SOUTH COAST WEIGHS IMPLICATIONS OF BUMPING UP ATTAINMENT STATUS

South Coast air district officials are considering the implications of voluntarily bumping up the region's nonattainment classification to "extreme" under the federal eight-hour ozone standard, which would provide more rulemaking flexibility and possibly three more years to achieve air quality standards. However, the change may also define many more businesses as major sources, subjecting them to more stringent pollution control and offset requirements. The implications remain unclear, and district officials are likely to further explore the issue early next year,...