to take action to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion.
Nonattainment Areas in Georgia
Across Georgia, 27 counties or parts of counties are classified by the U.S. environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a nonattainment area for ground-level ozone, particle pollution or both. This includes 20 counties in metro Atlanta, as well as areas surrounding Macon, Floyd, and Chattanooga.
Nonattainment status means that pollution levels are likely to exceed federal and state limits on many days throughout the year. Exceedances for ground-level-ozone are most likely to occur during the spring and summer - particularly May 1 to September 30 - while particle pollution exceedances may occur at any time. Poor air quality threatens economic prosperity, poses risks to human health and is harmful to the environment.
Current list of nonattainment areas:
Metro Atlanta
Barrow
Bartow
Carroll
Cherokee
Clayton
Cobb
Coweta
DeKalb
Douglas
Fayette
Forsyth
Fulton
Gwinnett
Hall
Heard (partial)**†
Henry
Newton
Paulding
Putnam (partial)**†
Rockdale
Spalding
Walton
Macon
Bibb**
Monroe (partial)**
Chattanooga/TN line
Catoosa
Walker**
Floyd
Floyd**
**Meets standard for ground-level ozone, not particle pollution.
† Not included in The Clean Air Campaign’s 20-county metro Atlanta service area