QC area mayors, Bi-State side with business interests in opposing tougher ozone standard

If you suffer from asthma or other breathing problems aggravated by ground-level ozone pollution, you may be surprised to learn Quad Cities area mayors and the region's planning agency have sided with business and industry groups to urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) back off its plan to set tougher ozone pollution standards.

Without public notice, public hearings or a public vote, the mayors of Bettendorf, Davenport, Rock Island, Moline, East Moline and Muscatine along with the Scott and Rock Island County Board chairmen signed a letter from the Bi-State Regional Commission to EPA opposing the lower emission standard for ozone stating the change "would impose new and more costly standards on local businesses at a time of recession and historic unemployment nationwide."

The letter sent March 14 argues that "only areas without (air) monitors, smaller urban and rural areas, would be able to attract businesses and industries. This outflow of industry from large and midsize urban areas would be counter to smart growth and sustainability implementation strategies."

The EPA has been sitting on tougher ambient air quality standards for ozone emissions since 2008 and is finally moving ahead with the process that would lower the standard from 0.075 parts per million (ppm) to a level between 0.060 to 0.070 ppm. The 8-hour "primary" ozone standard is designed to protect public health and is based on "human clinical studies showing effects in healthy adults at 0.060 ppm, and results of EPA's exposure and risk assessment."

Ground-level ozone is the main component of smog. Ground-level ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but forms through a reaction of nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH4) in the presence of sunlight. Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors and chemical solvents are the major man-made sources of NOx and VOCs.

People at greatest risk from ozone include people with lung disease, especially children with asthma, older adults and those who work outdoors. Ground-level ozone also can have harmful effects on sensitive vegetation, including soybeans.

The current 0.075 ppm standard was set in 2008, but even then the EPA's scientific advisory committee recommended a lower level for public health. In the Quad Cities, emissions for the past three years have averaged less than 0.070 ppm, but a reduction to 0.060 ppm would likely result in a non-attainment designation for the area, according to the Bi-State letter.

"All monitored areas in Iowa and Illinois would be classified as non-attainment if the 0.060 ppm standard were adopted," the Bi-State letter stated. "All but six of the 51 monitors in Iowa and Illinois would be in non-attainment at a standard of 0.065 ppm."

As with the standards set for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) previously, local economic development advocates contend the higher pollution control costs would hurt efforts to attract new industry and the expansion of existing manufacturing.

The Bi-State letter contains comments similar to those by other pro-business lobbies, including the American Petroleum Institute (API). The oil lobbying group has circulating literature claiming the tougher ozone regulations "could shut down business expansion and new jobs where 97 percent of Americans live, without providing any significant environmental benefit."

The Bi-State letter also is similar to an effort four years ago when area mayors and county board chairmen co-signed a letter to EPA opposing implementation of standards for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5). Like the most recent lobbying, the group did not hold any public hearings or seek public input into its decision opposing the proposed EPA rules.

CLICK HERE to download the letter from Bi-State to the U.S. EPA.