By Joe Biesk
The Associated Press

FRANKFORT - Ten Kentucky counties with high levels of ozone pollution are in "non-attainment" status for stricter emissions requirements, a state environmental administrator said Tuesday.

Six more counties have high levels of ozone in their air and are considered "on the bubble," said John Lyons, director of the state's Department for Environmental Protection.

The state had until Tuesday to submit its list of high-level ozone counties to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. However, it remains uncertain which counties would make the final list scheduled to come out next April, Lyons said.

"Until the final designation is made, it doesn't mean anything," Lyons said. "The only thing it says now is - the data says - they have a non-attainment issue in their county."

People who live in such designated areas could experience health problems. Areas that total 0.085 parts per million are considered to be in "non-attainment," Lyons said.

The 10 counties preliminarily designated on the state's "non-attainment" list are: Bell, 0.086; and Boone 0.086; Boyd, 0.088; Bullitt, 0.085; Campbell, 0.094; Christian, 0.085; Jefferson, 0.085; Kenton, 0.088; Oldham, 0.087; and Warren, 0.086.

The six counties that are considered borderline, are: Edmonson, 0.084; Greenup, 0.083; Hancock, 0.083; Livingston, 0.084; McLean, 0.084; and Simpson, 0.083.