La Porte County Among Three Counties That Might Be Removed From
Ozone Violation List

SOUTH BEND (AP) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed removing three northern Indiana counties, including La Porte County, from a list of areas violating federal ozone levels, and planned to propose removing more Indiana counties from the list later this year.

The EPA proposed approving a request by the state to remove La Porte, St. Joseph and Elkhart counties from a list of areas not in compliance with standards governing ground-level ozone.

The federal agency also is working on removing Lake and Porter counties in northwest Indiana from the list and expects to consider removing Clark and Floyd counties near Louisville, Ky., and counties in the Indianapolis area later this year, said Edward Doty, an EPA environmental scientist.

If that occurs, the only area that would not be in attainment of standards would be Lawrenceburg Township in Dearborn County near Cincinnati.

Gov. Mitch Daniels said removing La Porte, St. Joseph and Elkhart counties from the noncompliance list would help those counties economically.

“The redesignation will lift additional permitting restrictions that were required during nonattainment,” he said.

Counties not in compliance with ozone standards face restrictions on economic growth from industries and certain businesses that require air permits.

Thomas Easterly, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, said counties moved on the attainment list have an easier time attracting businesses because they face the same permitting requirements as the rest of the state.

Ground-level ozone is a pollutant that builds in the atmosphere when emissions from cars, lawnmowers and factories cook under the hot summer sun. It is a major component of smog and can irritate the lungs and cause breathing difficulty, particularly for children and people with respiratory troubles.

The EPA removed Allen County, which includes Fort Wayne, from the noncompliance list in January. Last year, the agency removed Delaware, Greene, Jackson, Vanderburgh, Vigo, and Warrick counties from that listing.

After the EPA’s proposal to change the designation for La Porte, St. Joseph and Elkhart counties is published in the Federal Register, the public then will have 30 days to comment.

Once the EPA proposes taking an area off the nonattainment list it rarely reverses its stance, Doty said. He said it only occurs in instances where an area violates ozone levels while awaiting approval.

Tougher air standards, including the EPA’s 1998 rule requiring Eastern states to reduce power plant nitrogen oxide emissions, account for cleaner air in Indiana and the rest of the Midwest, Doty said.

Steve Rosenthal, an EPA environmental engineer, said nitrogen oxide emissions and volatile organic compound emissions in Indiana are continuing to decrease and are expected to continue to decrease through 2020.