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East Tennessee Counties Designated for Nonattainment

On April 15, 2004 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated several areas throughout the country as nonattainment for air quality. These areas have ozone levels higher than allowed under EPA’s eight-hour ozone national air quality standard. The standard is designed to protect the public from exposure to ground-level ozone.

In East Tennessee the counties designated nonattainment include Anderson, Blount, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Sevier and a portion of Cocke County. These counties were categorized as basic nonattainment areas and will have to comply with more general nonattainment requirements in the Clean Air Act.

Since the Knoxville Early Action Compact was not accepted by EPA, the nonattainment status does not get deferred until 2007 and takes effect June 15, 2004. Although the regulations do not require a vehicle inspection and maintenance program, State and local agencies are allowed to develop additional regulations to help communities reduce emissions. Also, a long range transportation plan must be adopted for this area that meets air quality conformity regulations by June 15, 2005. These counties must meet attainment by June 2009. There is not an immediate threat to lose transportation dollars, but if this area does not implement air quality regulations necessary to clean up our air by the prescribed time, there will then be a threat to lose transportation funding.