DEPARTMENT ACCEPTS COMMENTS ON OZONE NONATTAINMENT BOUNDARY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EASTERN MISSOURI
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is accepting public comment on the proposed 2008 Ozone Nonattainment Boundary Recommendations for eastern Missouri. The public hearing for the boundary recommendations is Thursday, Dec. 4, at the Governor's Office Building, Room 450, 200 Madison St., Jefferson City.
The new ozone standard is an eight-hour average concentration of 75 parts per billion. Based on this revised standard, the state was required to evaluate areas for their compliance. Compliance with the standard is measured against a three-year average of monitoring data. Based on 2005 to 2007 ozone monitoring data, two distinct areas in the eastern half of Missouri violate the 2008 eight-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard: St. Louis (Missouri/Illinois) and Cape Girardeau/Perryville. The counties recommended for eight-hour ozone nonattainment designation in these areas include St. Louis city, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, St. Louis, Cape Girardeau and Perry.
This recommendation has been developed through in-depth technical evaluations of the available information following U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance along with a series of stakeholder meetings. A total of six meetings were held in eastern Missouri to explain the designation process as well as to gather additional local data to assist in the evaluation. The information presented as part of the recommendation has been collected from many different sources, including individual industrial facilities within Missouri. All the data and the rationale for this recommendation is presented in the technical support documents located on the Web at http://www.dnr.mo.gov/env/apcp/ozone/8hourdesignationprocess.htm.
The designation recommendations are to EPA by March 12, with the designations expected to be based on monitoring data from the 2006 through 2008 ozone seasons. EPA will then have until March 12, 2010, to make final designations of ozone nonattainment areas for Missouri. After EPA makes the final designations, state implementation plans will be developed. These plans outline how the state will reduce pollution to meet the ozone standard. These plans will be due three years after final designations are made. After state plans are approved by EPA, Missouri will be required to meet the revised ozone standard, with emission controls and deadlines depending on the severity of the problem.
The Department of Natural Resources requests that people intending to give verbal presentations on the proposed public hearing items also provide a written copy of their testimony to the commission secretary at the time of the public hearing. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the hearing can make arrangements by calling 800-361-4827 or 573-751-4817. Hearing-impaired individuals may contact the program through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2966.
The department also will accept written comments until 5 p.m. on Dec.11. Written comments should be sent to Chief, Operations Section, Department of Natural Resources, Air Pollution Control Program, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176, by fax to 573-751-2706 or by e-mail to apcprulespn@dnr.mo.gov. The department is required to respond to all comments in writing as part of the rulemaking process. Written comments and oral public hearing testimony are treated with equal consideration.
The proposed public hearing documents are available for review at the department's Air Pollution Control Program, 1659A E. Elm St., Jefferson City and on the Public Notice section of the Web site at www.dnr.mo.gov/env/apcp/index.html.
Public hearing items may be adopted by the Missouri Air Conservation Commission as provided for under authority of 643.050, RSMo. For more information or a complete meeting agenda, contact the Department of Natural Resources' Air Pollution Control Program at
573-751-4817.
Source: Missouri Department of Natural Resources
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