Miami Meets Federal Air Quality Sulfur Dioxide Standard

Arizona Dept. of Environmental Quality Director Steve Owens announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved ADEQ's request to designate the Miami area in Gila Co. as being in compliance with the federal air quality standard for sulfur dioxide.

The Miami area was designated as a "nonattainment" area for sulfur dioxide in 1979 due to emissions from the Phelps Dodge copper smelter. Because of pollution controls installed on the smelter, the Miami area has not exceeded the federal health standard for sulfur dioxide since 1985, but until now, the EPA hadn't changed the area's designation. ADEQ asked the EPA to recognize the area's improvements & change the designation.

"This is great news for the Miami area, & for Gila Co. in general," ADEQ Director Owens said. "It took too long to get this done, but EPA has finally officially acknowledged that air quality in the Miami area has improved significantly, due to the pollution controls that have been added to the smelter."

Owens stated, "It's important to recognize the real progress that has been made in improving air quality, as well as remove the stigma of being designated a nonattainment area for communities like Miami."

The Miami area is the 4th sulfur dioxide area to achieve attainment since Owens has been ADEQ Director. The others are the Ajo area in Pima Co., the Douglas area in Cochise Co., & the Morenci area in Greenlee Co.

Also, since Owens has been ADEQ Director, Maricopa Co. has been designated as attainment for carbon monoxide & the federal 1-hour ozone standard.