State Urges EPA to redesignate Crittenden County as in Attainment for Ozone

Arkansas is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to redesignate Crittenden County, Arkansas as in attainment for federal ozone standards. On Dec. 15, 2015, Gov. Asa Hutchinson submitted a formal request to EPA Region 6 Administrator Ron Curry on behalf of the State of Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality noting in his letter that “ozone monitoring data for the period of 2012 through 2014 show that Crittenden County has attained and continues to attain the 2008 eight-hour ozone” standard of 75 parts per billion under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Along with the letter to Curry, the state submitted a Maintenance Plan that outlines measures to keep the area in compliance with the standard for a minimum of 10 years. ADEQ held a public hearing in West Memphis on Nov. 5, 2015, on the proposed removal of the nonattainment designation for ozone compliance under federal air quality standards which has applied to Crittenden County since 2012. The department didn’t receive any comments opposing the proposal.

• Governor’s Letter to EPA
• Redesignation Request