215 November 2 1 5 Northeast Ohio NAAQS Nonattainment Factsheet Covering the counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit
1 Northeast Ohio NAAQS Nonattainment Factsheet Covering the counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit 1 The Clean Air Act requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six common air pollutants (known as the criteria pollutants). 2 They include particle pollution (often referred to as particulate matter), ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and lead. These pollutants can harm your health and the environment, and can cause property damage. 3 Areas that do not meet the health-based limits on air quality pollutant levels are designated by the U.S. EPA as nonattainment areas. Regions designated as nonattainment areas can bring a variety of consequences. Nonattainment status may usher in additional federal regulations, including restrictions on new stationary emissions sources like factories up to the potential loss of federal transportation funding. 4 Nonattainment designations can stymie economic growth in and of themselves, as pollution-intensive industries relocate to other areas. 5 Currently, portions of Northeast Ohio are designated by the U.S. EPA as Nonattainment Areas for ozone, fine particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and lead. Northeast Ohio is either Unclassified or in Attainment for carbon monoxide, particle pollution, and nitrogen oxides. A summary of nonattainment areas is provided in Table 1, on the following page. States are required to develop and implement air quality plans in the nonattainment areas in order to reduce pollution precursors and attain the NAAQS. More information about this process can be found on NOACA s website - Ozone SIP Planning and PM 2.5 SIP Planning. 1 The seven counties included in this report fall within the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain combined statistical area (CSA), according to the Office of Management and Budget, OMB Bulletin No. 13-1 (Washington, DC: OMB, 213) https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/ omb/bulletins/213/b-13-1.pdf [Accessed November 1, 215]. This CSA includes the Akron, Cleveland-Elyria, and Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Areas, along with four Micropolitan Statistical Areas, including Ashtabula. 2 4 C.F.R. 5. 3 For further information on the six criteria pollutants and how they affect your health, consult U.S. EPA, What Are the Six Common Air Pollutants? http://www.epa.gov/airquality/ urbanair/ [Accessed November 1, 215]. 4 U.S. EPA, The Clean Air Act in a Nutshell: How It Works (Washington, DC: U.S. EPA, 213) http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/pdfs/caa_nutshell.pdf [Accessed November 1, 215]. 5 Michael Greenstone (22), The Impacts of Environmental Regulations on Industrial Activity: Evidence from the 197 and 1977 Clean Air Act Amendments and the Census of Manufactures, Journal of Political Economy, 11 (no. 6): 1175-1219
Nonattainment Status Table 1: Nonattainment Status for NAAQS in Northeast Ohio Pollutant Carbon Monoxide Primary or Secondary Standard Primary Averaging Time Level Attainment Status 8-hour 9 ppm Maintenance 1-hour 35 ppm Maintenance Monitored Counties Cuyahoga, Lake, Summit Cuyahoga, Lake, Summit Lead Primary & Secondary Rolling 3- month average.15 μg/m 3 Nonattainment Cuyahoga (Partial) Nitrogen Dioxide Ozone Particle Pollution Sulfur Dioxide PM 2.5 PM 1 Primary 1-hour 1 ppb Primary & Secondary Primary & Secondary Annual 8-hour 53 ppb 75 ppb Unclassifiable/ Attainment Unclassifiable/ Attainment Marginal Nonattainment Primary Annual 12 μg/m 3 Nonattainment Secondary Annual 15 μg/m 3 Nonattainment Primary & Secondary Primary & Secondary 24-hour 35 μg/m 3 Maintenance Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Summit Cuyahoga, Lorain Cuyahoga, Lorain Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Summit 24-hour 15 μg/m 3 Maintenance Cuyahoga Primary 1-hour 75 ppb Nonattainment Lake Secondary 3-hour.5 ppm Maintenance Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain Source: U.S. EPA, The Green Book Nonattainment Areas for Criteria Pollutants (Washington, DC: U.S. EPA, 215) http://www. epa.gov/airquality/greenbk/index.html [Accessed November 1, 215].
2 Northeast Ohio NAAQS Nonattainment Factsheet Ozone (O 3 ): The ozone standard was first set in 1971. U.S. EPA has carried out subsequent revisions based on science reviews. The last revision to the ozone NAAQS occurred on March 12, 28, when U.S. EPA promulgated a revised primary and secondary ozone NAAQS of 75 parts per billion (ppb) (73 FR 16436). Based on this standard, U.S. EPA classified Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit Counties as Marginal Nonattainment Areas on April 3, 212. On October 1, 215, U.S. EPA strengthened the NAAQS for ozone to 7 ppb. This update to the NAAQS will result in another ozone designation revision by October 217, likely based upon 214-216 data from the Ohio EPA. The new standard could place all of Northeast Ohio into Nonattainment. Figure 1: Timeline of Revisions to Ozone NAAQS, 1971-214 Ozone NAAQ S Revisions 1971: 1-hr average 8 ppb 1993: 12 ppb retained 28: 8-hr average 75 ppb 196 197 198 199 2 21 22 1979:1-hr average 12 ppb 1997: 8-hr average 8 ppb 215: 8-hr average 7 ppb
Ozone (O 3 ) Figure 2: Nonattainment Area for 28 Ozone NAAQS
3 Northeast Ohio NAAQS Nonattainment Factsheet Fine Particles (PM 2.5 ): Standards for particulate matter were first set in 1971. However, fine particle standards were specifically delineated starting in 1997. Currently, there are multiple primary and secondary PM 2.5 NAAQS: 1) A primary standard of 12 µg/m 3, annual arithmetic mean averaged over three years; 2) A secondary standard of 15 µg/m 3, annual arithmetic mean averaged over three years; and 3) A primary and secondary standard of 35 µg/m 3, 98th percentile averaged over three years of the 24-hour rolling average. The most recent revision of fine particle standards was finalized by U.S. EPA on December 14, 212 (78 FR 385). On September 18, 213, U.S. EPA redesignated Ashtabula Township and Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit Counties from Nonattainment to Attainment, based on the 1997 standard (78 FR 5727). However, U.S. EPA designated Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties as Nonattainment Areas for the 212 standard on April 15, 215 (8 FR 18535). Figure 4 shows the counties which are in Nonattainment for the 12 µg/m 3 annual standard (8 FR 226). Figure 3: Timeline of Revisions to Particulate Matter NAAQS, 1971-214 1971: TSP 24-hr 26 µg/m 3 & annual 75 µg/m 3 (primary), 24-hr 15 µg/m 3 (secondary) Timeline of PM 2.5 1997: PM 1 24-hr 15 µg/m 3 & annual 5 µg/m 3 ; PM 2.5 24-hr 65 µg/m 3 & annual 15 µg/m 3 212: PM 1 24-hr 15µg/m 3 ; PM2.5 annual 12 µg/m 3 (primary) & 15 µg/m 3 (secondary) & 24-hr 35 µg/m 3 1965 197 1975 198 1985 199 1995 2 25 21 215 22 1987: PM 1 24-hr 15 µg/m 3 & annual 5 µg/m 3 26: PM 1 24-hr 15 µg/m 3 ; PM 2.5 24-hr 35 µg/m 3 & annual 15 µg/m 3
Fine Particles ( PM2.5 ) Figure 4: Nonattainment Area for 212 PM 2.5 NAAQS
4 Northeast Ohio NAAQS Nonattainment Factsheet Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ): The U.S. EPA originally promulgated regulations for sulfur dioxide on April 3, 1971, when it established two primary (24-hour and annual averages) and two secondary (3-hour and annual averages) standards. The agency simplified and updated the rule on June 22, 21, creating a single 1-hour NAAQS of 75 ppb, significantly stronger than the original 24-hour standard of.14 parts per million (ppm). Prior to this new standard, all of northeast Ohio had been in Attainment for SO 2. This changed on February 6, 213, when the EPA designated Lake County as a Nonattainment Area (78 FR 47191), as Figure 6 illustrates. Figure 5: Timeline of Revisions to Sulfur Dioxide NAAQS, 1971-214 Sulfur Dioxide NAAQS Revisions 1971: 24-hr.14 ppm & annual.3 ppm (primary), 3-hr.5 ppm & annual.2 ppm (secondary) 21: 1-hr average 75 ppb; primary annual & 24-hr standards revoked 196 197 198 199 2 21 22 1973: Secondary annual standard revoked
Sulfur Dioxide ( SO2 ) Figure 6: Nonattainment Area for 21 Sulfur Dioxide NAAQS
Lead ( Pb ) Lead (Pb): On November 12, 28 U.S. EPA substantially strengthened the primary NAAQS for lead by lowering it from 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m 3 ) a standard in place since October 1978 to a level of.15 μg/m 3 (73 FR 66964). The portions of Cuyahoga County that surround the Ferro Corporation were designated as a nonattainment area for lead on November 22, 211. 6 Figure 7: Cuyahoga County Lead Nonattainment Area + O b 2.5 miles + Cuyahoga [O 1, [O.ZJ < ;oo [1] + 1.11 + +O O SheS1 ood 1?i 6' Victory Wh 1e r.teial Co. [.5] + 5 + +o 111 (wlo111 O Ocb O + + Amencall Spring 1N re J1 2] CJD Summit [2['l9[ I] 1n11 1. Schumann & Co [.6] Legend Violating Monijor (26-8 design value) Attaining Monfor NATA Source (tpy)' Airport (28 NEI) Existing Lead Nonattainment - or Maintenance Area County Boundary c:::j State Recommendation National Highways Source: U.S. EPA, Ohio Area Designations For the 28 Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards, Cleveland, Ohio Technical Support Document (Washington, DC: U.S. EPA, 28) http://www.epa.gov/leaddesignations/28standards/rec/letters/5_oh_ EPAMOD3.pdf [Accessed November 1, 215]. 6 4 C.F.R. 81.336 (21). U.S. EPA defines the Nonattainment area as the portions of Cuyahoga County that are bounded on the west by Washington Park Blvd./Crete Ave./East 49th St., on the east by East 71st St., on the north by Fleet Ave., and on the south by Grant Ave.
Northeast Ohio NAAQS Nonattainment Factsheet
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