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EPA: Evansville area meets ozone standard

Release Date: 12/21/2005
Contact Information:

CONTACT: William Omohundro, (312) 353-8254

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 05-OPA269

EPA: Evansville area meets ozone standard

CHICAGO (Dec. 21, 2005) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 announced today that the Evansville, Ind., area is meeting the national health-based eight-hour outdoor air quality standard for ozone (smog), and that it has approved a request by the state of Indiana to redesignate the area to attainment of the standard.

EPA's action is based on three years of complete, quality-assured, outdoor air monitoring data for 2002, 2003 and 2004. Available data for 2005 show that the Evansville ozone attainment area, which consists of Vanderburgh and Warrick counties, continues to attain the eight-hour standard.

EPA also approved a state plan to maintain the eight-hour ozone standard for at least the next 10 years and motor vehicle emissions budgets for the Evansville area.

EPA received a number of comments after it proposed the redesignation on Sept. 9, 2005, and the agency's response will soon be published in the Federal Register with the final rulemaking.

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. People with asthma, children and the elderly are especially at risk. However, these health effects are of concern to everyone.