WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
determined that 16 areas across the country are not meeting the
agency’s national air quality standards for lead. These areas,
located in 11 states, were designated as “nonattainment” because
their 2007 to 2009 air quality monitoring data showed that they
did not meet the agency’s health-based standards. Exposure to
lead may impair a child’s IQ, learning capabilities and
behavior. Areas designated today as not meeting the standard
will need to develop and implement plans to reduce pollution to
meet the lead standards. Nonattainment areas must meet the
standards by Dec. 31, 2015. No areas in Indian Country are being
designated as nonattainment. EPA will designate areas as meeting
or not meeting the standards in two rounds. In the first round
announced today, EPA is designating areas that do not meet the
standards based on air quality monitoring data from the existing
lead monitoring network. In October 2011, EPA will use data from
new monitors to