Background
On March 12, 2008, EPA strengthened its national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, the primary component of smog. These changes will improve both public health protection and the protection of sensitive trees and plants. EPA revised the 8-hour “primary” ozone standard, designed to protect public health, to a level of 0.075 parts per million (ppm). The previous standard, set in 1997, was 0.08 ppm.
EPA also strengthened the secondary 8-hour ozone standard to the level of 0.075 ppm making it identical to the revised primary standard. Current ozone air quality concentrations in many areas of the country -- including some areas that meet the 1997 ozone standards -- are high enough to harm sensitive vegetation and ecosystems.
EPA estimates that the revised standards will yield nationwide health benefits valued between $2 billion and $17 billion. Those benefits include preventing cases of bronchitis, aggravated asthma, hospital and emergency room visits, nonfatal heart attacks and premature death, among others.
On May 21, 2012, EPA published two rules; 1) the final implementation rule of the 2008 NAAQS for Ozone: Nonattainment Area Classifications Approach, Attainment Deadlines, and Revocation of the 1997 Ozone Standards for Transportation Conformity Purposes and 2) Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS. The implementation rule establishes classifications and associated attainment deadlines and revoked the 1997 ozone standards for transportation conformity purposes. The designation rule finalized the nonattainment area boundaries for areas that do not meet the 0.075 parts per million (ppm) standard. The designations are based on air quality monitoring data, recommendations submitted by the states and tribes, and other technical information including emissions, commuting patterns, population growth, weather patterns, and topography.
Sacramento ozone nonattainment area boundaries match the boundaries for the 1997 ozone standards and remains classified as a severe ozone nonattainment area with an attainment deadline of 2027.
EPA is in the process preparing the final implementation rule of the 2008 NAAQS for Ozone to address the requirements for reasonable further progress (RFP), requirements for modeling and attainment demonstrations, and requirements for reasonably available control measures (RACM) and reasonably available control technology (RACT). Districts’ actions are pending the publication of the final rule. We anticipate that final rule will require an attainment demonstration plan to be submitted in 2015.
Agency |
Action |
Status and documents* |
US EPA |
Implementation of the 2008 NAAQS for Ozone: Nonattainment Area Classifications Approach, Attainment Deadlines and Revocation of the 1997 Ozone Standards for Transportation Conformity Purposes |
Final Rule: Federal Register Vol 77 No. 98 pg 30160 (PDF) 05-21-2012 |
Designations for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS |
Final Rule: Federal Register Vol 77 No. 98 pg 30088 (PDF) 05-21-2012 |
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Notification to designate areas in California nonattainment for the revised 2008 NAAQS (PDF) 12-09-2011 |
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Technical Analyses for Designations. |
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CARB |
Designations Recommendations for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS |
Letter: Remark on EPA responses (PDF) 02-23-2012 |
District |
None |
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District |
None |
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