The EPA declared Wednesday that the Salt Lake City and Provo areas have met the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard for the first time since they were designated as nonattainment in 2009.

The state of Utah was lauded for its commitment to providing residents with cleaner air and for fulfilling Clean Air Act requirements.

“The people of Utah deserve clean air and practical solutions that recognize the realities of life in the Salt Lake City and Provo areas,” EPA Regional Administrator Cyrus Western said in the release. “Meeting the PM2.5 standard underscores all of the hard work that Utah has done over the past decade to improve air quality. This demonstrates that Utah can meet federal air quality standards in a way that respects local priorities and fosters cooperative federalism.”

Bryce Bird, director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality, said the accomplishment was the result of efforts from the public, industries and government, leading to 23 new rules to target emissions.

He said the state legislature provided incentives for retrofitting and replacing wood stoves and diesel vehicles, while also making transit upgrades and launching public education campaigns.

“The work to support growing communities in the area by reducing air pollutant emissions continues, and the state works to attain the 2015 standard for ground-level ozone in Utah’s urban counties and the Uinta Basin,” Bird said.