Columbus achieved something no other U.S. city has managed: moving out of non-compliance with federal air quality standards for ground-level ozone.
Jason Plautz reports: "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared that Columbus, OH is the first city to move out of non-compliance with federal air quality standards for ground-level ozone, after three years of monitoring data showed the air has finally reached safe levels."
The city has attained 2015 standards, and as a result, "will no longer be subject to certain permitting restrictions and other economic penalties to reduce air pollution." The city credits increased public transit use and investments in clean energy for their success in improving air quality.
Other cities are taking steps backwards, however. "[The] EPA has already proposed downgrading Denver, CO to a 'serious' non-attainment status for the 2008 ozone standard, and is set to propose hat areas around Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Diego, New York City, Connecticut and Nevada also be downgraded for violating that standard," according to Plautz.
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