EPA Clean Air Standards

Just about a year ago the Environment Protection Agency was one of the Supreme Court’s – and just about everyone’s – favorite “punchbag” .The world was waking up to the danger of global warming and a U.N. report was attributing – “ with 90% certainty—the increase in average global temperatures since mid 20th. Century to increases in msn-made greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.”

The Supreme Court – on the same day a year ago—decided Environmental Defense v. Duke Energy and , in more particular, Massachusetts v. EPA …. Last Wednesday, EPA was again center-stage, this time “signing the most stringent 8-hour standard ever for ozone, revising the standards for the first time in more than a decade.” ( Release ) Even so, a CNN article relates that “the lower standard still falls short of what most health experts say is needed to significantly reduce heart and asthmas attacks from breathing smog-clogged air.” (Article)

Roughly half of the 700 counties nationwide that are monitored for air quality levels have dirtier air than is healthy to breathe – and the new standards add some to the list, like Indianapolis and Cleveland in our immediate area. In Ohio, only Lawrence, Miami, Montgomery, and Preble Counties meet the new standards. Carroll, Delaware, Floyd, Hancock, Hendricks, Huntington, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Posey, Shelby, Vanderburgh, and Vigo Counties in Indiana; and Bell, Boone, Bullitt, Carter, Daviess, Edmonson, Fayette, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Jessamine, Livingston, Perry, McCracken, Pike, Pulaski, Simpson, and Warren Counties in Kentucky also meet the new standards. ( EPA List )
( Local news )


“Final Rule” and additional information from EPA ( Here )