Today, U.S. EPA published a final rule in the Federal Register declaring that the "Chicago-Gary-Lake County, IL-IN" area no longer violates the 24-hour fine particle (PM 2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
Generally, the Clean Air Act requires that states with areas in violation of the PM 2.5 standard must undertake certain planning and pollution control activities within those areas to come into compliance as quickly as reasonably possible. Also, health studies have shown an association between exposure to PM 2.5 and premature death from heart and lung disease.
According to the EPA, "fine particles are extremely small airborne particles. Airborne particles with a nominal aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less (a micrometer is one-millionth of a meter; 2.5 micrometers is less than about one-thirtieth the thickness of a human hair) are considered to be 'fine particles' and are also known as PM2.5. Due to their small size, they can penetrate deeply into the lungs of people who inhale them, where they can accumulate, react, or be absorbed into the body."
Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.
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