MORGANTOWN - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan tolist Monongalia County's air quality as failing to meet federalstandards is being challenged by state regulators.
The federal agency wants to list Monongalia County as anonattainment area for particulate matter because nearby MarionCounty has failed to meet it's air quality standard. Particulatematter is a term used to describe solid particles and liquid dropletsin the air. Solid particles can come from dust, vehicle exhaust andmanufacturing processes.
"Based on the scientific evidence - we didn't see support" for theEPA's decision, Fred Durham with the state Department ofEnvironmental Protection told Monongalia County officials Thursdaynight.
The state responded to the EPA earlier this week, giving reasonswhy Monongalia County should not be listed as a nonattainment area.
New development in past years, and an increase in population atWest Virginia University and in Morgantown, could continue tocontribute to air pollution, said former Morgantown Mayor FlorenceMerow. "People continue to want to live here because of the clean air... But it seems things are changing in a bad way."
High particulate matter in the air can cause health problems,including premature death, aggravated respiratory and cardiovascularillness, decreased lung function, and changes in lung structure andnatural defense mechanisms, Durham said.
The national annual standard for particulate matter is 15micrograms per cubic meter. Measurements over a three-year periodshowed that Monongalia County recorded 14.9; Harrison County 14 andMarion County 15.4.
Counties that fail to meet the standard must meet strictguidelines and improve air quality during a five-year period.
Nonattainment areas in West Virginia include Wheeling, Weirton,Parkersburg, Huntington, Charleston and surrounding areas, andBerkeley and Jefferson counties in the Eastern Panhandle.
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