July 21, 2000
Vol. 30, No. 220

For more information contact Donald White at 302-739-4506 or Darryl Tyler at 302-739-4791

EPA Changes Ozone Reporting Standards as Delaware Entered July

The “ozone season,” which began April 1, passed the 3-month mark with 10 days exceeding the 8-hour U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ozone standard of 0.08 parts per million (ppm). Last year there were eight monitored exceedances during the same time period.

There have been three exceedances of the 1-hour ozone standard of 0.12 ppm in Delaware this year; New Castle County had one, Kent County two, and Sussex, none.

The EPA recently reinstated the 1-hour standard for ground-level ozone (smog) in nearly 3,000 counties in the nation where the standard was previously revoked.

The reinstatement, according to EPA, provides a safety net for millions of Americans, to help protect them from the health risks of ozone pollution while litigation continues over the agency’s more protective 8-hour standard. The 1-hour reinstatement was proposed by EPA in October 1999.

“As a result of court action staying the new more protective 8-Hour Ozone National Air Quality Standard, EPA reinstated the old 1-Hour Air Quality Standard in nearly 3,000 counties,” said Darryl Tyler, administrator of DNREC’s Air Management Quality Section. “The 1-hour standard had not previously been revoked in Kent and New Castle Counties as they had not attained the 1-hour ozone standard. The standard was, however, revoked in Sussex County because it met the 1-hour standard. EPA’s action will reinstate the 1-hour standard in Sussex County.

“While most of the 3,000 counties are still attaining the 1-hour standard, Sussex County has experienced recent violations of this 1-hour standard and will be designated non-attainment,” added Tyler. “This will subject Sussex County to transportation conformity, new source review and other requirements associated with a marginal O3 non-attainment area.”

“Since Sussex County has nearly all the same regulations that are applicable to Kent and New Castle Counties and is non-attainment primarily as the result of transported pollution from up-wind states, it is not clear at this time what if any additional control measures could be adopted,” concluded Tyler.

Charts are available upon request.

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