The southside of Atlanta's first ozone monitoring station will be in Coweta County.

During last week's Coweta County Commission meeting, the board gave preliminary approval to allow the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to install an air quality monitoring site in Newnan. The station will be placed at the State University of West Georgia's campus, just off Ga. Highway 34.

Ozone has become the buzzword among the region's planners and developers. With the region's air quality deteriorating, the area's leaders are looking for a solution to try to clean up the air. The new ozone monitoring station in Newnan will give the region's leaders another tool in assessing where the problem is and how best to try to solve it.

The monitoring instruments are placed in a small shelter that prevents damage from the elements. All costs related to the installation, operation and maintenance of the ozone monitoring station will be assumed by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

In a letter to Commission chairman Jim McGuffey, State University of West Georgia center director Robin Tornow said the center has no problem with allowing the state to place the station on the university's property. "During a site visit by members of the Environmental Division, we determined that there is appropriate space behind the Shenandoah Center within the fenced enclosure. This site meets their needs and will not interfere with any university operations for the foreseeable future," Tornow said.

Coweta County is one of 13 counties in the Atlanta region that is under the EPA's microscope for ozone violations.