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EPA Approves Redesignation of the Troy Area Lead (Pb) Standard

Regulatory2018-06-21

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News Releases from Region 04

06/22/2018

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ATLANTA (June 22, 2018) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its approval of the State of Alabama’s request to redesignate the Troy area located in Pike County, Ala. from nonattainment to attainment for the 2008 Lead (Pb) standard. Additionally, EPA is proposing to approve a maintenance plan for the Troy area, which describes how the state will maintain compliance with the 2008 Lead standard.

“This redesignation reflects the improved air quality in Pike County thanks to the hard work of EPA’s state and local partners. This final action brings the entire state of Alabama into compliance with the lead standard, meaning healthier air for all residents,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Trey Glenn.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) worked collaboratively with EPA and other stakeholders to develop strategies for achieving and maintaining compliance with lead standards across the state.

The area had previously been in violation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead due to contamination from the Sanders lead smelting facility in Troy, Alabama. Since that time, the Sanders Facility installed controls to reduce the amount of lead emitted by its operations. Pike County air monitors have registered three years of data indicating no exceedances of the standard.

Lead is a metal found naturally in the environment as well as in manufactured products. The major sources of lead emissions have historically been from fuels used in on-road motor vehicles (such as cars and trucks) and industrial sources. As a result of EPA’s regulatory efforts to remove lead from on-road motor vehicle gasoline, emissions of lead from the transportation sector dramatically declined by 99 percent between 1980 and 2014, and levels of lead in the air decreased by 99 percent between 1990 and 2016.

For more information on the Troy area final 2008 Lead (Pb) redesignation, visit docket number EPA-R04-OAR-2018-0077 at: www.regulations.gov.

Learn more about lead designations: www.epa.gov/lead-designations.