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EPA's New Air Pollution Standard Will Mean More 'Unhealthful' Ozone Days

Release Date: 05/21/1998
Contact Information: Peyton Fleming, Press Office (617-918-1008)

BOSTON - With Memorial Day and warm weather fast approaching, New Englanders should be aware of the increased risk of ozone air pollution and the need to take proper precautions when smog levels are high and unhealthful.

"Ground-level ozone is one of the Northeast's biggest public health threats, affecting literally millions of New Englanders," said John P. DeVillars, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's New England Office. "Although we've made great strides combating smog, New England will inevitably see unhealthy ozone days this summer."

In fact, Maine recorded unhealthy air quality on May 1 and parts of Connecticut posted unhealthy ozone levels last Saturday and yesterday. If this summer has typical weather patterns, unhealthy ozone levels are likely to occur multiple times this summer, particularly now that EPA has adopted new, more-stringent ozone standards.

DeVillars said high ozone levels can cause serious breathing problems for children, exercising adults, and adults with respiratory ailments. It also aggravates asthma and asthma attacks, many of which are so severe they require emergency visits to hospital rooms.

"The medical community speaks loudly and clearly on this issue - when ozone levels are up, New Englanders should refrain from strenuous outdoor activity, especially sensitive populations such as children and adults with respiratory problems," DeVillars said. "Up to 20 percent of summertime respiratory-related hospital visits in New England are directly attributable to ozone."

In an effort to better inform New Englanders about "real-time" ozone levels, DeVillars said EPA has expanded its computerized ozone mapping system, which shows real-time images of ground-level ozone levels throughout the Midwest and the Northeast.

"The computerized map has been expanded to show a dozen more states and it's also being updated more frequently - every two hours during the day - so that the public will have better access to up-to- date ozone levels in their region," DeVillars said. "Rather than just predicting ozone problems, we're getting real-time information so people can make informed decisions about their lives and activities."

The ozone map, created from more than 400 monitoring stations throughout the Midwest and Northeastern states, is available on the EPA's World Wide Web information page on ozone and air pollution at www.epa.gov/region01/oms. The ozone map is expected to be used by many of New England's television meteorologists.

Responding to the medical community's concerns that ozone can cause health problems in lower doses over longer periods of time, EPA last year adopted a new ozone standard of .08 parts per million averaged over an 8-hour period. The previous standard was .12 parts per million, averaged every hour.

EPA has also adopted a new daily and annual standard for small particulate matter - particles in the air of 2.5 microns in diameter or less - that can cause respiratory problems when they lodge deeply in people's lungs. The old ozone standard for small particles smaller than 10 microns is still in effect.

DeVillars said the Clean Air Act has paved the way for dramatic air quality improvements that, in turn, have translated into fewer ozone exceedances. Last summer, New England had 13 unhealthy days. However, when gauged against EPA's new 8-hour ozone standard, New England had 29 unhealthy days last summer.

DeVillars said additional improvements should be forthcoming as more New England states adopt enhanced motor vehicle inspection and maintenance programs and other measures. EPA has also developed a plan, proposed last year, that requires 22 states in the Northeast and Midwest to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions - a direct contributor to ozone - by 35 percent.