PUBLIC MEETINGS SET ON BOUNDARIES FOR OZONE NON-ATTAINMENT AREAS

RALEIGH --- Citizens can learn about, ask questions and comment on the designation of North Carolina areas not attaining the federal ozone standard during a series of public meetings scheduled across the state in January.

Non-attainment areas are regions that do not meet federal air quality standards for pollutants such as ozone, which is North Carolina's most widespread air pollution problem. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets non-attainment boundaries based on recommendations from the states, and the designations can have important implications for growth and development.

At the meetings, the N.C. Division of Air Quality (DAQ) is seeking input to help develop North Carolina's recommendations on non-attainment areas for the new 8-hour ozone standard that EPA adopted in March 2008. DAQ staff also will present information on air monitoring, motor vehicle use, population density, air quality modeling and other factors used in determining non-attainment areas. Governor-Elect Beverly Perdue must submit recommendations to the EPA by March 12, 2009, and the EPA plans to designate non-attainment areas by March 12, 2010.

Ozone, the main component in urban smog, is unhealthy to breathe and can damage trees and crops. In March 2008, the EPA adopted a more stringent standard for ozone - lowering the allowable level from 0.08 to 0.075 parts per million measured over 8 hours. Although most of North Carolina is attaining the old ozone standard, current levels exceed the new standard in 21 of the 30 counties where the DAQ operates monitors.

Non-attainment areas will be the focus of air quality plans for controlling ozone. These plans would include specific proposals for curbing ozone, such as measures to reduce emissions from cars, trucks, and industries and power plants. The designations also give the EPA the authority to review proposed highway projects and long-range transportation plans.

North Carolina's non-attainment recommendations are likely to include the Charlotte, Triangle, Triad, Fayetteville, Hickory, Asheville, Rocky Mount and Greenville metropolitan areas as well as some outlying areas. Monitoring in these areas has found that ozone levels could exceed the new ozone standard. The DAQ has scheduled meetings for each of these metro areas at the following locations and dates:

• Charlotte metropolitan area -- January 7, Wednesday, 3 p.m., Mecklenburg County Air Quality, Auditoriums 1 & 2, 700 N. Tryon St., Charlotte.
• Triangle, Fayetteville and Rocky Mount metropolitan areas -- January 12, Monday, 2 p.m., N.C. Division of Air Quality, Air Quality Training Room (AQ526), 2728 Capital Boulevard, Raleigh.
• Triad and Hickory metropolitan areas -- January 13, Tuesday, 2 p.m., Forsyth County Environmental Affairs Department, Main Conference Room, 537 North Spruce St., Winston-Salem.
• Asheville and Western North Carolina -- January 13, Tuesday, 7 p.m., Colonial Theatre, Colonial Annex, 53 Park St., Canton.
• Greenville metropolitan area and Eastern North Carolina - January 20, Tuesday, 7 p.m., Pitt Community College, Leslie Building, Room 143, 1986 Pitt Tech Road, Winterville.

Ozone is formed when nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with hydrocarbons in the air on hot, sunny days with little wind. The main sources of the pollutants that cause ozone are cars and trucks, coal-fired power plants and other industry.

North Carolina has taken substantial steps to control ozone and other key air quality problems in recent years. In 2002, the legislature passed the Clean Smokestacks Act, which requires coal-fired power plants to reduce their NOx and sulfur dioxide emissions by about three-fourths over the next 5-10 years. The legislature also passed bills that enhanced and expanded the auto emissions testing program from nine to 48 counties.

The Division of Air Quality also will accept written comments on the non-attainment designations until the end of January 2009. For more information about other air issues, visit the DAQ web site at www.ncair.org.

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