The federal government says the air in New Hampshire’s Hillsborough County is simply too dirty to breath.
The county is one of 345 counties nationwide that do not meet new health standards for smog announced yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson says state and local officials will have considerable time to meet the requirements, as much as 20 years for some.
His decision was met with sharp criticism from health experts, and some members of Congress accused the EPA chief of ignoring scientists who say even stricter standards are needed.