This year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed or finalized redesignation of several Indiana counties for air pollutants. While most reflected improvement to the air quality, Lake and Porter Counties in the Chicago metropolitan area continue to struggle with ozone pollution.
| County |
Pollutant |
Change |
Status |
| Vigo |
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) |
Nonattainment to attainment |
Final |
| Marion |
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) |
Nonattainment to attainment |
Final |
| Morgan |
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) |
Nonattainment to attainment |
Final |
| Lake |
Ozone (O3) |
Moderate nonattainment to serious nonattainment |
Final |
| Porter |
Ozone (O3) |
Moderate nonattainment to serious nonattainment |
Final |
| Delaware |
Lead (Pb) |
Nonattainment to attainment |
Final |
Sources and benefits of improvement
EPA worked collaboratively with the state agency, IDEM, to develop strategies for attaining the sulfur dioxide standard in all counties. In the Morgan County area, the agency facilitated retirement of coal-fired units at the Indianapolis Power and Light Eagle Valley Generating Station and using a sorbent injection system at the Hydraulic Press Brick facility. These changes resulted in a significant reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions.
In Marion and Delaware counties, the changes included revising emission limits on facilities.
Along with redesignating the areas to attainment, EPA required Indiana to develop a maintenance plan to ensure the areas will continue to meet the standards.
“Overall air quality in Indiana has improved dramatically in the last 50 to 60 years,” said Kurt Gilliam, Cornerstone Director of Environmental Services. “More efficient automobiles, reduced coal usage, improvements in emission control technologies and a significant shift that the general public is no longer willing to accept living with pollution have greatly contribute to this.”
When air quality improves people are able to breathe cleaner air, but also, local businesses face fewer air permitting restrictions, paving the way for infrastructure investment and economic development that creates jobs.
Consequences of downgrade
The biggest consequence of the redesignation of Lake and Porter counties to serious nonattainment is obviously the health of the residents. Ozone occurs naturally in the stratosphere and protects the earth from radiation. When it is created at ground level from pollution and gets into the air that people breathe it can cause severe respiratory distress and disease.
The other consequence of redesignation is the restrictions that will be added to local businesses seeking to bring growth to these areas.
Nationally
The EPA website states that, nationally, the concentration of sulfur dioxide in the air has decreased 80% from 2000 to 2018, lead concentrations by 93% and ozone by 16% during that time period. All other air pollutants regulated under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, have also significantly decreased due to the various air quality management and control strategies developed and implemented at the local, state, regional, and national level.
Contact Cornerstone
If you have questions about how changes in air pollution standards attainment statuses may affect your business, Kurt and our team of Air Compliance Experts are here to help. Contact us at
info@corner-enviro.com or (317) 733-2637.