|
|
|
 |
:: Why A Clean Fuels Conference
Home | Stakeholder | Membership | Laws, Grants, & Incentives | News & Events Northeast Ohio is in Non-Attainment of Federal Standards On April 15, 2004, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) declared that eight counties (Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, & Summit) in Northeasst Ohio were in non-attainment for the Federal 8-hour ozone standard. On December 17, 2004, the USEPA designated Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit Counties as in non-attainment for the annual fine particulate (PM 2.5) standard. Northeast Ohio has been designated a non-attainment area for both ozone and PM 2.5 because it has levels of these two pollutants that are higher than allowed by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The NAAQS are health-based standards designed to protect the public. Failure to achieve NAAQS means that public health is at risk. Public Health Impacts Ozone can irritate the respiratory system as well as reduce lung function. Health studies show a significant association between exposure to fine particle pollution and premature death from heart and lung diseases. Fine particles have been linked to cardiovascular symptoms, heart attacks, asthma attacks, and bronchitis. Economic Impacts Once designated, nonattainment areas are subject to New Source Review requirements to ensure that new and modified sources of pollution do not impede progress toward cleaner air. This means offsets of pollution are required that sometimes deter new businesses from moving into a nonattainment area. This puts Northeast Ohio at a competitive disadvantage. Failure to achieve NAAQS after the required federal deadlines results in even more stringent offset requirements for new businesses. Failure to adequately plan for attainment can also result in a loss of federal highway funds as a sanction on the area. Attainment Deadlines Ozone: Ozone nonattainment areas of "moderate" status, such as Northeast Ohio, are required to submit USEPA a SIP by June 2007. Control measures have to be in place by 2009. The area must demonstrate attainment of clean air by June 2010. Fine Particles: PM 2.5 nonattainment areas are required to submit to USEPA a State Implementation Plan (SIP) by April 2008. Control measures have to be in place by 2009. The area must demonstrate attainment by April 2010, with possible extensions available until 2015, if control measures are not feasible. States must draft a plan known as a State Implementation Plan (SIP) to improve the air quality in nonattainment areas. Through SIPs, states design their approach to reducing pollution levels. The comprehensive approach to reducing criteria air pollutants taken by the Clean Air Act covers many different sources and a variety of clean-up methods. SIPs must ensure that power plants, factories, and other pollution sources meet clean-up goals by working through the air pollution permitting process that applies to industrial facilities. States must also implement programs to further reduce emissions from sources such as cars, trucks, busses, trains, off-road construction and agricultural equipment, small businesses, and consumer products and activities. Clean Fuels as a Solution Clean/alternative fuels are one solution to mobile source emissions issues. The four most widely used clean-burning alternatives to petroleum-based diesel and gasoline are: biodiesel compressed natural gas (CNG) ethanol liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy states, "Using these alternative fuels in vehicles can generally reduce harmful pollutants and exhaust emissions. In addition, most of these fuels can be domestically produced and derived from renewable sources." In addition to aiding in achieving attainment status for Northeast Ohio, the use of clean fuels presents savings to fleets as a result of enhanced engine lubricity, lower fuel costs, and/or federal tax credits. Clean fuels also present the opportunity for a domestic fuel economy in which fuel can be produced locally, thereby keeping the money in our economy and increasing our competitive advantage. To learn more about clean fuels, attend the 'Refueling Northeast Ohios Economy: Clean Fuels Solutions to Air Pollution' conference. |
|
|
|
