NEW OZONE STANDARD SET OUT BY EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently tightened air quality standards for ground-level ozone from the current standard of 84 parts per billion to 75 parts per billion. The goal of this reduction is to improve public health, particularly among children and the elderly. The result was anger from parties on both sides of the issue, with environmental groups pushing for a lower number and regulated entities frustrated with the “moving target” of ozone levels.
While some counties such as Dallas and Harris were already out of compliance with the existing standard, counties such as El Paso and Bexar, which were in compliance with the old standard, will be out of compliance with the new standard. The Texas counties that will be out of compliance with the new standard are: Bexar, Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Ellis, Galveston, Gregg, Harris, Harrison, Hood, Hunt, Jefferson, Johnson, Montgomery, Orange, Parker, Rockwall, Smith, Tarrant, and Travis. Failure to meet the new standard could eventually lead to loss of federal highway funding and other federal funds.
However, according to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, the time allowed for coming into compliance with the new standards will vary from three years for marginal violators to 20 years for the worst violators. In addition, it is possible that the new standard will be challenged in court and delayed, possibly for years. If you have questions regarding the new standards, please contact Lauren Crawford at (512) 231-7400 or lauren@tml.org.