10/09/09

PRESTON, Idaho (AP) _ Federal environmental regulators say
Franklin County is not meeting clean air benchmarks for fine
particle pollution.

The Environmental Protection Agency identified the eastern Idaho
county Thursday as one of several nationwide for being out of
compliance.

An EPA spokesman tells the Idaho State Journal that a
preliminary study shows the main sources of the pollution are
wood-burning stoves and the chemical reaction that occurs between
ammonia from big cattle operations and vehicle exhaust.

In 2006, the EPA published new standards for fine particle
pollution and asked states to identify potential problem areas.

The federal Clean Air Act allows states three years to submit a
plan for dealing with the pollution and another two years to put
the plan in place and meet standards.

The decision is based on data gathered since 2005.
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Information from: Idaho State Journal, http://www.journalnet.com

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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