Washington, DC  -  Congressman Mike Rogers congratulated Phenix City Mayor Jeff Hardin and the entire Russell County Commission today for working so hard to prove to the EPA that Russell County was meeting tough clean air standards mandated by the Federal government. The announcement, made late Tuesday night by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), puts Russell County in compliance with national clean air standards.

“This is great news for the citizens of Russell County,” Rogers said. “It’s also another great incentive for attracting new businesses and residents.”

Rogers said in February he sent EPA acting administrator Stephen Johnson a letter urging the agency to act quickly on a request by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) to reassess its findings about Russell County. As of yesterday the EPA determined that under the proposal submitted by ADEM Russell County’s air was, in fact, clean enough to meet tough new federal clean air standards for fine particle pollution.

“I am pleased the Federal government acted with haste in reviewing this data, and correctly identified Russell County as in compliance,” Rogers added.

Last July Rogers also sent a letter to the EPA regarding Lee County’s air quality. The EPA has since reviewed its findings and also found Lee County to be “in attainment” of federal air quality standards.

The EPA says that nationwide new federal air quality standards will help prevent at least 15,000 premature deaths; 75,000 cases of chronic bronchitis; 10,000 hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular disease; and 3.1 million days when people miss work because they are suffering from symptoms related to particle pollution exposure.