FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2007
Local efforts help achieve cleaner air sooner
COLUMBIA – The local and state partnerships to improve air quality in the state is helping bring about cleaner air sooner, the S. C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced today.
“We now have the data to support the success of these efforts in reducing emissions that contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone,” said Myra Reece, chief of DHEC’s Bureau of Air Quality. “We are submitting our Early Action Compact Progress Reports to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with documentation showing attainment of the 1997 8-hour ground-level Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard,” Reece said. “We thank our local partners for their commitment and encourage them to help us continue this momentum.”
Reece said that in 2002 the EPA allowed areas the opportunity to develop and implement early action plans for meeting the national 8-hour ground-level ozone standard sooner than required. South Carolina led the nation with 45 counties participating in the process. Signed agreements with county officials, known as Ozone Early Action Compacts, provided the framework for working together with local governments, industries and environmental groups to address difficult air quality improvement issues.
“Documentation certifying the ozone ambient monitoring and associated quality assurance data for the 2007 Ozone Season is accurate has been included in our report to EPA,” said Scott Reynolds, director of DHEC’s Division of Air Quality Analysis.
Reece said DHEC is requesting the EPA review the final progress reports and take action on the 8-hour Ozone Early Action Compact process by re-designating the Columbia area and the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson area to attainment for the 1997 8-hour ground-level Ozone standard.
For more information about the EAC Progress Report, contact Melinda Mathias in DHEC’s Bureau of Air Quality at (803) 898-3269 or via e-mail at mathiamc@dhec.sc.gov. For current information on the Bureau’s activities, please visit the Agency’s Web Site at http://www.scdhec.gov/baq.
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For more information:
Thom Berry – (803) 898-3885
E-mail – berrytw@dhec.sc.gov
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