FORT COLLINS — The Environmental Protection Agency gave Fort Collins an extension to meet federal ozone standards.
Sunday EPA administrator Scott Pruitt announced he will delay a key step in implementation of the new standard by one year.
The EPA was originally scheduled to make final nonattainment designations – essentially triggering repercussions for areas that don’t meet the latest ozone standard – in October 2017.
That now will happen in October 2018.
The Northern Front Range, which includes Fort Collins and the Denver Metro area, has long struggled to comply with federal ozone regulations and remains out of compliance with the standard passed in 2008.
Area officials have been working to meet the standard by stiffening regulations for vehicles and industry.
