Thursday, November 19, 2009

The Kansas City area has violated air quality standards and may be forced to impose new restrictions on the producers of smog.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources on Thursday said ozone levels in Kansas City were above the eight-hour standard on six days between April 1 and Oct. 31. Based on the average ozone levels over the past three years, the violations typically would require additional restrictions to cut pollutants created by trucks, cars, power plants and other businesses.

Kansas City already is under ozone control measures because of air quality.

The Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing the ozone standards set last year and may make them more stringent. That process may take two years.