EPA's New Directions on Ozone

1
EPA's New Directions on Ozone

• Bob Judge
• U.S. EPA - New England
• November 4, 2003

2
TOPICS

• Recent Ozone Data and Trends
• 8-hr Ozone Designations
• 8-hr Ozone Implementation

3
What is EPAs Revised Ozone Standard?

• In 1997, EPA changed the averaging period of the
  standard from 1 hour to 8 hours to better address
  health effects from prolonged exposures.
• Values of 85 parts per billion (ppb) and above
  are exceeding the level of the 8-hour standard.
• Compliance with the standard is based on a 3-year
  average of the 4th highest ozone concentration at
  each monitor.

4
(No Transcript)
5

What is the 8-hour Ozone Trend?
6
8-hr Ozone Designations
7
Designation Schedule

• July 15, 2003 - States submit initial 8-hour
  recommendations, based on 2000-2002 data
• November, 2003 - EPA responds to States with any
  modifications (EPA must respond by December 15,
  2003)
• April 15, 2004 - Promulgate 8-hour ozone
  designations

8
Design Values in Northern New England(Based on
2000-2002 data)
9
Design Values in Southern New England (Based on
2000-2002 data)
10
March 28, 2000 Boundary Guidance

• Counties with violating monitors and nearby
  contributing areas should be part of
  nonattainment area.
• The Metropolitan Statistical Area or the
  Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area
  (C/MSA) serve as the presumptive boundary for
  8-hour nonattainment areas (or 1-hour
  nonattainment area, if larger).
• States recommending nonattainment boundaries less
  than a C/MSA must document its rationale and
  address certain factors identified by EPA, such
  as population, traffic and commuting patterns,
  projected growth, prevailing meteorology, nearby
  sources and air quality.

11
8-hour Nonattainment AreasRecommended by States
in 2003
Governors recommendations are based on 2000-2002
data.
12
Connecticuts Recommendation
13
Rhode Islands Recommendation
14
Massachusetts Recommendation
15
Maines Recommendation
16
New Hampshires Recommendation
17
EPA Response to New England State Recommendations

• EPA will respond to each state in the near
  future.
• EPA unlikely to raise issues with the New England
  state recommendations

18
8-hr Ozone Implementation Guidance
19
Current Schedule
20
Important Implementation Rule Topics

• Nonattainment area classification approaches
• Attainment dates for nonattainment areas
• How EPA will transition from 1-hr to 8-hr ozone
• standard
• Requirements to prevent backsliding
• Reasonable Further Progress
• Modeling attainment demonstration requirements

21
Classifications and Attainment Dates

• EPAs preferred option for classifications from
  June 2003 proposal
• Areas with 1-hour design values lt 0.121 ppm,
  would be regulated under subpart 1 of the CAA.
  There would be no classification scheme.
  Attainment dates would generally be 5 yrs from
  designation, but can obtain additional 5 year
  extension.
• Areas with 1-hour design values gt 0.121 ppm,
  would be regulated under subpart 2 of the CAA.
  These type of areas would receive subpart 2
  classifications (e.g., marginal, moderate, etc.)
  according to their 8-hr ozone design value.

22
Table of Translated 8-Hour Design Values
23
Reopening of Public Comment Period Regarding
Classifications

• Concerns expressed about possible unequal
  treatment between nonattainment areas with same
  8-hour design values (e.g., some would be in
  Subpart 1, while others in Subpart 2)
• Concern about unrealistically early attainment
  dates for some areas
• EPA reopened the public comment period on Oct.
  21, 2003 (68 FR 60054) with two alternative
  classification approaches relative to EPAs
  initial preferred approach.
• Comments due November 5, 2003

24
Reopening of Public Comment Period Regarding
Classifications

• Proposed Alternative A
• - Translate the 0.121 ppm 1-hour value in the CAA
  to an equivalent 8-hour value (approx. 0.091
  ppm), and shrink classification bands above 0.091
  ppm by 50. Areas with 8-hour design values of
  0.091 ppm and above would be classified under
  subpart 2.
• Areas with 8-hour design values below 0.091ppm
  would be under subpart 1.

25
Reopening of Public Comment Period Regarding
Classifications

• Proposed Alternative B
• Shrink classification bands above 0.085 ppm by
  50, resulting in lower 8-hour design values
  having a higher classification and longer
  attainment date.
• All areas with 1-hour design values greater than
  0.121 ppm would be classified under subpart 2
  based on its 8-hour design value.
• All areas with 8-hour design values greater than
  0.091 ppm will be classified under subpart 2
  based on its 8-hour design value.
• All other areas (i.e., areas with 1-hr DVs of
  less than 0.121 ppm and 8-hr DVs of less than
  0.091 ppm) would be under subpart 1.

26
Alternative Classifications Table
27
Revocation of the 1-hour Standard

• EPA likely to revoke the 1-hour ozone standard in
  April, 2005.
• As part of the revocation, EPA may retain 1-hour
  ozone designations and classifications for those
  obligations that would provide benefits for
  attainment of the 8-hour standard.
• The 1-hour standard would not be retained for the
  1-hour Rate of Progress and attainment plans, or
  for conformity analyses of the 1-hour standard
  after the conformity requirements for the 8-hour
  standard begin to apply.

28
Anti-backsliding

• Subpart 2 applicable requirements in current
  1-hr ozone nonattainment areas (e.g., I/M
  programs, RACT, stage II) would remain applicable
  after 1-hr standard is revoked.
• States may be able to discontinue programs once
  area achieves level of 1-hr standard.
• State would have to show that elimination of a
  program doesnt interfere with attainment of the
  8-hr standard.

29
Reasonable Further Progress

• Proposal covers several issues, including
• Requirement for 15 VOC reductions in first 6
  years
• 2002 baseline year for starting (See recent EPA
  memo)
• Timing of RFP reductions relative to 2010
  attainment date for moderate areas
• Timing of submission of RFP plan (2006 for 15/
  first 6 years ROP, 2007 for additional ROP/
  Subpart 1 RFP)
• CAA requirements for creditability of control
  measures (Most reductions after 2002 are
  creditable.)

30
Reasonable Further Progress

• For subpart 2 areas, should VOC emission
  reductions alone be required for the initial 15
  percent progress period?
• Option 1. Continue to require 15 percent VOC
  reductions within 6 years of base year from all
  moderate and above 8-hour ozone nonattainment
  areas. After 6 years for moderate areas, RFP
  under subpart 1.
• Option 2. (Preferred approach) Exempt areas
  that have approved 15 percent plans under the
  1-hour ozone standard from an additional 15
  percent VOC-only requirement. Moderate areas are
  held to RFP under subpart 1.

31
Modeling Attainment Demonstration

• Areas with attainment dates beyond 2007 will need
  to submit attainment demonstrations to EPA in
  2007.
• An attainment demonstration SIP consists of
• technical analyses which identify the sources of
  emissions that are causing violations,
• identification of the VOC and NOx emissions
  reductions needed to provide for attainment by
  the areas attainment date, and
• adopted measures that provide for those
  reductions.

32
Future Programs That Will Address Ozone

• EPA and the states have implemented a wide
  variety of control strategies to reduce VOC and
  NOx emissions.
• Future strategies include
• Tier 2/sulfur gasoline program for new cars and
  light-duty trucks starting 2004
• 2004 and 2007 NOx limits for heavy-duty diesel
• The NOx SIP Call starting 2003/2004
• Federal non-road standards (rules for diesel
  equipment, lawn and garden equipment, marine
  engines, locomotives). Tighter non-road diesel
  standards just proposed.

33
Next Steps on 8-hour Ozone Implementation

• Respond to State nonattainment recommendation -
  November, 2003
• Finalize 8-hour Ozone Implementation Rule -
  Early, 2004
• Designate and classify 8-hour areas - April 15,
  2004
• State Ozone SIPs due - May, 2007
• (Note Some SIP requirements due May, 2006)
  
• Attainment dates Some time between 2007 and
  2017 in the Northeast depending on classification

34
For Further Information

• www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/ozone/o3imp8hr/
• www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/glo/designations
• Contact Bob Judge at 617-918-1045, or
  judge.robert_at_epa.gov