A proposal to eliminate a federal air-pollution rule locally might threaten the strict industrial emission controls that have helped make it easier to breathe in Jackson County.

"It’s a hidden bomb," said Condé Cox, a Jacksonville resident who led an effort two years ago against weakening local standards on industrial pollution. "It is the end of particulate pollution regulations in Southern Oregon."

The federal Environmental Protection Agency is considering revoking regulations on fine particles later this year that have been the basis for the Medford area’s rules for more than 20 years. These regulations are concerned with particles measuring 10 microns in size, about one-seventh the diameter of a human hair.

On the EPA’s Web site, a map shows Medford is one of about a dozen areas in the country where standards for these particulates could be revoked.

In other areas, particularly counties in Southern California, the rules for these standards would remain intact.

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Jackson County Commissioner Dave Gilmour described the EPA’s proposal as worrisome, particularly the possibility that this area would no longer even have monitors to measure particle pollution.

"It will be opening up the airshed to abuse if anybody wanted to," he said.

Rachel Sakata, air quality planner with the state Department of Environmental Quality, said she still believes that Medford’s local rules would continue to stay in place despite the federal proposal.

However, she said, "If the EPA revokes it, and says no rules need to be in place, then technically we wouldn’t have to."

Acknowledging that the EPA’s proposals are confusing, Sakata said the DEQ is nevertheless still trying to determine the impact on local rules if the federal regulations are revoked.

Even though the EPA proposes to revoke a program to combat these pollutants, it will be phasing in a new program to go after finer particles that measure 2.5 microns, or 1/28th the diameter of a human hair.

Particles smaller than 10 microns are potentially dangerous to humans because they can penetrate to the deepest parts of the lungs, aggravating those who have asthma, emphysema or other bronchial ailments.

These particles are generated by woodstove smoke, vehicles, open burning or industrial sources.

Under the proposed rule, any area that produces on average 35 micrograms per cubic liter of these tiny particles would be in violation of federal standards. Medford is one of the three worst areas in the state for these kind of pollutants, averaging 36 micrograms during 2002-04.

"That area could be in non-attainment," said Sakata, stressing that because of Medford’s pollution problem it will be important to continue monitoring.

Local air quality managers already are preparing for the new standards, urging cities to ban open burning and implement programs to replace inefficient woodstoves.

States are working to make sure there is an "anti-backsliding" rule in the new regulations so that restrictions on pollution aren’t weakened, she said.

"That’s something the EPA is trying to sort out," she said.

Sakata expects that Medford will at least end up with one monitor to detect very fine particles. Currently there is a monitor in Medford and White City

However, she said, "The EPA has cut funding to states regarding monitoring. We’re not sure how that will play out."

Cox said he has pored over the fine print in the EPA’s proposed regulations and discovered that monitors would not be required in Medford.

"Southern Oregon gets zero," he said.

Cox said Oregon lawmakers might be less inclined to fund pollution programs in Medford if there’s no federal law backing them up.

He said the EPA proposal is troubling because it immediately revokes the 10-micron pollution program, while phasing in the 2.5-micron proposal over a seven-year period.

During this time, the Medford area could be without any pollution program, he said.

Responding to Cox’s concerns, David Collier, DEQ air-quality planner, said, "It’s possible, but I don’t see it happening."

He said states will fight vigorously to keep the existing standards that have helped improve the air.

"We will not give up the fight for what we’ve fought for in the past 20 years," he said.

Keith Rose, air monitoring specialist in the EPA’s northwest regional offices, said any concerns about the placement of monitors should be brought to the DEQ. "It is an Oregon DEQ issue," he said.

However, Rose thought a monitor would be needed in Medford to check 2.5-micron-sized particles because this area appears to exceed the new federal standards.

Commissioner Gilmour said it’s important for people in Jackson County to be aware of the EPA proposal before it takes effect.

"Hopefully enough people will comment so they won’t reverse course," he said.

Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail dmann@mailtribune.com.