9/29/2006
Media Contact:
Steve Hardiman,
327-2053
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City requests redesignation to attainment for ozone
INDIANAPOLIS - Today, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) requested that the State move forward with a request to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to redesignate Marion County (and surrounding central Indiana counties) to attainment for the pollutant ozone.
Through the collaborative efforts of Marion County and its citizens, the surrounding counties in central Indiana, and the state and the federal government, a major air quality success story for Indianapolis and surrounding counties has been achieved.
"Meeting this clean air milestone is an achievement that we can all take pride in," said Mayor Bart Peterson. "Our citizens, the city of Indianapolis, our surrounding counties, the state and federal governments have worked successfully for many years to get to this point. Our commitment for clean healthy air for all citizens will not stop with this milestone."
As the summer of 2006 ends, it is clear that the available ozone monitoring data demonstrates that the nine-county region has met the current federal ozone health standard for the first time since that standard was adopted in 1997. Marion County has been designated as a nonattainment area for ozone since Congress adopted the Clean Air Act Amendments in 1990.
DPW's ongoing commitment to improving air quality in Indianapolis includes enforcement of all existing city, state and federal requirements and the implementation of innovative, proactive programs. The city will continue the longstanding Knozone air pollution reduction initiative, the retrofitting of controls on city and regional diesel vehicles, implementation of transportation and commuting measures, controls on open burning and other efforts to further improve air quality.
"This request is paramount to continued economic development and growth in central Indiana and we've requested that the submission to the EPA proceed as expeditiously as possible," said DPW Director Kumar Menon. "The city stands prepared to support and assist the Indiana Department of Environmental Management wherever possible to prepare and submit the redesignation request."
In order to redesignate an area from nonattainment to attainment, a state must make a formal request supported by available air quality monitoring data and other information to the EPA for their approval. The city will work with IDEM to ensure that the formal request is complete and timely and anticipates that such a request can be approved during 2007.
For Marion County, redesignation to attainment for ozone will simplify the air permit rules for new and expanding businesses, remove the stigma of nonattainment for ozone for our region and lessen other Clean Air Act requirements.
Marion County, like many urban areas in the region, is also designated as nonattainment for particulate matter under the federal Clean Air Act. The EPA is currently revising the particulate matter air quality standard to make it more stringent and the city will work with the state and EPA on any necessary measures to ultimately meet this air quality standard as well in the coming years.
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