This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designated areas across the country that do not meet the federal small particulate (PM 2.5) standards.

These tiny particles - approximately 1/30th the size of a human hair - have been scientifically linked to serious human health problems including premature death from heart and lung disease; aggravation of heart and lung diseases; chronic bronchitis and asthma; increased hospital admissions and doctor and emergency room visits; and absences from work and school.

EPA designed 22 counties in Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver Berks, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Greene, Indiana, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Mercer, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Washington, Westmoreland and York.

The Department of Environmental Protection had recommended all but six of the counties-- Armstrong, Butler, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence and Mercer.

DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty called the designations a “…sleight of hand (that) could put Pennsylvania at a disadvantage in terms of public health and economic competitiveness.”

Pennsylvania has 120 days to respond to EPA’s proposed designations. Final designations will be announced in November. EPA will propose an implementation rule for the new air quality standards this fall. A final rulemaking is not expected until spring 2005.

This designation is part of an EPA clean air strategy that includes recent rules to reduce pollution from nonroad diesel engines, and the proposed rule to reduce pollution from power plants in the eastern U.S.

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7/5/2004