St. Louis violates 2008 Ozone Standard

Intro:	St. Louis and surrounding counties failed to meet EPA pollution requirements in 2008
RunTime:	0:39
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: The Environmental Protection Agency slapped the city of St. Louis with air quality violations.

According to the EPA, St. Louis released too much carbon into the atmosphere 5 different days last year.

Natural Resources Department Spokesperson Renee Bungart says the EPA standards could become even tougher.

Actuality:	BUNGART1.WAV
Run Time:	00:12
Description: "If EPA lowers the standard then all states including Missouri will need to go back and look at all of our monitoring data, look at all of our counties to see who would be contributing to those ozone emissions."

The violations are kind of a like a slap on the wrist because the EPA isn't issuing the St. Louis area any punishments.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Michael Gossum.

Intro:	The St. Louis area did not meet federal EPA air quality requirements in 2008.
RunTime:	0:44
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: The St. Louis metro area and surrounding counties failed to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's current air quality standards.

Spokesperson Renee Bungart of the Department of Natural Resources says lower EPA standards will lead to reassessment for the department.

Actuality:	BUNGART2.WAV
Run Time:	00:09
Description: "If we follow the EPA standard of 75 parts per billion we're seeing violations. If they lower that standard, we're going to have to go back and re-evaluate things."

Bungart says the St. Louis, Kansas City, and the Sainte. Genevieve areas were also in violation in 2008.

The Department of Natural Resources expects no punishment because the EPA is looking to change the standard, and according to Bungart the St. Louis area satisfied the 1997 standard.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Michael Gossum.

Intro:	The Environmental Protection Agency hits St. Louis and surrounding counties with air quality violations.
RunTime:	0:46
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: The St. Louis area received air quality violations because it failed to meet current EPA requirements in 2008.

Spokesperson Renee Bungart says the air monitors are placed in areas determined by the Department of Natural Resources.

Actuality:	BUNGART3.WAV
Run Time:	00:12
Description: "The Department of Natural Resources does consider where would be the most appropriate place to place a monitor, and most of the time they may end up being down wind from where a major source or contributor is."

Bungart says the EPA is looking to lower its air quality standards for the future.

However, since the standard will change soon, the Natural Resources Department expects no punishment for the St. Louis area.

Bungart also said that the Kansas City and Ste. Genevieve areas were also in violation in 2008.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Michael Gossum.