Denver Region Violates Federal Ozone Standard
July 23, 2007—DENVER—High
concentrations of ground-level ozone on Friday, July 20,
appear to have put the nine-county Denver region in
violation of the federal health-based, eight-hour standard
for the troublesome pollutant.
Preliminary data from an air quality monitor maintained by
the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's
Air Pollution Control Division in northern Jefferson County
indicate an eight-hour rolling average ozone concentration
of .088 parts per million (ppm) on Friday evening. If
validated, that reading - when considered along with other
readings this summer and during 2005 and 2006 at the Rocky
Flats North monitoring station - will result in a violation
of a federal health-based standard.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's
executive director, Jim Martin, said, "The department, the
Colorado Air Quality Control Commission and partners such as
the Regional Air Quality Council and the North Front Range
Metropolitan Planning Organization are committed to taking
the actions necessary to lower ground-level ozone
concentrations to ensure full compliance with the
health-based standards for ozone."
The Regional Air Quality Council, in cooperation with the
department, issues Ozone Action Alerts on days when division
meteorologists expect conditions to lead to ground-level
ozone concentrations of .075 ppm or above in the
metropolitan-Denver and Front Range region. Because high
ozone levels can compromise public health, especially among
children, the elderly and those with pre-existing
respiratory conditions such as asthma, Martin advised
individuals to be aware of ozone alerts when they are
issued.
"Ozone is a public health concern," Martin said. "Whether or
not a violation has occurred, our region usually has
numerous days during any given summer when ozone
concentrations are high enough to compromise human health,
especially among sensitive populations."
He reminded residents to consider taking steps to help
reduce ozone concentrations by refueling vehicles in the
evening, keeping vehicles well maintained, not overfilling
gas tanks, mowing lawns in the evening, tightening gas caps
after fill-ups and doing painting projects in the evening.
The current federal health-based standard for ground-level
ozone is .080 ppm measured over eight hours. In June, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed to lower the
ground-level ozone standard to a level between .070 and .075
ppm measured over eight hours, and the agency reports that
it will finalize a new federal standard next spring.
If the data collected this summer are validated, the EPA
likely will designate the nine-county region (Adams,
Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson,
Larimer and Weld counties) as out of compliance with the
existing eight-hour ozone standard and the area will be
considered to be a "nonattainment" area.
The department's Air Pollution Control Division, along with
the Regional Air Quality Council and the North Front Range
Metropolitan Planning Organization, will work to develop a
plan to further reduce ozone concentrations to attain the
standard.
The plan will be submitted to the Colorado Air Quality
Control Commission for approval by the end of 2008, with
legislative and gubernatorial approval needed after that.
Once all state approval processes are completed, the plan
ultimately will be submitted to the EPA for approval by
April 2009.
Martin said, "We will be looking at strategies for reducing
ozone concentrations thoroughly, including the costs
associated with implementing various strategies. We also
will consider the proposed tougher standards throughout the
process. I remain confident that we can meet this
challenge."
Martin continued, "The development of the plan and the
approval process will be open and collaborative. We will
seek input from the public, industry, conservationists and
others and will continue to function in the spirit of
collaboration that has worked so well in the past."
Until an evaluation of ozone control measures is complete,
it is not known what strategies would be relied upon in the
Front Range area to achieve the health-based standard for
ozone.
Information regarding the region's effort to maintain
compliance with the federal standard can be viewed on Web
pages maintained by the Air Pollution Control Division at
coloradoairquality.info. Information available
includes current and historic ozone data, current and
historic air quality data, the current advisory and
background materials on a wide range of air quality topics.
Individuals also can learn the current advisory status and
current air quality conditions by calling one of several
telephone hotlines maintained by the division. Those within
the seven-county Denver-metropolitan area (in the 303 and
720 area codes) can call either 303-758-4848 or
303-782-0211. Those in Larimer and Weld counties or any
other part of the state can call the division's toll-free
hotline at 1-888-484-3247 (1-888-4-THE-AIR).
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