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EPA proposes 14 Ohio counties for ozone standard redesignation

Release Date: 06/16/2009
Contact Information: William Omohundro, 312-353-8254, [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 09-OPA110


(Chicago - June 16, 2009) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 announced today that it is proposing to approve a request by the state of Ohio to redesignate eight counties in the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area and six counties in the Columbus area to attainment of the national health-based eight-hour outdoor air quality standard for ozone (smog).

The Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area includes Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties. The Columbus area includes Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Knox, Licking and Madison counties.

EPA said complete, quality-assured, outdoor air monitoring data from the counties for 2006, 2007 and 2008 meet the standard.

The Agency also proposed to approve the state's plan to meet the eight-hour health-based ozone standard through 2020 and to approve motor vehicle emissions budgets included in the plan.

The actions were published Friday in the Federal Register. The public has until July 13 to comment on the proposed actions. Comments may be entered at www.regulations.gov. For the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area, refer to docket ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-2009-0221. For the Columbus area, refer to docket ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-2009-0220. For both dockets follow online instructions for submitting comments. Comments may also be sent by e-mail to [email protected], or faxed to 312-692-2551.

Ground-level ozone is commonly referred to as smog. Smog is formed when a mixture of pollutants react on warm, sunny days. The pollutants are released from cars, factories and a wide variety of other sources. Smog can cause respiratory problems, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest pain.