Louisville Names New Air Pollution Control Director

Lauren Anderson has been named the new director of the city’s Air Pollution Control District. She takes over from Art Williams, who retired earlier this year.  Anderson steps into the job at a time when the Environmental Protection Agency has just tightened the standards for two key pollutants: ozone and fine particulates, or soot.  And she says making sure the city is in compliance with those new standards will be a priority.  She also begins her new job in a tough economy.  While the district has not suffered the budget cuts other agencies have, she says the utilities it regulates are struggling."This agency will do whatever we can to provide whatever service they need from us.  At the same time, we’ve got to protect the environment, we’ve got to try to meet those national standards, and respond to concerns of the community and environmentalists," Anderson says.The district works with utility companies such as LG&E to try to reduce pollution from coal-fired power plants and other sources.