DEQ:?Tri-parishes’ ozone levels questioned

In the next few years, the federal Environmental Protection Agency will be lowering the permissible level of ozone in the atmosphere to .075 parts per million over an 8-hour period, which would probably place Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes at higher than acceptable levels.

The current acceptable level is .08 parts per million.

St. Mary Parish’s is among the state’s permissible levels, according to the state Department of Environmental Quality.

Louisiana must determine by June 2009 which parishes exceed the standard. Plans to reduce the level of ozone would not be due until 2013.

The EPA is making the reduction to comply with the federal Clean Air Act.

Parishes exceeding the standard could face the loss of some federal highway and transit funding, as well as greater oversight by the EPA.

The Louisiana DEQ stated in a release that the reduced standard may require additional tests on automobiles when receiving inspection stickers and restrictions on the fuel used in vehicles.