Colorado Gov. Jared Polis asked for it in March and Thursday he got it: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency downgraded Denver metro region’s air quality rating for ozone “moderate” to “serious.”

Polis invited the downgrade in March when he decided no longer to ask for an exemption from the standard by alleging Colorado’s pollution comes from someplace else.

The reclassification means Colorado must revise its plan to reduce ozone-forming emissions.

Critics say the governor and aligned interests are ignoring the impact of “transport” pollution, most of it coming in from other states and even other countries, in order to pass tougher rules on Colorado industries and motorists, despite the state’s higher level of restrictions than other states.

Polis and the statehouse Democrats in the last session moved aggressively on emissions and climate change, particularly aimed at the state’s oil and gas industry.

“We’re sick and tired of pretending we don’t have poor air quality on 20 to 30 days a summer,” Polis told reporters at the governor’s mansion in Tuesday. 

He said days that don’t meet the ozone standard equate to times it’s unhealthy to breathe the air for older residents, kids and people with respiratory issues, contributing to early deaths. 

The EPA designation applies to Denver and eight other Colorado counties — Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld.