EPA air-quality standards to stiffen to become more stringent

Reacting to a court order, the Environmental Protection Agency last week finalized an update to its national air-quality standards that will require counties to meet the stricter guidelines by 2020.

The new standards will require a standard of 12 micrograms (PM2.5) per cubic meter. The current level is 15 micrograms per cubic meter.

However, the new standards will have no effect on the existing daily stand for fine particles or the existing daily standard for coarse particles (PM10), which includes dust from farms and other sources.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson called the tightening of standards the fulfillment of a promise.

“These standards are fulfilling a promise of the Clean Air Act. We will save lives and reduce the burden of illness in our communities and families,” Jackson said.

The announcement last week comes on the heels of Lincoln County’s first Air Alert in two years. Beginning last Wednesday, Dec. 12, for about 48 hours, Libby-area residents experienced their first alert since 2010.

It was during that Air Alert that Sanitarian Erik Leigh of the Lincoln County Environmental Health Department, further urged compliance with air-quality mandates during an alert.

With 1,900 registered wood-burning homes, only four had sought the “single-heat source exemption,” which allows the burning of stick material during an Air Alert.

“Today is the second day of the alert, and it’s surprising to see how many folks are still burning,” Leigh wrote in his press release. “Due to the sole-source exemption, it’s expected to see a few folks still using their wood stoves but not the 50 or more that were burning this afternoon. That number is surprising because the department only issued exemptions to four (residences) before the alert began.”

Because of the infrequency of the alerts — just one in the past two years — Leigh admitted there may be a lack of enforcement. However, he said, with the gradual implementation of stricter standards, he does anticipate enforcement.

“I do think we can meet those (new requirements), but we will need to be a little more stringent on our enforcement,” Leigh said Friday afternoon.

Leigh explained the general course is to warn people caught in violation, but if the infractions continue they will be fined.

“A few years ago, we had a person with a large unpermitted stove, and we warned them,” Leigh said. “They continued to burn, and we fined them.”

The fines for non-compliance is a misdemeanor and fines range from $25 to $500.

Leigh said the key to getting Lincoln County residents to comply with the restrictions is education.

“Really, our goal is not to penalize. We want to educate and inform. However, we must meet the air standards or control of the program will be taken away,” Leigh said. 

Leigh admitted the Environmental Health Department may have to begin enforcing the restrictions if the county is to meet the higher air-quality standards.

“It may come to that,” he said. “I am the one who enforces the guidelines. If we have to get out there to do that, we will.”

The penalty for non-compliance would mean the state or even the EPA would subsequently take control of enforcing the Lincoln County program.

Only Lincoln County residents within the monitoring zone must limit stick burning during the Air Alert. The zone includes an area that includes 228-square miles. The northern border is just south of the Red Dog Saloon & Pizza, Canoe Gulch on the east, the strawberry patch on the west and the Libby Creek Bridge on the south.