SAN DIEGO - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced
Friday that San Diego and two other regions in California don't
meet the agency's new fine particle air quality standards.
The standards are aimed at reducing fine particle air pollution,
called PM2.5, which is made up of sulfates, nitrates and carbon
compounds emitted from smoke, vehicles, industry and power
The particles can lodge deeply in the lungs and cause a myriad
of respiratory and cardiovascular health problems, according to the
The San Joaquin Valley and greater Los Angeles air basin also
were designated "out of attainment" with particulate standards.
Regions that don't meet the new standard have three years to
develop a clean air plan that demonstrates how the area will
improve air quality by the early 2008 deadline.
"As the Central Valley, Los Angeles air basin and San Diego
areas make plans to reduce PM2.5, those efforts will help reduce
area ozone pollution as well," said Wayne Nastri, the EPA's Pacific
Southwest regional administrator.
The EPA made the designations after reviewing three years of
state air quality data.