Statement ofthe Air and Radiation Management Administration Maryland Department ofthe Environment

Forthe Public Hearing Concerningthe Cecil County Maryland 8-hour Ozone State Implementation Plan and Base YearInventory Held on May 24, 2007
Good evening. My name is Brian Hug. I am Deputy Program Manager ofthe Air Quality Planning Program ofthe Air & Radiation Management Administration, Maryland Department ofEnvironment. This public hearing is related to the air quality plan titled the Cecil County Maryland 8-hour Ozone State Implementation Plan and Base Year Inventory. This public hearing is being held pursuantto federal law found at 42 U. S. C. § 7410(a) and 40 CFRParts 51.102 and 251. Itis also being held in conformance with the State Administrative Procedure Act, under the State Government Article, beginning at Section 10-101. Notice ofthis public hearing appeared inthe:

• Cecil Whig onApril 24, 2007 • The Baltimore Sun onApril 23, 2007 • Maryland Department ofthe Environment website starting on March 15,2007 Copies ofthese notices will be submitted withthe formal SIP submission packageto the USEP

### A Access to the proposed document was made available viathe website ofthe Maryland Department ofthe Environment. Hard copies were also available at the Maryland Department ofthe Environment. The purpose ofthis hearing is to provide the public with an opportunity to formally comment on the proposed document. Summary ofProposed State Implementation Plan High levels ofozone are a health problem. When it is breathed into the lungs, ozone reacts with lung tissue. Itcan harm breathing passages, decrease the lungs' working ability and cause coughing and chest pains; eye and throat irritation; breathing difficulties even for healthy individuals, but especially for those with respiratory problems such as allergies, asthma, bronchitis and emphysema; and greater susceptibility to respiratory infection. 

### In 1997 EPA issued a revised ozone health standard based on an 8-hourmeasurement to protect against longer exposure periods. Since the late 1980'smore than 3,000 published health studies indicated that health effects occur at levels lowerthan the previous standard and that exposure times longerthan one hour 1are ofconcern. EPA designated Cecil County, Maryland as a moderate nonattainment area for the 8-hour ozone standard inApril 2004. The county has a deadline ofJune 15,2010,to meetthe 8-hour ozone standard. The geographic scope ofthe area is Cecil County, Maryland. Cecil County is part ofthe Philadelphia Nonattainment Area specifically titled the Philadelphia

- Wilmington

- Atlantic City, PA - DE

- MD

- NJ ozone nonattainment region, which has been designated nonattainment under the 8-Hour Ozone standard by EPA. This document, the Cecil County Maryland 8-hour Ozone State ImplementationPlan and Base Year Inventory, is a plan to improve air quality in the Cecil County nonattainment areato meettheNational Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the 8-hour ozone standard. The Plan consists ofa Reasonable Further Progress Plan; an attainmentplan; an analysis ofreasonably available control measures; an attainment demonstration; contingency plans, and mobile emissions budgets. The plan also presents a Base-Year Emissions Inventory for 2002 and projected emissions inventories usedto predict attainment. Based upon all ofthe components prepared for this SIP document includingthe significanttechnical analysis and air quality modeling performed for the region there is a dramatic weight ofevidence available that shows that Cecil County will meetthe 8-hour ozone standard during the 2009 ozone season. CONSIDERATION OF COMMENTS The Department will consider all pertinent comments, and revise the proposed plan ifnecessary, before making a final decision to adopt the plan and submit itto the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval as a Maryland State Implementation Plan (SIP). Written comments may be presented at this hearing ormailed to BrianHug, MDE ARMA, 1800 Washington Boulevard, BaltimoreMD 21230 postmarked no laterthan May 24, 2007.

2