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EPA SEEKS LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR FLEXIBILITY IN MEETING SMOG STANDARDS

Release Date: 06/22/2001
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Note to Correspondents

EPA today announced new guidelines encouraging state, local and tribal governments to make voluntary, early reductions of air emissions that form ground-level ozone (smog). The guidelines, called Ozone Flex, will help communities identify cost-effective, flexible ways to meet EPA’s smog standards.

Ozone is an odorless, colorless gas composed of three atoms of oxygen. Ozone occurs both in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, where it shields us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays and at ground level where it is a harmful air pollutant. Ground-level ozone is formed when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, and other industrial sources react chemically in the presence of sunlight.

High smog levels have been linked to increases in the severity of asthma attacks and other respiratory health problems, especially for children and the elderly. By working with mayors, governors and tribal leaders, EPA is encouraging localities to make decisions that will achieve cleaner air sooner.

Participation in the program is voluntary, and only areas currently meeting the 1-hour standard are eligible to take part. There are several incentives for governments to participate. Communities are afforded the flexibility to institute their own approach in maintaining clean air and providing public health protection. EPA expects that participants will receive positive public reaction for voluntarily addressing air pollution problems before federal requirements kick in. Finally, for a period of time, (generally not to exceed five years), communities can avoid an EPA "nonattainment designation" for violating the 1-hour standard.

State, tribal and local governments and EPA will develop and sign a memorandum of agreement describing the local control measures to be voluntarily implemented in advance of possible air quality violations. In the agreement, the governments commit to preparing emission inventories, and conducting air quality modeling and monitoring, if necessary, to support their selection of emission controls.

In 1997 EPA revised the 1-hour ozone standard to an 8-hour standard that provides public health protection for longer exposure periods. The Agency is moving forward to develop a policy to determine how best to transition from the 1-hour standard to the 8-hour standard. Any efforts taken by local areas to cut air emissions to meet the 1-hour ozone standard will also help reduce exposure to the 8-hour ozone levels and provide health benefits in advance of EPA’s designating areas as attainment or nonattainment for that 8-hour standard.

The OzoneFlex guidelines will assist local areas in their efforts to continue to attain the 1-hour standard. Many local metropolitan areas have ozone air quality below, but close to, the 1-hour ozone standard. EPA uses monitored air quality data and recommendations from state, tribal and local air pollution control agencies to determine if geographic areas of the country are in attainment (meet health-based air quality standard) or in non-attainment (exceed the air quality standard).

The guidelines are available at: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/ under “What’s New.”

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