June 10, 2005—Fourteen communities across the US are ahead of schedule in the effort to reduce ground-level ozone, or smog, says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Because these communities have reached a specific milestone to clean the air sooner than required, EPA proposes to defer Clean Air Act requirements for these areas regarding ozone pollution until December 31, 2006.
As part of EPA’s voluntary Early Action Compacts program, these communities committed to meeting EPA’s more stringent 8-hour ozone standard by December 31, 2007, one to two years sooner than required by the Clean Air Act. Early Action Compacts provide a strong incentive to state and local governments, civic leaders, and business interests to work together to develop innovative, cost-effective strategies for improving ground-level ozone air quality in ways that are tailored to individual communities.
The fourteen areas are working toward meeting the standard are: Frederick County/Winchester, VA; Roanoke, VA; Washington County/Hagerstown, MD; Berkeley & Jefferson Counties, WV; Hickory area, NC; Greensboro area, NC; Fayetteville, NC; Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC; Columbia area, SC; Chattanooga area, TN; Nashville area, TN; Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol area, TN; San Antonio area, TX; and Denver-Boulder-Greeley-Ft. Collins-Love area, CO.
EPA will accept comment on this proposal for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. For more information about the proposed rule and the Early Action Compact Program, visit EPA/EAC.
