United States Environmental Protection
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
April 15, 2004
The Administrator
Honorable Joseph E. Kernan
Governor of Indiana
206 State Capitol
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Dear Governor Kernan:
Today, we enter a new chapter in our country's clean air commitment. President Bush outlined this chapter when he directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement a national Clean Air strategy committing us to make the years ahead one of the most productive periods of air quality improvement in our nation's history.
The last 35 years have seen a growing commitment to clean air and a progression of science and technology that has informed our decision-making and guided our actions. I often think of our clean air history as a relay where a baton is passed from generation to generation and from Administration to Administration. It is a relay in which we must all be involved and a relay where our participation is never done. This Administration has made a commitment to accelerate our clean air progress so that all Americans live healthier, longer, more productive and prosperous lives. It is a commitment to no turning around or backsliding in air quality improvement.
Part of our nation's commitment to clean, healthy air deals with reducing levels of ozone. That effort began in the1970s with a 1-hour standard for ozone - now, in 2004, the more protective, health-based 8-hour ozone standard is ready for implementation.
Today, I fulfill my legal obligation under the Clean Air Act to issue final designations for all areas of the country for the 8-hour ozone standard. The enclosed table identifies the areas in your state that are designated as nonattainment, meaning that some areas of your state do not meet the more protective, health-based 8-hour ozone standard.
Having been through this process as a governor myself, I recognize that having parts of your state designated as being in nonattainment will require more actions on your part to achieve cleaner, healthier air. This ozone standard is strong medicine, and we need to work together to make certain your state can, as others have in the past, clean the air while sustaining economic growth. That is why the President has asked EPA to develop tools that reduce the transport of pollution across state boundaries.
These ozone rules are one part of a suite of national Clean Air Rules that, when combined with other clean air actions, will bring the vast majority of areas of the country into attainment with this standard over the next 15 years. The Clean Air Rules, when fully implemented, will cut power plant emissions of sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides and mercury by nearly 70 percent, and will also reduce emissions from off-road diesel fuels, vehicles and engines by over 90 percent - those black puffs of smoke are going to be a thing of the past. Together, these Clean Air Rules will build on the tremendous progress made over the last 30 years, and do it in record time.
We have a national strategy and tools to provide people with cleaner, healthier air now and in the future. The result is more protection, faster and ensures that clean air and a prosperous economy will be this generation's contribution to our children and grandchildren.
Sincerely,
Michael O. Leavitt
Enclosure
cc (w/enclosure):
Ms. Lori F. Kaplan, Commissioner
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Enclosure
Boundary Designations for 8-hour Ozone Standards for Indiana
(P) - Partial Counties
| Nonattainment Area Name | Counties | Classification | Maximum Attainment Date (from June 15, 2004) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Gary-Lake Co IL-IN | Lake Porter |
Moderate | June 2010 |
| South Bend/Elkhart IN | Elkhart St. Joseph |
Basic | June 2009 |
| Louisville, KY-IN | Clark Floyd |
Basic | June 2009 |
| Indianapolis, IN | Marion Boone Hendricks Morgan Johnson Shelby Hancock Madison Hamilton |
Basic | June 2009 |
| Evansville IN-KY | Vanderburgh Warrick | Basic | June 2009 |
| Muncie IN | Delaware | Basic | June 2009 |
| Cincinnati-Hamilton OH-KY-IN |
Dearborn (P) | Basic | June 2009 |
| Greene Co IN | Greene | Basic | June 2009 |
| Jackson Co IN | Jackson | Basic | June 2009 |
| LaPorte IN | LaPorte | Moderate | June 2010 |
| Fort Wayne IN | Allen | Basic | June 2009 |
| Terre Haute IN | Vigo | Basic | June 2009 |
Note: Remainder of state is attainment
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