CANTON — For the first time in more than two decades, all 88 Ohio counties meet federal air quality standards, after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency removed Canton from its nonattainment list.
The EPA recently redesignated the Canton area as meeting standards for lead, three years after elevated emissions from Republic Steel prompted federal regulators to designate roughly two miles around the facility as a nonattainment zone. Meanwhile, Cleveland was also recently cleared for ozone standards.
The EPA flagged Canton in April 2023 after air monitoring detected lead levels above federal limits. Air quality began improving after Republic Steel shut down operations at its 2633 Eighth St. NE facility in August 2023, according to Terri Dzienis, director of air pollution control for Canton City Public Health.
“Lead levels in Canton have been near zero since 2023,” officials noted. After reviewing public input and confirming all Clean Air Act standards were met, the area’s status was officially changed in July.
The redesignation carries real implications for future development. While Canton was in nonattainment, strict federal regulations applied to industrial development near the site; those rules have now been lifted.
Two Ohio EPA-funded air monitoring sites remain near the former Republic Steel property. One will continue monitoring through the end of the year but will likely be discontinued in 2027, while the other will be maintained for the foreseeable future. The former site and its health effects remain a concern for nearby residents, who worry about future development and whether lead could once again affect the neighborhood.
