The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seeks to approve a request from Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to redesignate what qualifies as safe ozone levels in the Detroit region. 

The change would redesignate the region as meeting federal ozone standards after years of strict standards.

EPA Regional Administrator Anne Vogel says the change is partially due to reductions in air pollution. “Redesignations lead to faster and more predictable air permitting processes, while existing pollution controls continue to drive improvements in air quality,” Vogel says. 

Environmental advocates like Nick Leonard disagree. Leonard is executive director of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center.

He says ozone air pollution in the region is still above the health-based standard set by the EPA. 

“It’s been consistently above the air quality standard for the past 10 years,” Leonard says. “The EPA is nonetheless justifying its decision to find that air quality is attaining the standard… because they’re pinning the blame for a few high ozone days on wildfire smoke from the last few years.”

Officials say the change will ease the permitting process for industrial projects, which could help the region’s economy. 

Public comment on the proposal is open until Aug. 27.