The Clean Air Act and the Ohio State Implementation Plan

A State Implementation Plan, or SIP, is a detailed set of regulations, policies, and infrastructure that are put in place to help the state of Ohio attain and maintain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for the six criteria pollutants listed in the Clean Air Act. These six pollutants are: ozone, particular matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, lead and carbon monoxide. These pollutants are often very present in Ohio because of the amount of industry that has taken here historically and still takes place here. Ohio maintains attainment for PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide, while it still aspires to attainment for ozone, sulfur dioxide, and lead.

The Clean Air Act requires the U.S. EPA to set national ambient air quality standards for pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment. The CAA requires the EPA to review air quality standards every five years to ensure their continued monitoring and safety. The EPA monitors the air via air 198 air monitors at 120 monitoring sites. These sites gathers information on the levels of sulfur dioxide, lead, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone in the air. The data is then analyzed to determine if levels are compliant with air quality standards. When a monitor exceeds the standard more than three times in a three-year period, the area is determined to not meet the standard, and is classified as being in “nonattainment.” An area can redeem itself by meeting the standards for three years in a row. After three years of such data, the State can petition the EPA to reclassify it as being in attainment, and they have 18 months to do so, although the area is still not officially redesignated until the EPA provides an opportunity for public comment and then publishes the final action in the Federal Register.

The standards for each of the pollutants is the following: 

• Carbon Monoxide: 9 ppm over eight hours; 35 ppm in one hour. Ohio is in full attainment for CO.
• Lead: 0.15 micrograms per cubic meter over a three-month average; 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter over a quarterly average. There are three nonattainment areas, including parts of Logan, Fulton, and Cuyahoga counties, likely a result of emissions from industrial facilities. Ohio has obtained three years of data that is within the standard for Logan County, and submitted a redesignation request in October 2013. The EPA had 18 months to act on the request in order to redesignate the area.
• Nitrogen Dioxide: 53 ppb in 24 hours and 100 ppb in 1 hour. Ohio currently does not have any monitors that have recorded data out of attainment, so therefore is currently in full attainment, but the EPA is requiring states to add more NO2 monitors near roads, many scheduled for installation in early 2014, so it’s likely there are many new monitors now in operation. After three years of data is collected from these monitors, attainment/nonattainment classifications may need to be revised.
• Ozone: 75 ppb in 8 hours. The State of Ohio is not in full attainment.
• Particulate Matter (PM2.5): 35 µg per square meter in 24 hours. The State of Ohio is in full attainment.
• Sulfur Dioxide: 75 parts per billion in one hour. The State of Ohio is not in full attainment, likely due to emissions from industries.

 In my research, I noticed that while there are specific standards that are measured with precision, there lacks any actual planning for implementation within the SIP. I'm left with questions such as: 

• How are we going to minimize these pollutants in the air?
• What is causing these pollutants to be in the air, and how can we prevent it? 

Diagram explaining the deposition of Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide caused by emissions from industries in Ohio. Source: USDA Forest Service

For more information:

National Ambient Air Quality Standards Attainment Status of The State of Ohio

PDF Fact Sheet: What Citizens Need to Know about National Ambient Air Quality Standards and Attainment