State meets all federal clean-air standards
OLYMPIA — Washington state has become the first state in the West, excluding Hawaii, to fully comply with federal clean-air requirements, authorities announced Wednesday.
Only 12 states nationally have been certified by federal regulators as meeting the Environmental Protection Agency standards.
Washington’s full compliance became official Sept. 26, when the area around the Wallula pulp and paper mill — between the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla — was certified as meeting the EPA standards, said Glenn Kuper, a spokesman for the state Department of Ecology. The area was one of three brought into compliance this year, including areas in Yakima and Spokane.
The announcement means the entire state meets EPA standards for pollutants such as ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. Before being deemed “in attainment,” areas must meet the standards for three years and have an EPA-approved maintenance plan to ensure air quality.
This article is republished courtesy of the Seattle P-I:
State meets all federal clean-air standards
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