The federal Environmental Protection Agency is expected to list Dane County today as among counties now in violation of fine-particle pollution standards but county officials said they are already working to reduce such pollution and meet the new, tougher standards.

"This is a genuine public health risk," said Topf Wells, chief of staff for Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk. He added that failing to take steps to reduce particle pollution and meet the EPA's standards could "pose some risk to our economic vitality."

The EPA advised the county in August that its three-year average of particulate pollution levels likely puts the county in violation of new standards that were set in 2006.

State and county officials said the EPA will make the formal announcement about the county being in violation, or in non-attainment, Thursday. This would be the first time the county has been in violation of particle standards.

Officials with the federal agency did not comment Wednesday on the expected announcement.

Particle pollution is more commonly known as soot and comes from burning fuels such as coal, oil, diesel or wood. Sources include gas-powered engines, fuel combustion from power plants, wood stoves and motor vehicles.

The fine particles, far smaller in diameter than a human hair, pose serious health risks, especially to people with heart and lung problems. Those health dangers, which have become more apparent in research in recent years, have led to the tougher standards.

The non-attainment designation, which would go into effect in April, means the county will be required to submit a three-year plan for reducing particle pollution levels by about 13 percent.

Dave Merritt, coordinator of the Dane County Clean Air Coalition, said the EPA would require:

• More strict pollution regulations for new sources of particle pollution, such as new businesses or power plants. This means businesses would have to install more elaborate and expensive pollution controls than would be required were the county in compliance.

• Creation of an air budget, under which emissions from motor vehicles — which produce half of the county's fine particle pollution — would be reduced through such means as more public transportation and conversion of buses and other public vehicles to less polluting fuels.

Merritt said the EPA is not likely to require reformulated gasoline or vehicle inspections because particle levels are not at the threshold that would trigger such measures. "Our task is not a Los Angeles-size task,'' Merritt said.

Wells and Merritt added there is a chance that the county's visit to the non-attainment list will be short-lived. If 2008 particulate levels remain low enough, the average of pollutant levels for 2006-2008 could place the county back in compliance.

But Wells said particle levels would still remain close to the standard and the county will continue efforts to reduce the pollutant. "We're still going to be on the verge of non-attainment and the health risks posed by these particles will still be there.''

WHAT YOU CAN DO

The state Department of Natural Resources recommends individuals take the following steps to help reduce fine particle pollution:

• Carpool, use public transportation, bike or walk whenever possible.

• Take steps to reduce energy use, such as switching to more efficient light bulbs.

• Do not burn leaves, trash, and other material.

• Stop idling for even half a minute. Turn off your vehicle engine when not in use.

• Decrease your use of small engine equipment.

• Drive slowly on unpaved roads and other dirt surfaces.