June 16, 2005

June 16, 2005

ATLANTA BUSIENESS CHRONICLE

Perdue: Metro Atlanta air quality shows dramatic improvement

The Atlanta area has been redesignated as in attainment with the 1-hour air quality standard for ozone (smog) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Gov. Sonny Perdue said Thursday.

The EPA has also approved a maintenance plan for the Atlanta area which demonstrates how the state will maintain attainment of the standard. EPA's decision to redesignate the area to attainment is based on air quality monitoring data for 2002 through the 2004 ozone season.

"Metro Atlanta has made significant progress in improving its air quality and today we have reached a clean air milestone," said Perdue. "This progress is the result of hard work and great cooperation among local, state, and federal agencies, private partners and millions of Georgians who live and work in the metro Atlanta region."

"I commend state and local officials, as well as the residents of the Atlanta area, who have been working together since 1978 to reach this milestone," said EPA Regional Administrator Jimmy Palmer. "All of us, especially state and local governments, must continue to work together on a regional basis to address air quality challenges. This redesignation demonstrates a significant decrease in ozone concentrations in the Atlanta metropolitan area, which will help many people breathe easier. Now efforts can be focused on achieving the additional improvements needed to meet the more protective 8-hour ozone and fine particulate standards."

"We have taken action to improve the region's air quality, and attainment of the one-hour standard is evidence that the state's strategy is working," said Georgia EPD Director Carol Couch.

The Atlanta 1-hour ozone attainment area consists of the following counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale.