New ozone status sought: EPA to be asked to ease business rules.

Byline: Lee Bergquist and Larry Sandler

May 27--As air quality continues to improve, Wisconsin is poised to ask the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to lift major regulations on dozens of the biggest businesses in the eastern part of the state.

By mid-June, the state will ask the EPA to declare that eight counties, including six in southeastern Wisconsin, are in compliance with federal standards for a pollutant known as ozone.

The change in designation would be a major coup for economic development efforts in the region. Wisconsin's longstanding violation of ozone levels has "essentially stifled growth" for large companies, said Allen Shea, the DNR's top air regulator.

That's because big companies in …