How can tougher guidelines "hurt" Augusta? Seems that cleaner air will HELP Augusta.
Augusta and several nearby counties could face a tougher battle complying with the Clean Air Act under a stricter set of health standards for smog proposed Thursday.
The U.S. Environmental Protection agency's new rules for ground-level ozone -- smog's main ingredient -- suggest limits that would fall into a range between 60 to 70 parts per billion over an eight-hour average. EPA plans to select a specific figure within that range by August.
The current standard, which went into effect last year, is 75 parts per billion, replacing a previous standard of 85 parts per billion.
Smog -- formed when emissions from burning gasoline, power and chemical plants, refineries and other factories mix in sunlight -- is a respiratory irritant that has been linked to asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses.
The tightening of the rules will encourage better efforts to reduce air pollution, but could force many more counties in the U.S. into a "noncompliance" status.
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.
Brian Gist, the senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said moving to a tighter standard will postpone further action on the governor's recommendation while federal authorities place the new rules into effect.
"So, as of today we don't know which areas, including Augusta, that would be designated as attainment or non-attainment," he said. "Those decisions would be made in summer 2011."
The calculations used to determine noncompliance are based on a three-year average. The recent recommendation for Augusta's noncompliance was based on measurements from 2006-2008, Mr. Gist said.
During 2009, Augusta did not record a single violation, which could play into Augusta's favor when the next three-year calculations are made, he said.
"If you have good data for 2009, it will help, When they make their decisions in 2011, they'll pull data from '08, '09 and '10."
Other counties that could face nonattainment designations include Columbia, Burke and Aiken, according to projections from the Southern Environmental Law Center.
June Deen, the advocacy director for the American Lung Association's Georgia chapter, said cities such as Augusta that have yielded borderline measurements in the past can take steps to improve air quality before new laws require it. "The air quality standard is a health standard, so it behooves us to set the standard where it's healthy to breathe the air," she said.
Some local steps are already in play, including a seasonal ban on outdoor burning.
Augusta recorded four ozone violations in 2008, three in 2007, four in 2006 and one in 2005, according to Georgia Environmental Protection Division records.
Reach Rob Pavey at 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
WHAT IS OZONE?
What comes out of the tailpipe on a car isn't ozone, but the raw ingredients for it. Ozone is formed by chemical reactions of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons, also called volatile organic compounds. They are produced primarily when fossil fuels such as gasoline, oil or coal are burned or when some chemicals, such as solvents, evaporate. They combine with heat and sunlight to form ozone smog.
Source: American Lung Association
Comments
How can tougher guidelines "hurt" Augusta? Seems that cleaner air will HELP Augusta.
NEone, how about this? "....which could trigger more controls on new industry and would make it more difficult to plan and finance transportation improvements."
ok, this may not have been the best choice for a headline.....while stricter controls could make it harder for Augusta to stay in compliance with the Clean Air Act, there is no question that cleaner air is a benefit for its residents. It is also interesting to add that the 60-70 ppm standard proposed yesterday is the same one EPA scientists suggested a couple years ago, but under political pressure they adopted the 75 ppm instead. now they are going back and trying to implement what was suggested back then.
What ?!?!?!?!? There's nothing wrong with Augusta's air ! What a beautiful, clear day we have today ! And yesterday. And the day before. This is nuts ! This is nothing more than ultra libs trying to get in their "share" of increased taxes. We will all pay for the increased cost of items and services - another ultra lib "hidden tax".
Cap and Trade without the official title - it's happening just like they said it would. The EPA is doing it without the bill even being needed! Clean air is great but get ready to pay more for goods & services produced by these factories. This is just another hidden tax, compliments of your federal government. The taxes we all pay are so imbedded you don't even realize half of what you pay. Every time you buy something, the company that makes it has paid taxes out the wazoo. And guess who they pass that cost on to? You!!!!! Companies don't pay taxes, you pay them for the companies.
Augusta would have you think the definition of "environmental impact" is the impact of pollution law on the inconvenience, health and well-being of local business instead of business' impact on the health and well-being of its citizens.
I remember California in the 1960's. Clean air. Now it's one giant brown cloud. Wake up Augusta, if you don't have clean air to breathe, everything else doesn't really matter.
Nitrogen oxides. Seems that is the compound that comes from the "government catalytic converter". Was it not to make for cleaner air? Not only does it pollute the air, but in a government way, the catalytic converter reduces gas mileage. Got to love those D.C. thinkers. Next they are going to ban all use of Di-Hydrogen Mono-Oxide. It s everywhere, its everywhere.
Augusta doesn't even compare to california. LA is smoggy because the pollution is held in the city by the mountain range outside the city. I really don't think we have that problem here. Nor do we have countless millions of cars & trucks sitting still on highways every day. I think that those who want stricter factory standards should pony up and start a Clean Air Charity that they can voluntarily contribute to. All $4 that they get should help.
A quick study of topography and a trip at sunset to either I-520 and Deans Bridge Rd. or Palmetto Parkway and US #1 will give a better perspective on a "valley mentality". Also, getting in traffic at either 730am or 5pm would help see the comparison.
fiscallyresponsible - It's a free country and you can trash heaven if you want. The other guy's wheezing and is his problem. And you can always repaint when the air eats it off your house and car.
The EPA and just about all other government agency's seem to use Drug addict logic to solve problems .... If the correct dose of a solution corrects a problem then a overdose will create happiness for everyone needed or not ...There are Five sites that are known in Augusta two of which are in the Times Beach category that one would think would be of concern to the EPA and the State of Georgia... Instead they focus on issues that are currently in compliance and have minimal impact on the health and well-being of the populace ... The logic is that they will use the full weight of the law to push agenda that may or may not be needed but a known danger gets ignored.
That's right, its a free country. I don't think that more taxes & regulations are the answer to a free country do you? My house paint & car paint are just fine, thank you very much.
I think taxes, regulations and the courts are needed to force people to behave and act responsibly toward their fellow human beings, the environment and wildlife. Greed trumps everything for most of the human race.
GASP You said the majic words ... WE need to force people to act in the way you think is responsible ... What if whale oil lamps is considered a responsible form of renewable energy...I decree that whale oil must be the only form of energy that can be used ... If you can't make a logical fact based argument use the courts, Taxes and regulation to muddy the waters .... Greed and Government go hand in hand and if you would take the time to track the money you would find how badly you have been had , the things you take as fact tend to be subjective conclusions far from fact ...
gasp ... This nation was founded because we wanted freedom from folks that were forcing us to do what they thought was right and responsible. Let's at least have a real debate over what is responsible before you take our freedoms away from us.
Gasp - these regulations are greed - pure & simple. They are just disguised as environmental benefits so that they get the support from the environmentalists. Who do you think will benefit from these mandatory factory upgrades? Companies who make parts for them & benefit from them lobby hard for more regulation. Politicians who want more power. They are all in tight with the Al Gore-types. Government is the worst type of greed - it is forced on the citizens through mandatory taxes. I'm not saying this won't help the air, it will just help these companies more.
The health risk of low altitude ozone is well documented. Ozone has been linked to premature death, asthma, bronchitis, heart attack, other cardiopulmonary problems and stunted plant growth too. The EPA lowered the permissible ozone level from 80 ppb to 75 ppb while the agency's own advisory board was recommending 60 ppb. The Bush White House was tampering as usual. WHO recommends 51 ppb and the most susceptible people have reactions at 40 ppb. Houston and Los Angles have the highest levels in the US and a study shows they have a 30 % increased risk of dying from lung disease. Free country or not, nothing gives a polluter the right to foul the air other human, animals and plants need to sustain their life.
I smell vehicle inspection stations comming. At least the boombox boys will have to get rid of their chevys with bicycle tires. I would agree with anything to get rid of the noise.
GASP do you even know what Ozone is or how it forms ? Do you have a clue about what pollution or contamination is or the forms they can take without the help of questionable sources ? If you do want to expand your understanding of the problems we face find the facts instead of agenda based propaganda being parroted ... Way to much information and too few facts are spoken on the subject ... Anything can be confused by the handling and packaging of information, data discrimination and context chosen ... Without a good understanding scare tactics of the pimps in this world will pick your future right or wrong
gargoyle - Thank you for your comment and I'm aware that idealogues march to a different drummer and they're not necessarily influenced by science. Creativity is a good case in point. But the opinions at EPA and the WHO have an influence on me and evidently the Supreme Court too. Thank your for inquiring an yes I've had Chemistry 101 & 102 and have some understanding of O3. It's not rocket science.
I always wonder about those plants along the river that belch stuff from stacks into the air ... what is that stuff? Looks horrible! Haven't been down that way lately but one near the San Bar Ferry bridge belched a particularly nastly looking yellow plume. Gives me the creeps!
GASP There lies a problem using EPA and WHO opinions, Those organizations have evolved into breeding grounds for agenda based science .... Politics and science are uneasy partners in that union and fact takes a back seat to bureaucracy ... the movement of a part per million can gain political power and regulatory control ... Don't downplay the part greed and power plays out in the backrooms of an agency that wishes to be all encompassing ... Also a adhocracy is what will be achieved if the lawyers and courts decide the fate of this planet based on pomp and protocol ..
that stuff is nitric acid vapor
Thanks Bushwacker ... I guessed that it was unburnt hydrocarbons ... The fire over the staks have been the guiding light off the ponds many nights
It's not straight in my mind and maybe some poster will know. SCE&G’s Urquhart Station on Beech Island is an old facility and started out burning coal but an upgrade around 2003 installed gas fired boilers. Still bad but not as bad as burning coal. More recently I've read they had a fire in a coal bunker. Are they still burning coal? The trains around Augusta are loaded with coal.
One of the best articles you can read to get the facts on ozone is found at this address: http://gppf.org/article.asp?RT=19&p=pub/AirQuality/air_frontpage.htm It is specifically about air quality in Georgia and you will find out just how good our air really is. Very illuminating
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