Floyd, Clark Counties Don't Meet Soot Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency has found that nine Kentucky counties-- including Jefferson County-- are out of compliance with national soot standards.  But in Indiana, the EPA says 19 counties and townships are not making the grade—including Clark and Floyd counties.  Assistant Air Quality Commissioner Dan Murray says the agency based its decision on previous years’ data, and that it should only be five counties.  He says more recent data that will prove the counties are indeed in compliance.  Murray says the counties aren’t the biggest contributors to the problem.“Most of the contribution is from coal-fired combustion.  However, the second largest category are motor vehicle emissions,” Murray says.Murray says the EPA should target areas with coal-fired power plants and not penalize entire counties.  He says the additional pollution controls required when counties are out of compliance could hurt local economies.