EPA TARGETS AIR QUALITY NONATTAINMENT AREAS

The Environmental Protection Agency has identified areas of the U.S. that do not meet new federal air quality standards. EPA said 98 regions are in nonattainment for ozone, 42 for carbon monoxide, 71 for particulates, and 12 for lead. Meanwhile, nine eastern states and the District of Columbia have agreed to adopt California's tough auto emissions standards.

Nov. 11, 1991

3 min read

The Environmental Protection Agency has identified areas of the U.S. that do not meet new federal air quality standards.

EPA said 98 regions are in nonattainment for ozone, 42 for carbon monoxide, 71 for particulates, and 12 for lead.

Meanwhile, nine eastern states and the District of Columbia have agreed to adopt California's tough auto emissions standards.

In some cases, the state legislatures will have to approve that action. Signing the agreement were Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Still considering the pact are Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The 1990 CAA amendments give states the option to adopt auto emissions rules that are tougher than the federal standard.

BACKGROUND

The 1990 Clean Air Act amendments require EPA to identify areas that exceed federal air quality standards and inform state and local air pollution control officials.

EPA used air monitoring data to classify the areas according to the magnitude of the air quality problems: marginal, moderate, serious, severe, or extreme.

The classification determines what air pollution requirements a state must adopt and when it must reach compliance.

For example, marginal nonattainment areas have 3 years from November 1990 to meet the standard and moderate areas 6 years. The law also requires states to meet milestones along the way that demonstrate continuing progress.

EPA Administrator William Reilly said, "New clean air programs will begin operating in designated places over the next couple of years. The effect of these measures, combined with other recent actions such as reformulated gasoline, will mean healthier air for more Americans to breathe."

WHAT'S INVOLVED

EPA said emission reduction programs that will apply to some or all of the ozone and CO nonattainment areas include tougher vehicle emission inspections, controls on smaller sources of hydrocarbons, clean fuels for fleet vehicles, employer ridership programs, and reformulated and oxygenated fuels programs.

It said particulate nonattainment areas may need to adopt control measures for wood stoves, urban road dust, and agricultural burning. EPA said states will incorporate the new air pollution control measures in their state implementation plans. States in extreme or severe nonattainment would be required to resort to tough control measures in addition to programs required for less polluted areas.

If EPA disapproves a state plan or finds it deficient, the law allows the agency to impose sanctions such as suspension of federal highway funding or requirements for additional emission reductions.