Ozone: Air Quality Standards and Springfield Missouri

1
Ozone Air Quality Standards and Springfield
Missouri

• Presented by Presented to
• Tiffany Campbell Ozarks Clean Air Alliance
• Air Pollution Control Program Springfield, MO
• Missouri Department of Natural Resources October
  2, 2007

2
Overview

• Ozone Formation and Its Health Effects
• History of Air Quality Standards
• EPAs Proposed New Ozone Standard
• Timeline for Implementation
• Current Ozone Levels
• Nonattainment Designation
• Actions Springfield Can Take Now
• Ozone Flex Plan

3
What is Ozone?

• Primary component of smog
• Ground level poor air quality
• Upper level protects life on earth
• Not emitted directly into the air
• Secondary pollutant
• Mainly a summertime pollutant
• Needs heat and emissions
• Can be high in both urban and rural areas due to
  transport

4
Ozone Formation
5
Effects of Ozone

• Penetrates deep into lungs affecting breathing
• Difficult to breathe while doing activities
  outside
• Greater impacts on children, older adults, and
  those with lung disease or breathing issues
• Repeated exposure may permanently damage lungs
• Interferes with sensitive plant food production
• Make sensitive plants more susceptible to other
  factors
• Diseases, insects, other pollutants, competition,
  harsh weather

6
History of Air Quality Standards

• Clean Air Act requires EPA to set National
  Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
• Ground-level ozone is one of the six pollutants
• EPA required to review standards every five years
• Review scientific information
• Obtain advice from Clean Air Scientific Advisory
  Committee (CASAC)

7
EPAs Current Ozone Standard

• Current standard proposed in 1997
• Primary and secondary both set at 80 parts per
  billion, (ppb)
• Uses an 8-hour averaging time
• Three years of data needed to determine areas
  status
• Fourth highest value for each year averaged
  together
• Rounding allows for values to 84 ppb
• More recent science shows current standard not
  adequate to protect public health

8
EPAs Proposed Ozone Standard

• CASAC reviewed current data, made
  recommendations
• Set standard within range of 60 and 70 ppb
• No rounding with new standard
• Different secondary standard for plant exposure
• EPA proposing a new primary standard within the
  range of 70 and 75 ppb, no rounding
• Protect public health within adequate margin of
  safety

9
EPAs Proposed New Standards

• Considering two options for the secondary
  standard
• Historically same as primary
• Two options
• Leave same as primary
• Set on a seasonal basis over a period of time
• Accepting comments on range of 60-80 ppb until
  October 9
• More info at www.epa.gov/groundlevelozone

10
Timeline for Implementation
11
Springfield Current Ozone Levels
12
Ozone in Other Missouri Cities

• St. Louis
• Highest monitored ozone values in state
• Moderate nonattainment under current standard
• Large number of local controls
• Kansas City
• Historically monitors around the standard
• Local controls have helped achieve attainment
• Recently violated 8-hour ozone standard
• Implementing addition controls

13
Kansas City Maintenance Area

• Violated the original one-hour ozone standard
• Redesignated to attainment for one-hour standard
  via local controls
• Uncertain as to initial 8-hour classification
• Developed Clean Air Action Plan
• Provides framework for voluntary reductions for
  industry, government, and local citizens

14
What Happens to Springfield Under New Standard?

• Areas status will be determined by three-year
  design value
• EPA releases guidelines for nonattainment levels
• Level of nonattainment dependent on design value
  relation to standard
• Surrounding counties may also be included in
  final designation
• Emissions inventory used to determine pollution
  sources

15
Determining an Area Designation

• Nonattainment area - any area that does not meet
  (or area that contributes air quality to an area
  not meeting) a NAAQS
• EPA begins with the Metropolitan Statistical Area
• Guidance includes 11 factors for States to
  consider to modify boundaries
• Usually includes full counties, unless factors
  met
• Contiguous counties with an uncontrolled large
  emission source or sources included

16
Effects of Nonattainment Designation

• Existing sources required to reduce emissions
• Cost to reduce emissions
• More emission control requirements for new
  business than in attainment areas
• Can make an area less attractive for new business
• Require the development of a SIP
• Must attain standard by EPA set deadline

17
What Can Springfield Leaders Do Now?

• Draft an ozone prevention plan
• Involve industry, government, and citizens in
  reducing emissions
• Begin investigating and implementing voluntary
  emission reductions
• Identify source categories where education would
  reduce emissions
• Organize educational outreach to assist sources

18
What is Required of Ozone Flex Participants

• Secure stakeholder participation
• Identify voluntary and potential mandatory
  measures that will reduce ozone
• Chose measures to include in plan
• Inform EPA of decision via commitment letter
• Develop plan with stakeholders
• Submit Flex Plan to EPA

19
Why Develop an Ozone Flex Agreement?

• Planning steps similar to developing an ozone
  nonattainment plan
• Exhibiting proactive stance on air quality
• Consideration of preventative planning when new
  standard and designations released
• Actions reduce ozone levels
• May help area meet new ozone standard

20
How an Ozone Flex Plan Would Help Springfield

• Accelerate the pace of air quality improvement
• Potential to remain attainment while implementing
  program
• Credit for enforceable measures can be adopted
  into a future plan
• Consideration during future designations

21
Contact Information

• Tiffany Campbell
• Missouri Department of Natural Resources
• Air Pollution Control Program
• tiffany.campbell_at_dnr.mo.gov
• [phone]
• Amy Algoe-Eakin
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Air Planning and Development Branch
• algoe-eakin.amy_at_epamail.epa.gov
• [phone]