VANDERBURGH CO., IN (WFIE) -
The EPA and American Lung Association have announced that Vanderburgh County has met pollution standards for the first time ever.
In speaking to Dona Bergman of the Evansville EPA on Monday, she says they are very happy with the results of the State of the Air 2012 Report, and that the results bode well for our community.
"This is a biggie. This is a biggie," said GAGE President Debbie Dewey.
The ALA recently announced that Vanderburgh County received passing grades in its State of the Air 2012 Report, one that measured the area's air quality between 2008 and 2010. Perhaps more importantly, the EPA says the county has met ozone pollution standards for the first time ever.
"U.S. EPA is required by the Clean Air Act to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards or NAAQS. It's what us enviro-geeks call it," said Bergman.
Bergman says a state-run monitoring network measures an area's pollution rate, and if the monitoring data meets the EPA's air quality standard, then that area is considered 'in attainment'.
"Which means we meet the standard. We're below the standard. We're good," said Bergman.
Dewey says that being 'in attainment' is not only beneficial from a health standpoint, but an economic one as well.
"From an economic development perspective, it's going to make us much more attractive when we're trying to attract companies either to start up here or to open new operations here," said Dewey.
Dewey also says that the key to acquiring new businesses is getting them to visit, and that a city with a reputation for cleanliness is bound to get a second look.
"We feel like once we can get them here, and show them what we have to offer, and have them come visit the city, that we have a real leg up then," said Dewey.
Dr. Joanne Alexandrovich of the Vanderburgh County Health Department showed 14 News two graphs, and the first shows production at 17 area plants has remained consistent from 1997 until now. The other graphs show that pollution rates have sharply plummeted over that same timeline, among those same companies.
Bergman says that this is a very promising sign, and that it shows our community is headed in the right direction when it comes to the environment.
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