With yesterday's end to this year's ozone season, monitors show the five-county Louisville region -- Jefferson, Oldham and Bullitt counties in Kentucky, and Clark and Floyd counties in Indiana -- surpassed the federal health standard for lung-irritating ozone on 16 days. That's the most since 2002 and the region's fourth-highest in a decade.
The EPA determines compliance by looking at ozone levels over three consecutive years. A violation in any one of the five counties affects the clean-air status of all five.
This year's expected violation stems from high readings in Oldham County, which is generally downwind from Louisville, the region's biggest contributor to air pollution.
"I could tell a difference," said Wilbur Walker, a retired Louisville resident who suffers from emphysema. "It bothered me more. I coughed more. I noticed a sore throat more."
In addition to health concerns, the rising ozone levels could affect area businesses and drivers.
If the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirms the violation of
the Clean Air Act's ozone standard, it would trigger a mandatory review
by a local task force that could result in new pollution controls on
industrial sources, more inspections for industries, or programs to
reduce motor-vehicle use.
Some actions that might help -- such as
reducing toxic chemicals -- are already under way as part of the city's
Strategic Toxic Air Reduction program. And local officials already are
studying other potential measures, such as cutting back on pollution
from railroad yards, the Louisville International Airport or limiting
motor-vehicle idling.
Some strategies could reduce ozone as well as fine particles and other pollutants, said Art Williams, director of the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District.
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