AIR QUALITY: IMPACTS AND OPTIONS

Poor air quality is a real health threat in our area. Chances are you've heard unhealthy air quality advisories in effect in the Sacramento region, seen how pollution clouds the beauty of our landscape, or known someone whose health is affected by dirty air. Over time, that someone could be you.

Sacramento is among the top 12 cities in the country with the most number of days per year that air quality doesn't meet federal health standards. The region is a "severe federal ground-level ozone non-attainment area." Our ozone air pollution readings are consistently higher than the standard set to protect your health. The worst pollution days happen in the summer when direct sunlight and strong inversion layers (essentially air pressure) trap pollutants close to the ground.

About 70 percent of our ozone problem is caused by vehicles and other mobile sources with internal combustion engines, including trucks, buses, agricultural equipment and gas powered lawn and garden equipment. Motorists in the Sacramento region drive more than 47-million miles every day and our population is expected to grow by over one million by 2022. Increased growth and development means more vehicles on our roadways adding more pollution to the air we breathe.

However, our air quality has shown improvement due to a combined effort between local, state and federal agencies. Some of the things that have helped air quality include: cleaner engines, smog check, vapor recovery nozzles on gas dispensers, statewide regulation on the amount of solvents in consumer products, and federal regulations on solvents contained in painting products.

History:
In 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued tougher air quality standards to better protect your health from ground-level ozone and particulate matter air pollution.

Ozone (O3)
The stricter standard reduces the allowable ozone concentration from 0.12 parts per million (ppm) averaged over one-hour to 0.08 ppm averaged over eight-hours. Scientific evidence shows that lung damage caused by continued exposure to lower levels of ozone air pollution poses the greatest health risk. The eight-hour standard provides a higher level of protection, especially for children and adults who spend a lot of time working or playing outdoors. So, in addition to the federal one-hour ozone standard, the Sacramento region must work toward achieving the eight-hour standard.

The one-hour standard was exceeded on six days in 2002, down from an all time high of 27-days in 1986. To be considered in attainment of federal requirements, the one-hour standard cannot be exceeded during more than three days by 2005.

The improvements achieved to date have largely been the result of technical advances, such as more efficient and lower emission engines. These incentives include a state funded program for upgrading gross polluting diesel engines in heavy trucks.

Particulate Matter (PM)
The particulate matter revision creates a particulate matter standard for fine particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5). The standard for PM10, course particles up to 10 microns in diameter, continues to remain in effect . Breathing fine particle air pollution can cause significant health effects - including premature death and an increase in respiratory illness. The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (AQMD) monitors Sacramento County for PM2.5.

Defining Dirty Air:
Smog is the general term used to describe a variety of air pollutants, including ground-level ozone (smog's main ingredient), particulate matter and carbon monoxide.

Ground-level ozone (O3) is an invisible pollutant formed by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) when they chemically react in the presence of sunlight. The primary source of VOCs and NOx is mobile sources, including cards, trucks, buses, and agricultural equipment. In contrast, stratospheric ozone in our upper atmosphere, better known as the ozone layer, shields the earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.

It is estimated that by 2005, during an average summer day, a total of 282 tons of VOC's and NOx will be emitted in Sacramento County.

Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. It comes from a variety of sources, including diesel trucks, power plants, wood stoves and industrial processes. Course particles (PM10) are generally emitted from windblown dust, vehicles traveling on unpaved roads, crushing and grinding operations. Fine particles (PM2.5) come from fuel combustion (motor vehicles, power generation, industrial facilities), residential fireplaces and wood stoves, and agricultural burning. PM2.5 can also be formed in the atmosphere from gases such as NOx and VOCs.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas by-product of combustion caused primarily by motor vehicles. Sacramento County is in attainment for the state and federal carbon monoxide health standards.

Air Pollution Regulators
Federal Role
The Federal Clean Air Act requires the U.S. EPA to establish national air quality standards to protect public health. The national standards exist for ozone, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. The EPA also has authority over some specific sources of pollution such as aircraft, locomotives, ships and interstate trucking. The EPA reviews and approves all State Implementation Plans (SIPs). After approval of the SIPs, the EPA takes an oversight role.

State Role
In response to the Clean Air Act, the states are required to develop SIPs that assure achievement of federal standards by specified dates and identify how those standards will be maintained thereafter. In California, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) is responsible for this task.

After the EPA approves individual SIPs, the ARB becomes the primary authority for implementing and enforcing those measures identified in the approved SIP. As such, the state is responsible for coordinating efforts with local air districts to attain and maintain federal standards.

Air District Role
The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District develops and implements plans for Sacramento County to meet the federal standards by specified dates and the state standards by the earliest possible date. The District has started a process to update their Clean Air Plan that is scheduled for completion by July 2004.

The AQMD achieves their goals through the following activities:
· Monitoring, evaluation, and enforcement of necessary permits, codes and regulations
· Public/private partnerships leading to development and implementation of pollution prevention strategies
· Ongoing public and business communication and education
· Design and implementation of market-based approaches to reducing mobile and stationary sources and air pollution.

Regional Agency Role
The Federal Clean Air Act also requires that the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), as the metropolitan planning organization for the Sacramento region, not adopt a Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) or a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) until a final determination has been made that emissions expected from implementation of the Plan or TIP are consistent with the SIP.

Non-attainment areas like the Sacramento region must identify and implement control measures that will result in the area achieving attainment by a deadline established by the Clean Air Act. Failure to meet or show progress towards meeting attainment by the deadline has significant impacts. For example, failure to achieve attainment and/or demonstrate conformity could result in the federal government cutting off transportation funds to the Sacramento Area.

Air Pollution Affects Everyone
Air pollution-related symptoms such as watery eyes, coughing, or wheezing can affect us all. Even for healthy people, polluted air can cause respiratory irritation or breathing difficulties during exercise or outdoor activities. Your risk depends on your current health status, the pollutant type and concentration, and the length of your exposure to the polluted air.

Health Effects of Specific Pollutants
Ground-level Ozone
Ozone is a strong irritant that can cause constriction of the airways, forcing the respiratory system to work harder in order to provide oxygen. It can also cause other health problems:
· Aggravated respiratory disease such as emphysema, bronchitis and asthma
· Damage to deep portions of the lungs, even after symptoms such as coughing or a sore throat disappear
· Wheezing, chest pain, dry throat, headache or nausea
· Reduced resistance to infection, increased fatigue, or weakened athletic performance

Particulate Matter
A series of scientific studies have linked particulate matter; especially fine particles, with a variety of significant health problems:
· Aggravated asthma, heart or lung disease
· Acute respiratory symptoms, including severe chest pain, gasping, and aggravated coughing
· Decreased lung function, which can be experienced as shortness of breath
· Chronic bronchitis
· Shortened life span

Options:
It's official: We're still driving alone! In Sacramento County, 80% of us are driving alone to work, while 39% drive alone on non-work trips. It may not be fair to suggest that change happen all at once, but since every motor vehicle adds to air pollution, here are some points to consider and changes to ease into that will definitely help all of us to breath easier:
· Share the ride to work, use public transit, walk or ride a bike at least one day a week.
· Drive smoothly. Avoid quick starts and stops to save fuel and lower emissions.
· Keep your engine tuned up and tires properly inflated.
· Postpone errands on Spare The Air days.
· Link trips to avoid cold-starting your engine. Your car emits far more pollution in the first few minutes of operation, before emission controls have warmed up and reach peak efficiency.
· Purchase or lease reduced-emission vehicles, many are powered by gasoline. Visit www.arb.ca.gov to see the list.
· Avoid high speeds. The U.S. Department of Transportation tell us that by obeying speed limits we'd reduce emissions about 71 tons per day and save about 4 million gallons of gasoline nationally.

What air quality impacts have you, personally, noticed?

What changes in your lifestyle might you be willing to make?

What should government's role be in addressing air quality problems?

Note: Major portions of text were taken from the following sources:

Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District's 2002 Program brochure
Sacramento Transportation & Air Quality Collaborative's Air Quality Primer
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District's Summer 2002 newsletter