a variety of vehicles,” a State Patrol statement said.

“Today she was traveling in a Suburban.”