With August the peak month for ozone alerts, we can expect the worst is yet to come.
The agency decided to issue at the same time a new standard for ozone, another harmful gas that helps form smog.
However, he failed to include a role for stratospheric ozone.
Lowe invented the dry powder test for ozone in the atmosphere.
Despite these improvements, this region still does not meet federal standards for ozone and particulate matter.
The agency estimates that 76 of the nation's several hundred air pollution control areas do not meet the current standard for ozone.
Separately, in 1997, the agency issued new limits for ozone that were far lower than the previous standard.
The whole state is out of compliance with Federal standards for ozone, and 18 of the state's 21 counties have severe problems.
Sixty-eight urban and rural areas failed to meet the limit for ozone, up from 62 in 1986.
Counties added to the list of those failing to meet the standard for ozone included;