The Oakridge-Westfir area in southern Oregon attain Clean Air Act standards for fine particle pollution.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stated the air quality now meets the fine particulate National Ambient Air Quality Standard in those communities, according to a Sept. 23 news release. The standard for air quality is laid out under the Clean Air Act.
"This milestone demonstrates that working together on creative, locally driven solutions is the best way to make progress and improve people’s health and quality of life," EPA Regional Administrator for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska Casey Sixxkiller said in the release.
Sixkiller went on to praise the EPA's partners on this project, such as the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, according to the release.
“Thanks to the tireless collaboration between LRAPA and local communities, residents of Oakridge-Westfir are breathing cleaner and healthier air during winter months. EPA is proud to have been a partner in these efforts," Sixkiller said in the release.
Other officials echoed these sentiments and similarly thought that collaboration was key to the project, according to the release.
“Achieving this milestone is a great example of how complicated problems can be resolved through public partnership and collaboration," Oakridge Mayor Chrissy Hollett said in a press release. "Oakridge’s air is cleaner and we believe we will see a healthier impact on our community for years to come.”
