Columbia County is recruiting some professional help in its quest to avoid being lumped among Georgia communities that fail federal Clean Air Act standards.

Learn more about clean air initiatives at:

- Georgia Clean Air Campaign: cleanaircampaign.org

- Augusta's "Living Green Initiative" plan: augustaga.gov/index.aspx?nid=1366

- CSRA Air Quality Alliance: csra-airquality-alliance.com

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"We understand we are very close to the limit, so we are taking steps to reduce air pollution," said Matt Schlachter, the county's director of construction and maintenance services.

The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce stricter standards in July for pollutants including ground level ozone -- smog's main ingredient.

Under the current standard of 75 parts per billion, Richmond County and portions of Aiken County would already face unwanted non-attainment designations that could trigger restrictions on industrial permits and transportation funding.

Columbia County barely meets the current standard but may fail the new standards and is using consultants from Georgia's Clean Air Campaign to try to reduce emissions.

"One of the services they offer is to put together a survey so our employees can find out where everyone else lives, so maybe they can arrange carpools," he said.

The survey will help develop an employee map to help the county's 870 workers learn who else might live in their areas.

A compressed work week that reduces commuter trips is also being evaluated.

"It could be something like four 10-hour shifts in a work week," Schlacter said. "One less trip to the office is less pollution in the air."

The Board of Education, he added, might be approached about joining such programs.

"Part of our initiative is to talk to them and maybe see if they are interested," he said.

EPA has said its new standard for ground-level ozone will fall into a range between 60 to 70 parts per billion over an eight-hour average. The specific figure has not yet been announced, but will be used by Georgia's Environmental Protection Division to recommend which communities flunk the federal standards.

Augusta is not a formal member of the Clean Air Campaign but has an array of pollution reduction measures already in place, said Augusta-Richmond County Planning Director Paul DeCamp, who is also a member of the CSRA Air Quality Alliance.

"The city does offer a compressed work week option, which employees in several departments have taken advantage of," he said. "In addition, GPS units have been installed in all city vehicles to monitor driving habits and prevent unnecessary idling."

Augusta has also established the "Living Green Initiative" to plan and implement a variety of conservation and recycling programs within city government.