1 / 21

AIR QUALITY

AIR QUALITY. Issues in the Columbus Region. Columbus City Council July 24, 2007. Introduction: The Clean Air Act. Federal law, but jointly enforced by states EPA sets limits on how much of a pollutant can be present in the air

cayla
Download Presentation

AIR QUALITY

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. AIR QUALITY Issues in the Columbus Region Columbus City Council July 24, 2007

  2. Introduction: The Clean Air Act • Federal law, but jointly enforced by states • EPA sets limits on how much of a pollutant can be present in the air • States have to develop state implementation plans (SIPs) that describe how they will address air pollution issues • Effects not just Columbus, but the region as a whole

  3. Background: Air Pollutants Clean Air Act regulates six criteria pollutants: • Particulate Matter (PM) • Nitrogen oxides • Sulfur dioxide • Lead • Ozone • Carbon monoxide

  4. Background: What Is Particulate Matter? • Mixture of extremely small solids and liquid droplets suspended in air • PM may include soil and dust particles, smoke, metals, acids, and organic chemicals • PM10 is coarse particulate matter – visible deposits of soot • PM2.5 is fine particulate matter – microscopic particles about 1/30 the diameter of a human hair

  5. PARTICULATE MATTER A complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets

  6. Sources of Partculate Matter 2.5

  7. Columbus/Phenix City PM2.5 Monitors

  8. ANNUAL PM2.5 STANDARD(3-year Average – microgram per cubic meter)2006 data through July for GA & through Sept for AL Standard

  9. Compliance History • US EPA has established national air quality standards for both 24-hour and annual PM levels • Areas that meet or exceed standards are designated as being in attainment • Areas not meeting the standards are called nonattainment areas

  10. Compliance History • June 2004: Columbus designated “attainment” for annual PM2.5 standard • 2005: Annual PM2.5 data for Columbus area exceeds annual standard • July 13, 2006: EPA and GA EPD officials meet with local officials to discuss high PM levels, preferred approach is to work with local stakeholders to reduce PM levels to acceptable levels • 2006: Annual PM2.5 data for Columbus area still exceeds annual standard

  11. Compliance History • September 2006: EPA proposed new, stricter revisions to the 24-hour PM2.5 standard, finalized in December 2006 • December 2007: States will make recommendations to EPA • December 2009: EPA will make final designations for nonattainment areas for PM2.5

  12. Air Quality Timeline – PM2.5 EPA Adopts new PM2.5 Standard Sept 2006 Attainment Deadline for Existing PM2.5 Standard 2009 Attainment Deadline for New PM2.5 Standard 2015-20 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 EPA Requests Plans to Bring Augusta & Columbus Back into Attainment Fall 2006 Non-attainment Designations for New PM2.5 Standards Dec 2009 New PM2.5 SIPs Due to EPAApril 2013

  13. Compliance History • We have an opportunity to take actions to reduce PM2.5 and prevent being designated as a nonattainment area • Staff is working directly with EPA, GEPD, ADEM, and others to develop a workable plan of action

  14. Impacts: Why is this Important? Health Effects: • Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) poses a greater risk to human health than coarse particulates because it more easily enters the lungs • Increased health risks: PM2.5 is known to aggravate heart and lung diseases, and is associated with heart attacks, chronic bronchitis, and asthma

  15. Impacts: Why is this Important? Economic Disadvantages: • Areas designated as nonattainment are subject to general and transportation conformity requirements for at least 20 years • Subject to more restrictive requirements for new construction or modification of major air pollution sources

  16. Local Impact on Transportation Conformity • Proposed highway projects must fit within SIP’s emission budget and not delay attainment of air quality standards – or risk losing federal funding • Could freeze federal highway funding • More direct Federal input into local planning projects • New sources of air pollution must meet stricter permitting requirements

  17. Local Impact on Transportation Conformity • Increased coordination with MPO • Less flexibility in revising project schedules • SPLOST projects must be reviewed by interagency partners • Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) • LRTP and TIP amendments must be consistent with air quality requirements • Planning assumptions & projects now reviewed by Federal and State partners

  18. Transportation Conformity • Conformity Lapse = no capacity increasing transportation projects • Maintenance designation = 20 years of conformity process

  19. Ongoing Efforts • EPA’s preferred approach is to work with states and local stakeholders to develop a strategy for attainment • CCG Planning Department and C-PCMPO have met with governmental agencies to develop strategy • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Georgia Environmental Protection Division • Alabama Department of Environmental Protection • Federal Highway Administration • Alabama Department of Transportation • Georgia Department of Transportation • Clean Air Campaign • Fort Benning

  20. Ongoing Efforts • Implementing measures will take a cooperative effort among stakeholders; public awareness and outreach will be key elements • Success requires a bi-state effort that transcends geopolitical boundaries

  21. Where Do We Go from Here? • Assemble a regional air quality task force committee • Meeting tentatively set for September, 2007 • Form smaller subcommittees to address specific tasks, such as (but not limited to): • Outreach: public awareness and education • School programs • Telework and other traffic demand reduction programs • Open burning • Diesel emission reductions • From these meetings, a regional plan of action to be formed

More Related