Ozone standards

This is the first time in 20 years that the ozone standard will be updated... 

Ozone ncnallainmenl areas on map are based on Ine pre-ejfisling ozone standard... 

The US Supreme Court has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency must base Clean Air Act regulations on science, not costs, and has remanded the agency s ozone standard, finding its interpretation of that part of the statute faulty and unreasonable. Responses from tyre industry spokespersons are discussed, with particular reference to compliance costs. 

This is the first time in 20 years that tlic ozone standard will be updated The updated stmidard recognizes the current scientific view that exposure to ozone levels at and below the current standard causes significant adverse health effects in cliildreii mid in healthy adults engaged in outdoor activities... 

In addition to achieving the ozone standard by the deadline, moderate and higher areas must demonstrate a total net VOC emissions reduction below the base year in accordance with an aggressive schedule of percentage reductions. These reductions are 15% in the first six years (through November 15, 1996), and 3%/yr thereafter. 

Amendments to the Clean Air Act to further curb NO. emissions and help states meet ozone standards will reduce HNO3 in the process. 

Over the last two decades, emphasis was placed on reducing VOC emissions in order to attain the ozone ambient air quality standard. The 1970 and 1977 amendments to the CAA did not explicitly require NO, reductions from stationary sources for purposes of attainment of the ozone standard. The best available scientific evidence at the time suggested that VOC reductions were preferred in most instances. The VOC control approach was reinforced by the fact that NOx reductions could in some cases increase ozone concentrations. 

Attainment Demonstration. As described in Sections ni.A.3 and III.A.4 of the General Preamble (2), States must provide a SIP for moderate and above classified ozone nonattainment areas that includes specific annual reductions in VOC and NO, emissions as necessary to attain the NAAQS. This requirement supplements the RACT and NSR requirements described above. Thus, a State would need to require NO, controls more restrictive than those provided by the NSR and RACT provisions where additional reductions in emissions of NO, are necessary to attain the ozone standard by the attainment deadline. 

The EPAk 8-hour ozone standard for communities is 0.08 ppm. On a certain day, the concentration of ozone in the atmosphere in Denver was 1.5 x 10" mol/L. Was Denver in compliance with EPA regulations that day ... 

Environmental groups are condemning and business interests are applauding President Obama s decision last week to delay action on revising the ozone standard. 

National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons called the delay "the right move" and urged the administration to apply the same approach that it did when deciding to forgo the ozone standard to what he termed "other burdensome regulations."... 

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