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Communities in North Carolina To Reduce Smog Ahead of Schedule

Release Date: 8/24/2005
Contact Information:

Atlanta, GA August 24, 2005) Three areas in North Carolina, Unifour, Triad and Fayetteville, are among fourteen communities across the United States that are ahead of schedule in the effort to reduce ground-level ozone.  The communities committed to meeting EPA's more stringent 8-hour ozone standard by December 31, 2007, one to two years earlier than required by the Clean Air Act.  In a separate action, which will be published on August 30, 2005, EPA will extend the effective date of the nonattainment designation for the Unifour, Triad and Fayetteville communities until December 31, 2006.  Additionally, the Mountain, Unifour, Triad and Fayetteville areas, have received approval for their Early Action Compact State Implementation Plan, due to progress that has been made under the Early Action Compact program. 

Early Action Compacts provide a strong incentive for state and local governments, civic leaders and business interests to develop innovative, cost-effective strategies for improving ozone air quality in ways that are tailored to individual communities.  There are 29 Early Action Compact areas in the country.  Fifteen of the communities (nine in the southeast) are already designated as attainment, but chose to join the compact to ensure that they stay in attainment and want to take voluntary steps to protect the health of their citizens and the quality of life in their communities.  For more information about the Early Action Compact Program, visit:  https://www.epa.gov/oar/eac/.

CONTACT: Dawn Harris-Young, EPA Media Relations, 404-562-8421