The State of Indiana will appeal a designation of ozone non-attainment for Lake and Porter counties issued by the U.S. Evinronmental Protection Agency.

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Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Air Quality Keith Baugues says IDEM officials decided to appeal the deisgnation because Lake and Porter counties alone are in compliance with the ozone standard and only one monitor within the Chicago Metropolitan Statistical Area exceeded the standard by less than one percent. That one monitor is also located in the Illionois-Wisconsin border.

Baugues says the designation becomes a deterrent for industries looking for develop in the area thus slowing down any economic development. Baugues says it is a huge setback for Lake and Porter counties who had just recently achieved attainment for another air poluttant only to be set back by the ozone attainment.

Attorney General Greg Zoeller says a request for an administrative review has been filed and the state will also as the EPA to re-evaluate their own decision. Zoeller says ideally the EPA should re-draw the boundaries for the Chicago Metropolitan Statistical Area and leave the two Indiana counties out of the area.