|
For Immediate Release |
Contact: |
September 19, 2005 |
Art Williams 502-574-8689 |
Media Advisory
Air Pollution Control District Celebrates Sixtieth Year
Agency to Recognize Former Board Members
Louisville, KY (September 19, 2005) - Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District will celebrate its sixtieth year following the 9 AM Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control Board meeting on Wednesday, September 21 at 850 Barret Avenue. Former Board members have been invited and will be recognized at a reception following the Board’s monthly meeting.
Highlights in the history of Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District:
- September 11, 1945, the day the first official smoke ordinance was passed.
- In 1946, the Louisville Smoke Abatement Commission was created.
- In 1950 the Louisville Smoke Commission became the Air Pollution Control Board, and it was July 1, 1952, that it became the City-County Air Pollution Control District, holding jurisdiction over all of Jefferson County.
- In 1966 the Kentucky Air Pollution Control Commission was created, and in 1967 it proposed statewide regulations prohibiting all open burning, and stringently controlling all incinerators, coal-refuse burning and waste burners.
- In 1968 the authority of the state was passed to the Jefferson County Air Pollution Control Board.
- In 1970 the federal government enacted the Clean Air Act that required the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).
- In the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977, the District was required to submit a plan to the EPA laying out its strategy for achieving compliance with the NAAQS for ozone and carbon monoxide.
- Because the Louisville area did not meet the ozone and carbon monoxide NAAQS by 1982, the EPA required Louisville to have a Vehicle Emissions Testing (VET) program, which was started in 1984.
- After thirty years of non-attainment for ozone, Jefferson County finally reached attainment with the federal standards in 2001.
- The VET was required until attainment was achieved, and in 2003 it was phased out.
- On July 1, 2005, the Strategic Toxic Air Reduction (STAR) Program regulations were adopted. The STAR program sets the framework for assessing the effects of toxic air emissions and requires an evaluation of industrial, commercial, and mobile sources.