Posted Tuesday, August 19 --- 4:30pm

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Environmental Protection Agency says the Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay areas are violating federal clean air standards and may need additional anti-pollution regulations.

Gov. Jim Doyle had asked the agency to designate all of Wisconsin in compliance with clean air rules last year.

But the EPA says its review found the counties of Brown, Columbia, Dane, Racine, Waukesha and Milwaukee either have unacceptable levels of fine particulate matter in the air or are contributing to problems in neighboring areas.

That pollution is caused by coal-fired power plants and diesel engines and causes respiratory problems such as asthma.

The agency is proposing to designate the counties as non-attainment, which could mean tighter regulations on manufacturing companies and power plants.

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