EPA Mahoning, Trumbull cited for violations

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency says Mahoning and Trumbull counties are in violation of air standards because too many fine pollution particles are in the air there.
The state EPA will hold a hearing at 2 p.m. March 24 in Columbus to discuss its recommendation to the federal EPA to classify Mahoning, Trumbull and 13 other counties as violating the fine particulate standard. Fine particles have many of the same sources as ozone, such as coal-burning power plants, industrial sources and transportation sources, the Ohio EPA says.
The other recommendation the Ohio EPA could give would be to add 11 counties adjacent to the other 15 counties, including Columbiana, to the list. If the federal EPA determines that there is a fine particle problem in Ohio, the state would have three years to develop a plan to develop a plan to reduce the levels. It would have until 2009 to implement the plan.
Those who can't make the hearing can submit comments by March 30 to Bill Spires, Ohio EPA, Division of Air Pollution Control, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus 43216-1049.