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St. Louis Region Air Quality Report

St. Louis Region Air Quality Report. EWGCOG Staff Report August 12, 2008. St. Louis Air Quality History. Clean air act amendments of 1990 Moderate ozone non-attainment area 2002 – attained 1-hour ozone standard 2004 – designated as moderate 8-hour ozone non-attainment area

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St. Louis Region Air Quality Report

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  1. St. Louis RegionAir Quality Report EWGCOG Staff Report August 12, 2008

  2. St. Louis Air Quality History • Clean air act amendments of 1990 • Moderate ozone non-attainment area • 2002 – attained 1-hour ozone standard • 2004 – designated as moderate 8-hour ozone non-attainment area • 2005 – designated as fine particle (PM2.5) non-attainment area • 2008 – revised 8-hour ozone standard enacted

  3. Ozone and Transportation Facts • People in St. Louis drive over 77 million miles per day • Carpooling saves 320 lbs of emissions and $1,000 – per person/year • Two MetroLink tracks = 16 lanes • A full MetroBus at rush hour removes 40 cars from the highway St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership

  4. How Ozone Is Formed

  5. Four Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership

  6. Health Effects of Ozone • Headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing • Irritates eyes, nose and respiratory track • Aggravates chronic heart disease and chronic respiratory ailments • Decreases resistance to infection • Triggers asthma attacks

  7. 1997 8-Hour Ozone Standard • Set in 1997, went into effect in 2004 • Standard is 80 parts per billion (ppb) averaged over an 8 hour period • Rounding allows for values up to 84 ppb

  8. Review of Ozone Standard • More recent science shows 1997 standard is not adequate to protect public health • USEPA staff and Clean Air Science Advisory Committee reviewed information and made recommendations to USEPA Administrator • March 12, 2008 Final Rule signed

  9. 2008 Ozone Standard • Primary health-based standard set at 75 ppb • No rounding • Form of standard remains the same • Violation is when 3 year average is > 76 ppb

  10. Revised Standard Milestones

  11. Fine Particles or PM2.5 • PM is a mix of solid particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air • Fine PM is less than or equal to 2.5 microns in diameter (1/30 the width of a human hair) • Made up of a number of components • Can be emitted directly • Can be chemically formed

  12. Fine Particles or PM2.5 Sources • Smoke from fires • Power plants • Industrial activities • Vehicle exhaust

  13. Important Dates • June 15, 2007 – 8-hour ozone SIPs submitted to USEPA • April 5, 2008 – PM2.5 SIPs were to be submitted to USEPA • June 15, 2010 – area to attain 8-hour ozone standard • April 5, 2010 – area to attain PM2.5 standard

  14. Gateway’s Air Quality Planning Activities • Facilitate SIP process for ozone and PM2.5 • Coordinate the AQAC • Prepare air quality conformity determination • Coordinate the IACG • Ozone data sharing project • Special projects

  15. Ozone Data Sharing Project • Ozone season is April 1 – October 31 • EWGCOG acts as clearinghouse for 1-hour and 8-hour data provided by MoDNR and IEPA • Initial quality assurance screening

  16. 2008 Ozone Season • 7 ozone days • 1 in June • 5 in July • 1 in August • 18 exceedances in all • Exceedance at a monitor is when an 8-hour average of values is calculated to be > 76 ppb on any day

  17. West Alton Orchard Farm Maryland Heights Sunset Hills Pacific Blair St. (City) Margaretta (City) Wood River Maryville Alton Monitors in Violation of 8-hr Ozone Standard (2006 – August 11, 2008) Violation is determined by taking a 3 year average of the 4th highest annual maximum average by monitor and having average be > 76 ppb. Data still to be validated by States

  18. July 2008 AQI Calendar - Ozone

  19. 1984 – Basic I/M Test 1993 – Low RVP Gasoline (7.2 psi) 1988 – Stage II Vapor Recovery 1995 – Low RVP Gasoline (7.0 psi) 1990 – Computerized I/M Testing 1999 – Federal Reformulated Gasoline Program 1991 – Low RVP Gasoline (7.8 psi) 2000 – Centralized I/M Program

  20. Things to Do to Reduce Ozone Levels • Set air conditioner no lower than 78o to conserve energy • Share a ride or use mass transit; Bicycle or walk errands when possible • Avoid using oil- and solvent-based paints, degreasers or lighter fluid • Defer use of gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment • Refuel cars and trucks after dusk to reduce daytime pollution releases • Combine errands and reduce trips • Limit vehicle idling when possible

  21. For Additional Information • On-line Air Quality Resource Center • www.ewgateway.org/environmental.aq/aq.htm

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