Chicago air quality ranks as 'moderate' failure

The Chicago area falls in the "moderate" range in failing to meeta new, tougher federal ozone standard, the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency said Thursday.

Health and environment groups hailed the tougher standard but saidmuch remains to be done to fight ozone -- which mixes with heat andsunlight to produce smog, the bane of people with asthma and otherlung ailments.

The new benchmark replaces one adopted in 1990. It is morestringent in being an eight-hour rather than one-hour standard, andin lowering the "non-attainment" level for ozone to 85 parts perbillion from 125 ppb.

Cook and the five collar counties' moderate rating means they arein the 92-106 ppb …