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ST. LOUIS REGION AIR QUALITY REPORT

ST. LOUIS REGION AIR QUALITY REPORT. EWGCOG Staff Report July 7, 2006. St. Louis Air Quality History. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 Moderate Ozone Non-Attainment Area Completion of 15% Rate-of-Progress State Implementation Plans (SIPs) Attained 1-Hour Ozone Standard in 2002.

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ST. LOUIS REGION AIR QUALITY REPORT

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  1. ST. LOUIS REGIONAIR QUALITY REPORT EWGCOG Staff Report July 7, 2006

  2. St. Louis Air Quality History • Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 • Moderate Ozone Non-Attainment Area • Completion of 15% Rate-of-Progress State Implementation Plans (SIPs) • Attained 1-Hour Ozone Standard in 2002

  3. Ozone – What is it? • Ground level ozone found in the lower atmosphere • Created by chemical reaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in strong sunlight • Weather conditions needed are high temperatures (900+), intense sunlight and low wind speeds

  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. New Standards and SIPs • New 8-hr Ozone Standard in 2004 • Standard is 80 parts per billion (ppb) averaged over an 8 hour period • More protective of human health • St. Louis designated as Moderate area

  8. Violation • Violation of the standard is determined by averaging the 4th highest annual maximum average by monitor over a 3 year period • Based on 2004-2006 data, Orchard Farm monitor is in violation (still to be verified)

  9. 2004—2006 4th Highest 8-Hr Ozone Averages (ppb) as of July 4, 2006

  10. Fine Particles or PM2.5 • December 17, 2004 USEPA identified those areas which do not meet the fine particle or PM2.5 standard • 20 states were notified • All or part of 224 counties and Washington, D.C. were designated as non-attainment

  11. Source - USEPA

  12. 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

  13. Fine Particles or PM2.5 • Components include acids, organic chemicals, metals, soil or dust particles • Can be emitted directly • Can be chemically formed in the atmosphere from gases such as SO2, NOx and VOC

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

  15. 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

  16. Important Dates • June 15, 2007 – 8-Hour Ozone SIPs to be submitted to USEPA • April 5, 2008 – PM2.5 SIPs to be submitted to USEPA • June 15, 2010 – Area to attain 8-Hour Ozone standard • April 5, 2010 – Area to attain PM2.5 standard

  17. Ozone Data Sharing Project • Ozone season is April 1 – October 31 • EWGCOG acts as clearinghouse for data • Initial quality assurance screening • Record in a spreadsheet computer program

  18. 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

  19. Things to do to Reduce Ozone Levels – On Days Forecasted to have High 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

  20. Ozone and Transportation Facts • People in St. Louis drive over 75 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

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

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