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La. Tries to Assess New Air Pollution Rule *** Officials Say Its Too Early to Know Impact

Posted on: Thursday, 22 December 2005, 21:00 CST

By AMY WOLD

La. tries to assess new air pollution rule *** Officials say its too early to know impact

Officials say its too early to tell whether a proposed rule to further limit the amount of fine-particle pollution in the air will have any impact on Louisiana.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys administrator signed a proposed rule to lower the amount of allowable particulates for a 24-hour average from 65 micrograms per cubic meter to 35 micrograms per cubic meter.

Thats a pretty sharp drop, said Chris Roberie, administrator of air quality assessment for the state Department of Environmental Quality. Were trying to assess what it will do for us.

The state will have until November 2008 to inform EPA which areas, if any, have failed to meet the new standard.

EPA then will make a final decision on which areas of the country need work, and these designations would go into effect in April 2010. If an area in Louisiana doesnt meet the standard, the states plan on how to fix the problem would be due to EPA in 2013.

States will need to meet the standards by April 2015, but extensions may be available until 2020.

Once the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register in January, it will be opened for public comment, which could influence how the final rule is written when it is approved in September.

The 24-hour standard is measured by taking the second-highest 24- hour average reading for the year and averaging three years of that data.

This pollution, essentially small pieces of material suspended in the air, is regulated by EPA because it can increase risks of lung ailments, heart attacks, asthma and other health problems.

Currently, the entire state of Louisiana meets the federal standard for fine particles.

The proposed rule would include air monitoring results from 2004, 2005 and 2006 in locations across the state.

Since two years of that information is not available, its hard to determine how Louisiana will fare if the proposed rule is accepted as proposed.

If the rule as proposed were in place today, Roberie said, there are three areas in the state that would not meet the new standards based on air monitoring results from 2002, 2003 and 2004: the air monitors at the Capitol, New Orleans City Park and Kenner.

We have been seeing a trend down, Roberie said, so its conceivable that, if EPA keeps what theyve proposed and certain areas of the state continue to see a downward trend in particulate matter, the state could meet this new standard.

The five-parish area around Baton Rouge has been struggling for years to meet a federal standard for ozone air pollution. Particulates are even harder to manage, said Manop Vanichchagorn, engineer manager with DEQ.

Particulates can be formed from many different substances and can travel long distances, making it more of a regional problem, he said.

To identify the source of particulates, you have to go farther, Vanichchagorn said.

Roberie also noted that as a wide range of rules and regulations come into effect on such things as cleaner diesel fuels, the levels of airborne particulates should continue to decrease.

Source: Advocate; Baton Rouge, La.

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