Imagine saving up enough money to buy a house only to see its price jump by 10 percent the day you were set to sign the contract and close the deal.
That’s about what happened to a group of local officials in the Tri-Cities region when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it was tightening one of its air quality standards Wednesday.
EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said the agency would lower its allowable measurement for ground-level ozone – the primary ingredient in smog – from 84 parts per billion to 75 parts per billion.
"I have made the most protective ozone standard in the nation’s history," Johnson said during a Wednesday evening teleconference announcing the new rule. "I adhere to the law, I adhere to the science, and I made a decision that follows all of these."
Local governments will have until 2010 to comply with the new ozone standard or they could face stiff fines and penalties.
"An adjustment or lowering [of the standard] has the potential to create issues for us," said Bill Sorah with the Northeast Tennessee Ozone Action Partnership.
The EPA flagged Sullivan and Hawkins counties with not meeting allowable levels in 2004 when it adopted current ozone standards.
The two counties then began working with the ozone action partnership to improve the levels and avoid EPA sanctions. Sorah said one of the group’s most notable steps include lowering the speed limits for trucks on parts of I-81 and I-26 to reduce their emissions.
The group also implemented the region’s ozone action day program, where members of the community are advised when ozone levels could be high and are asked to take steps to reduce emissions.
The measures proved effective because the two counties had an average ozone level of 83 parts per billion from 2005 to 2007, meeting the EPA’s benchmark.
Twelve other U.S. metropolitan areas – including Roanoke, Chattanooga and Nashville – also met the criteria for the past three years.
Now, EPA has raised the bar even higher. Johnson said 345 counties in the U.S. would not meet the new 75 parts per billion standard.
Sorah said he had heard the agency was going to tighten ozone standards, but he wanted to wait until he had more information about the ruling before discussing how it might affect the region or what steps the partnership may have to take to meet the criteria.
"Just because they change the standard does not mean we will [fall out of compliance]," he said. "It simply means the standard has been lowered, and we will have to take more precautions when ozone levels are high."
gmclean@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2518
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