The designation will require the WV-DEP to propose a revisioon to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) within 3 years. The SIP will require emissions rductions adequate to return the area to "attainment" of the EPA Health Standard. Ultimately, this will require reductions in emissions of fine particulates, and the implementation of these reductions is to occur by 2014. The major source will be the Fort Martin power plant, which has >80 % of Mon County's emissions. I suspect that the addition of scrubbers at Fort Martin (already under construction) will dramatically reduce emissions, and DEP may argue that this will return the area to attainment.
Useful steps at this point would be to prepare letters to the editor to announce this designation (I have not seen it published yet) as well as urging local officials to do more to protect human health. This is also an opportunity to point out the contributions from the unwise land use development currently occurring in Monongalia County. Some will seek to blame the expanding student population at WVU, however, their contribution while measurable, is relatively trivial compared to all the shopping malls, housing devlopments, and other developments. We need to keep our officials focussd on the real problems, rather than to blame convenient scapegoats like "students" or "environmentalists".
JBK
"Bill Reger-Nash" wreger@hsc.wvu.edu 12/24/08 5:53 PM >>>
Duane et al,
Thank you for disseminating this info. I would appreciate your lsuggestions about how and where to appropriately respond. Of course, local industries and many politicians will want to call the designation into question whereas we need to further publicize the health hazards associated with the conditons observed.
Thoughts?
Have a happy holiday all, and thank you for all you do on behalf of us all.
Be well and continue to do good.
Bill
WV Walks - 30 minutes or more daily Feel the power of half an hour!
Bill Reger-Nash, Ed.D Professor of Community Medicine West Virginia University School of Medicine Morgantown WV 26506-9190 Phone: 304/293-0763 Fax: 304/293-6685
Dept. web page: http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/som/cmed BRN's web page: http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/som/cmed/wreger/
Duane330@aol.com 12/24/08 4:09 PM >>>
West Virginia Charleston, WV Kanawha Putnam Kanawha Putnam Kanawha Putnam Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Cabell Mason (p) Wayne Cabell Mason (p) Wayne Morgantown, WV Monongalia Monongalia Parkersburg-Marietta, WV-OH Pleasants Wood Pleasants (p) Wood Pleasants (p) Wood Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV Brooke Hancock Brooke Hancock Brooke Hancock
See the following web site..............
_http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2006standards/regs.htm#3_ (http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2006standards/regs.htm#3)
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James Kotcon