The government is getting smugger about smog. In the new year, the United States Environmental Protection Agency proposed the strictest health standards to date for smog by lowering the current primary ozone standard of 75 parts per billion to a proposed number between 60 and 70 parts per billion. Under the Clean Air Act, the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground-level ozone protects public health, public welfare and the environment. Ozone is the main component of smog. ‘Ground-level ozone forms when emissions from industrial facilities, power plants, landfills and motor vehicles react in the sun,’ according to a Jan. 7 EPA news release. Michael Wascom, environmental sciences associate professor, said the Clean Air Act regulates two classes of air pollutants: criteria pollutants and toxic pollutants. Wascom said criteria pollutants include ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead, sulfur dioxide and two kinds of particulate matter. Roughly 28 parishes in Louisiana will not be able to meet the EPA’s newly proposed ozone standards and will be classified as ‘nonattainment,’according to a Jan. 7 news release by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. ‘When you drop the standard, you’re going to have more areas labeled as out of attainment,’ said Rodney Mallett, DEQ communications director. ‘That doesn’t mean air quality got worse. It’s just going to be more work that has to be done to reach the new lower standard.’ The major Baton Rouge area is labeled as nonattainment with the highest ozone measurement at 80 parts per billion at the LSU monitor, Mallett said. But he said the air quality in Baton Rouge has improved. The monitors at French Settlement, Dutchtown and Carville measured at 78 parts per billion. Wascom said the Baton Rouge Air Quality Control Region under the Clean Air Act includes East Baton Rouge, Livingston, West Baton Rouge, Iberville and Ascension parishes. The Baton Rouge Air Quality Control Region is in attainment for all criteria pollutants except ozone, Mallett said. Mallett said the standards could affect businesses like refineries, the automobile industry, bakeries and fast food restaurants. ‘In industry, you’re allowed to discharge a certain amount [of pollutants] because you can control emissions, and you can make sure they meet the protections of public health and the environment,’ he said. ‘[With the new standards, these industries] would probably have to add additional pollution controls and that would cost money.’ Mike McDaniel, professional-in-residence at the Center for Energy Studies, said the new standards will adversely affect economic development. Wascom said the new standards will require businesses to buy new technology or alter their industrial operations to reduce emissions, which can be costly. He said these stricter standards could make building new facilities or modifying existing facilities more difficult and more expensive because of the requirement to reduce emissions. Mallett said the DEQ is not sure how they will regulate the emission of pollutants because the EPA hasn’t determined the exact standard. He said lowering the primary ozone standard will have a positive influence on public health. The EPA news release said ozone is linked to a number of health problems such as asthma, heart and lung disease. More cases of chronic bronchitis, nonfatal heart attacks and premature deaths are associated with higher ozone levels. McDaniel said the EPA standards are designed to protect sensitive individuals like young children and those suffering from such illnesses. The EPA’s Web site said ozone is not emitted into the air but forms in the air when emissions of nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and methane ‘cook’ in the sun. Sunlight and hot weather speed its formation. The EPA plans to issue final standards by Aug. 31, 2010. _____ Contact Mary Walker Baus at [email protected]