This from Barnes & Thornburg re the recent US EPA PM 2.5 designations:
On June 29, 2004, EPA announced its proposed list of area attainment designations under the PM 2.5 (particulate matter of 2.5 microns or smaller) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA has proposed to designate 243 counties in 21 states and the District of Columbia as PM 2.5 nonattainment areas. More information regarding the specific counties included can be found on EPA's PM 2.5 website.Here is IDEM's webpage on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Fine Particulate Matter (PM 2.5). (Don't miss the Indianapolis Haze Camera link.)* * * EPA has proposed to designate the following counties in Indiana as nonattainment under the PM 2.5 NAAQS: Lake, Porter, Elkhart, St. Joseph, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Dubois, Gibson, Pike, Spencer, Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Morgan, Clark, Floyd, Jefferson, and Dearborn (Lawrenceburg Township only). EPA's letter to Indiana is attached here.
The final PM2.5 attainment area designations are expected to be issued by EPA in November 2004.
Here are some recent PM 2.5 stories: Indianapolis Star 6/29/04 "19 counties face order to cut soot: 5 area counties are on preliminary list." Louisville Courier Journal 6/29/04 "EPA adds counties as likely polluters: Total in Kentucky jumps from 2 to 12." Washington Post 6/30/04 "EPA Says Millions Are Inhaling Too-Sooty Air."
Other Air Stories. The NY Times has this report today headlined "Faced With New Air Standards, California's Earthbound Farmers Are Wary." A few quotes:
SAN FRANCISCO, June 30 - Beginning Thursday, all but the smallest of farmers in California's fertile San Joaquin Valley will be forced to comply with what critics say are the most stringent agricultural pollution standards in the nation, in an effort to improve air quality.Posted by Marcia Oddi at July 1, 2004 12:31 PMUnder the regulations, which are the result of a new state law, the farmers will become the first in the nation required to seek permits to operate, while meeting governmental air quality standards for the first time. * * *
The pollution is caused by "fugitive'' dust from open fields, nitrous oxide emissions, diesel pumps and emissions from animal manure and urine that vaporize. The rest spews out of rumbling trucks and cars that race up and down the freeways here connecting the southern part of the state with the north. * * *
Michael Marsh, chief executive of Western United Dairymen, an organization representing most of the milk producers in the state, said, "We're very distressed with the regulations." Mr. Marsh said that new regulations could cost large dairy farmers as much as $5 million.
His organization filed suit against the air pollution control district, arguing that the new requirements were based on faulty, "antique science." The study on which the standards were established was conducted in 1938. This week a judge failed to grant a preliminary injunction, which would have given dairy farmers more time for scientific research and compliance.