ARKANSAS -- As a result of continuous improvements in Arkansas's air quality, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has formally requested the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to retain the current ground-level ozone standard, rather than implement a proposed new standard. The request was sent in a letter dated March 16 from ADEQ Director Becky W. Keogh to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. The deadline for submitting comments on the proposed new standard is March 17.
ADEQ's comments cite several reasons for retaining the current primary and secondary ozone standards:
• Air quality monitoring by the ADEQ has shown decreasing ozone levels in the state since 2003, and the state, for the most part, has remained in compliance with the current federal standard. However, if a proposed new standard is adopted within the range proposed by the EPA, indications are that a number of areas in Arkansas would be classified as non-attainment for ozone as a result.
• In many instances, the areas of Arkansas which would be designated as non-attainment include rural counties, with no significant emission sources contributing to the ozone problem, and, thus, with little ability to impose restrictions that would lead to any meaningful reduction in ozone generation. Further, many of these counties already have economic challenges and lack the resources to adopt measures which would be required by law to respond to a non-attainment designation. As such, the new standard could result in very burdensome requirements for local governments which may have no measureable improvement in conditions.
• EPA has only recently provided the necessary guidance for implementing the current federal ozone standard, which was adopted in 2008, and the states have not had sufficient time to establish the implementation measures. ADEQ believes time should first be allowed for the implementation of the 2008 standard to be properly evaluated before consideration is given to changing it.
• Other federal regulations designed to reduce ozone levels have been adopted and implemented since the 2008 standard was imposed, and these additional measures collectively are expected to lead to lower ozone levels. Proposed changes to the standard, if implemented, would come at a time when the benefits of existing regulations and implementation of the current standard have not been fully realized.
The letter includes a 15-page attachment with technical information concerning ozone data for Arkansas. Both documents are available on ADEQ's website, www.adeq.state.ar.us, under the "What's New at ADEQ?" section on the homepage.
General News on 03/18/2015