What’s the bottom line on Loudoun’s air?
According to Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) air quality in the Metropolitan Washington region has improved since 1990 however, we still do not meet the 8-hour ozone standard or the fine particulate matter2.5 standard. Loudoun County is included in the Metro-Washington “nonattainment” area. The region essentially has until 2009 to clean up the air and prove it has met the standard.
Who sets pollution standards?
The Clean Air Act was first passed in 1970 and amended in 1990. This law requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set national air quality standards to reduce harmful pollutants. These national standards limit the concentrations of six air pollutants: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide.In May 2003 COG published its Plan to Improve Air Quality in the Washington, DC-MD-VA Region as the required State Implementation Plan (SIP) for meeting the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone. This document was prepared in cooperation with local governments within the nonattainment area on behalf of the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee.
To meet the federal 8-hour standard the region must reduce ozone-causing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) by at least 15% from the base year of 2002 through 2008, and reduce all ozone precursor emissions to a level sufficient to demonstrate attainment of the 8-hour standard. Although 2010 is the target, the region must demonstrate attainment by the end of the last ozone season before that date, so the actual attainment date is 2009.
OZONE: “Good Up High, Bad Nearby”
Ozone is an invisible gas found in both the upper and lower atmospheres. The ozone layer in the upper atmosphere exists naturally and is essential to life because it filters harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, reducing the amount reaching the earth’s surface. High concentrations of ozone near ground level, however, can be harmful to people, animals, crops, and materials.
What is Ground Level Ozone?
Ground level ozone is the main ingredient in urban and regional smog. Common air pollutants, such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), are released from the exhaust of cars, paint, and aerosol products. These pollutants react with heat and sunlight, producing ground level ozone, typically May through September.
What’s the Problem with Ozone?
Of the six major air pollutants for which ambient air quality standards have been established under the Clean Air Act, ozone is the most prevalent and complex problem. The MWCOG plan cites several reasons for this:
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Ozone is not discharged directly but is formed when sunlight and high temperatures cause complex photochemical reactions to occur between emissions of VOCs and NOx. There are many sources of these ozone precursors including VOCs from gasoline storage facilities, bakeries, refueling stations, printing facilities, motor vehicles, lawn mowers, boats, consumer products, and even some species of vegetation. Principal NOx sources are motor vehicles, construction equipment, fossil fuel-fired power plants, and open burning.
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The ozone problem is further complicated by weather conditions.
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Scientists are only beginning to understand how weather, topography, and ozone precursors interact in ozone formation.
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Fourth, smog travels across County and state borders and is a regional problem.
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The region must “demonstrate attainment” of Ozone Standards by the end of the last ozone season before 2010 so, the actual deadline is 2009.
(Source: MWCOG)
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What are the Health Effects of Ozone?
High concentrations of ozone can cause shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, fatigue, headaches, nausea, chest pain, and eye and throat irritation. The most common symptom that people have when exposed to ozone while exercising is pain when taking a deep breath. The EPA estimates that 5 to 20 percent of the total U.S. population is especially susceptible to the harmful effects of ozone pollution, including:
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Children, because their respiratory systems are still developing. They’re more active and spend more time outdoors, inhaling more air pollution per pound of body weight than do adults.
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People with pre-existing respiratory problems.
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Athletes and individuals who exercise outdoors.
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Older adults, because their respiratory and immune systems lose some of their resilience. Damage caused by ground level ozone pollution can aggravate existing conditions or irritate tissues that make them susceptible to infection.
What is Particle Pollution?
Particle pollution consists of tiny particles of dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets hanging in the air. These particles – the ones under 2.5 micrometers in diameter – are too small for our respiratory systems to filter out, and end up getting trapped in our lungs where they may adversely affect human health. The very smallest pass through the lungs into the blood stream and can damage the heart. Particles enter the air from a variety of sources and may be either directly emitted or may form under a chemical process much like the way ground level ozone forms. Many enter the air directly from power plants, factories, automobiles, construction vehicles, unpaved roads, wood burning, and agriculture sites. Others come from a reaction between gases from burning fuels, sunlight, and water vapor. Unlike ground level ozone, particles are not a seasonal pollutant; high levels can occur any time of the year. Unhealthy levels of particle pollution in the air can cause or trigger significant health problems. These range from coughing and difficult or painful breathing to the possibility of an emergency room visit or even premature death. Exposure to particles can decrease lung function, weaken the heart, and possibly bring on a heart attack. The environment also suffers from particle pollution. Particles are the major source of haze, and can harm the environment by changing the nutrient and chemical balance in soil and water.
What is the County already doing about air pollution?
Loudoun County has already taken steps toward reducing air pollution:
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Loudoun participates in the Air Quality Action Days program. On Air Quality Action Days all County employees are notified that conditions are expected to reach Code Red or Code Orange. The County also posts air quality data on its web site.
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County employees are encouraged to cancel or postpone outdoor programs and activities; postpone the use of any gasoline or diesel powered equipment; cancel or postpone, or significantly reduce any long-distance use of vehicles; refuel all business and personal vehicles after dusk or the day before when Code Red or Orange is anticipated; and consider teleworking.
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On Code Red action days buses are free for the Loudoun County commuter bus service and Loudoun Transit fixed route.
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The Loudoun Commuter Bus Service began in 1992 and has expanded since then. The County also promotes Rideshare.
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The County’s comprehensive plan has provisions for compact development and mixed uses intended to reduce vehicle trips.
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The County government and the school district are phasing in more hybrid fleet vehicles adding to the number of hybrid vehicles already in the fleet.
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School buses are restricted from refueling on Code Red days.
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In the last two years the school district has retro-fitted diesel oxidation catalysts, updating the entire diesel school bus fleet.
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All new capital construction projects use energy efficient systems and components. And, the County has identified existing buildings with the poorest performance and has launched a program to improve energy efficiency.
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Loudoun County offers tax incentives for hybrid vehicles.
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The County government has an award-winning telework program. Employees can arrange to work from home under a signed agreement with the County. This gets cars off the roads, frees up parking spaces at the Government Center, and reduces emissions into the air.
What’s the outlook for the future?
Two of the principal sources of pollution are vehicles (mobile sources) and industry. Among industries power generation is a large emitter. Emissions from mobile sources depend on the fuel being burned, how clean and efficient the combustion engine is, and vehicle miles that are traveled. The population forecasts indicate we will add nearly 40,000 County residents in just the next four years. The 2030 forecast projects a near doubling (+200,000) increase in population. These increases equate to a huge volume of additional cars and trucks on the roads and millions more vehicle miles traveled (VMTs). And, a recent publication by the Urban Land Institute shows that VMTs are rising significantly faster than population growth.
Technology can help us develop cleaner-burning fuels and more efficient engines but these gains would be offset by the increased number of vehicle miles being driven in the region. Along with population growth we can also expect a similar increase in emissions associated with higher electrical power demand.
What more can be done?
Two of the largest contributors to air pollution are transportation and energy. To reduce emissions from power generation, we all need to reduce energy consumption. Better building practices through Green Building programs will result in more energy efficient new buildings and renovations.
Reducing mobile emissions is an enormous challenge. Alternative transportation - buses, rail, bicycles, and walking – help get cars off roads. Cleaner vehicles and reducing commuting miles through initiatives such as teleworking help too. Many people don’t realize the impact of other sources of NOx and VOCs. Lawn and garden equipment – mowers, weed-eaters, leaf blowers – contribute more than their share to pollution because, unlike cars, they do not have pollution controls built into the device. Limiting the use of power lawn equipment, especially during hot summer “ozone” weather, is encouraged.
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