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U.S. EPA PROPOSES TO EXTEND CLARK COUNTY AIR POLLUTION DEADLINE

Release Date: 8/12/1996
Contact Information: Dave Schmidt, U.S. EPA, (415) 744-1578

    San Francisco-- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) today officially published its proposal to grant Clark County a one-year extension of its December 31, 1995, deadline for meeting the national health standard for carbon monoxide air pollution.   The extension is allowed by the Clean Air Act in cases where, as in Clark County, pollution levels exceed the standard only once in the year preceding the deadline.

     During the past winter, carbon monoxide levels in Clark County did exceed the federal health standard once before the close of 1995.  U.S. EPA recognizes that additional anti- pollution measures will be needed to provide healthful air, especially in light of anticipated urban growth in Clark County over the next few years.  The extension will allow state and local governments to choose and implement their control measures prior to the coming winter carbon monoxide season.  

     Clark County has agreed to continue to operate the existing air monitoring device on East Charleston Blvd., and set up three additional monitoring stations in alternate locations, to be fully operational by October 1, 1996.  The data from all these sites will be carefully compared and evaluated in early 1997.

     The Federal Register notice is also available for public inspection at the Clark County Department of Comprehensive Planning in Las Vegas, and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection offices in Carson City. U.S. EPA welcomes written comments on the proposal.  U.S. EPA is committed to working cooperatively with state and local governments, the business community, and Clark County residents to to ensure healthy air for everyone.

     Anyone wishing to submit written comments on the proposed
extension should send them by September 11 to:

                       Wallace Woo, Mail Code A-2-2
                   U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
                             75 Hawthorne St.
                          San Francisco, CA 94105
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