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EPA Approves Ozone Non-Attainment Redesignation Petition for Christian County, Ky.

Release Date: 01/25/2006
Contact Information: Laura Niles, (404) 562-8353, [email protected]

(ATLANTA – January 25, 2006) Today, Christian County, Kentucky received approval from EPA to be redesignated to attainment for the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard. Last year, the Commonwealth of Kentucky petitioned EPA for reclassification from nonattainment to attainment of the Christian County, Ky. 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. The interstate Clarksville, Tenn.-Hopkinsville, Ky. 8-hour ozone nonattainment area is comprised of two counties - Christian County, Ky. and Montgomery County, Tenn.

“I approved their request and redesignated the area for ozone attainment because Christian County has shown it can achieve and maintain clean air standards under the Clean Air Act,” said EPA Regional Administrator Jimmy Palmer. “Redesignation to attainment recognizes the hard work of state and local officials to implement emission control programs, thus ensuring our clean air goals are met.”

Additionally, EPA is approving the 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for Christian County. This approval is based on EPA's determination that the Commonwealth of Kentucky has demonstrated that Christian County has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment specified in the Clean Air Act, including the determination that the entire Clarksville-Hopkinsville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area has attained the 8-hour ozone standard.

The State of Tennessee submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Montgomery County, Tenn. portion of this area last year. The redesignation of the Tennessee portion of the nonattainment area was effective on November 21, 2005.

The final rule will be available on the Federal Docket Management System at http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic-rel11/component/main. The docket number is EPA-R04-OAR-2005-KY-0001-200521(f).

More information about ozone is available at www.epa.gov/ozone. Information and a full list of EPA’s 8-hour ozone designations are available at www.epa.gov/ozonedesignations.