Air Quality Status Overview Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Region - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Air Quality Status Overview Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Region Andrew DeCandis February 13, 2019

National Ambient Air Quality Standards  Clean Air Act is the basis of all federal air quality rules  Defined the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six criteria air pollutants, including ozone  Defined process for nonattaining regions to meet the standard – the State Implementation Plan (SIP) process • Classifies regions based on severity of nonattainment • Sets deadline to meet standards based on severity • Lays out process by which regions identify and take actions • Requires that after attainment, regions must comply with rules for an additional 10-year maintenance period.

Ozone Air Quality Standards  1979 1-Hour Standard – 120 parts per billion  1997 8-Hour Standard – 80 parts per billion  2008 8-Hour Standard – 75 parts per billion  2015 8-Hour Standard – 70 parts per billion

Air Quality Standards  Standards are reassessed by the EPA every five years.  Designations are then reassessed per new standards.  Historically, regions transitioned to new standards via the redesignation substitute process.  No longer possible due to the South Coast II federal circuit court decision  For now, all nonattainment regions must attain for each standard.

The SIP Process for Ozone

Regional NAAQS Compliance 1979 – 2008 8-County Ozone Region

Regional Air Quality 2008 Moderate Attainment Date 8-Hour Ozone Design Values for Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) 8-County Nonattainment Area* 115 Design Value (ppb) 105 95 8-Hour Ozone Design Value 2016 - 2018: 85 78 ppb 1997 NAAQS: 80 ppb 2008 NAAQS: 75 ppb 75 2015 NAAQS: 70 ppb 65 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 * The eight counites include Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller.

Regional NAAQS Compliance  1979 1-Hour Standard • Severe Nonattainment; 2007 Attainment Deadline Date • Attained 2011 through 2013  1997 8-Hour Standard • Severe Nonattainment; 2019 Attainment Deadline Date • Attained 2012 through 2014  2008 8-Hour Standard • Marginal Nonattainment; 2014 Attainment Deadline Date • Later reclassified to Moderate, then Severe  2015 8-Hour Standard (for 6 HGB Counties -- not Waller or Liberty) • Marginal Nonattainment; 2021 Attainment Deadline Date

Regional NAAQS Compliance 1979 – 2008 8-County Ozone Region 2015 6-County Ozone Region

Questions?