EPA Lists Counties Likely To Violate Lead Standard

EPA announced June 15, 2010, the counties it anticipates will be in violation of the new airborne lead standard. Additional negotiations that may address comments from states, tribes, and the general public made before Aug. 16, 2010, could lead to changes in that list before it is finalized in October 2010. For now, there are one or more counties in each of 12 states (AL, AZ, CA, FL, IL, IN, MN, MO, OH, PA, TN, and TX).

• Lead designations site.
• Map.

Counties that end up on the final nonattainment list must take steps within five years to meet the standard. Tradeoffs between public health and economic issues will likely weigh heavily in your coverage.

More counties may come under the gun for lead violations when EPA makes additional final rulings by October 2011, based on readings from new lead monitors that were required as part of the revised lead standard that was adopted in 2008.