Augusta has no ozone violations this year

Georgia's air is cleaner this year partly because of a tough economy, abundant summer rainfall and efforts to reduce emissions that produce smog.

"I guess you could say it's a good 'perfect storm,' " said Susan Zimmer-Dauphinee, the manager of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division's ambient air monitoring program.

Since the traditional ozone season began in May, Augusta hasn't recorded a single violation -- despite last year's adoption of stricter standards that were expected to increase violations.

Augusta recorded four ozone violations in 2008, three in 2007, four in 2006 and one in 2005. The new federal ozone standard adopted last year reduced the allowable concentration in the air to no more than 0.075 parts per million -- down from the old standard of 0.085.

Though the typical ozone season extends through September, violations that late in the year are rare, Ms. Zimmer-Dauphinee said. "We have had it happen, but we don't foresee many of them."

Although annual data will not be formally analyzed until late in the year, the trend of cleaner air across the state is unmistakable.

"We haven't done our analysis yet, but having said that, we as forecasters have also noticed we're not having as many high concentration days throughout Georgia as we've had in previous years," Ms. Zimmer-Dauphinee said.

A wet June and a humid July likely helped keep ozone formation low, she said. "Meteorology definitely plays a big role."

It is also possible that air pollution control measures adopted in recent years are starting to pay off.

"Some of the larger coal-fired power plants are using better control measures," Ms. Zimmer-Dauphinee said. "In Atlanta, a lot of people have gone to low sulfur gasoline, which makes catalytic converters work more efficiently."

Jim Kelly, the manager of EPD's air protection planning and regulatory unit, said about half the emissions that create pollution problems are transportation-related -- and a tough economy has likely reduced driving.

"It's been a good year for air quality due to the economy, the weather and various other things," he said. "It's a complicated thing to try to figure out. But during a bad economy, power plants and factories may produce less and people drive less."

One of the most important consequences of a violation-free ozone year in Augusta involves the process by which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency determines which cities it will designate as "non-attainment areas" under the federal Clean Air Act.

Last year, Gov. Sonny Perdue included Augusta on a list of areas recommended for the unwanted designation, which could trigger more controls on new industry and would make it more difficult to plan and finance transportation improvements.

Mr. Kelly said non-attainment designations include the use of formulas that encompass three years of data, meaning better air in 2009 could help Augusta escape non-attainment.

"Right now your standard is 0.075 parts per million," he said. "From an analysis we did in August, you hadn't exceeded that value this year, but you were fairly close."

Reach Rob Pavey at (706) 868-1222, ext. 119 or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.