New Ozone Standard Could Hurt Tri-State
By: Import User
Updated: March 13, 2008
The US EPA lowered allowable ozone levels in the nations air from 80 parts per billion to 75 parts per billion. A large contingent of science and health professionals, along with governors from several eastern states, urged the agency to lower the level to 70, or even 60 ppb. Supporters of those lower levels say they would prevent thousands of deaths, heart attacks and respiratory problems every year.
Business interests asked for the standard to remain the same, citing the cost of adding pollution controls to their operations.
Neither Vanderburgh, Warrick, nor Posey Counties meet the new standard. The EPA wont measure ozone levels again until 2010, and even then, communities not meeting the standards would have 20 years to get in to compliance.
