Document ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0090-0077
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-11-03T05:00Z

October
Update:
Triad
Air
Quality
News
News
from
the
Triad
Air
Quality
Early
Action
Compact
(
EAC).

News
Brief:
Final
Results
of
DAQ
Air
Quality
Modeling
EAC
Background
Information
Public
Meetings
Next
EAC
Stakeholder
Meeting
News
Brief:
Final
Results
of
DAQ
Air
Quality
Modeling
for
the
Region
Back
to
top
At
the
October
6,
2003
EAC
meeting,
Sheila
Holman,
Chief
of
the
Planning
Section,
NC
Division
of
Air
Quality,
presented
the
final
results
of
air
quality
modeling
that
forecasts
probable
ozone
reductions
for
the
Triad
region
through
December
2007.
Four
weather
related
ozone
episodes
totaling
16
days
were
used
in
the
model.
Final
results
show
that
all
but
one
of
the
Triad
region's
nine
Ozone
Monitors
will
be
attaining
by
2007.
The
Coolemee
monitor
in
southeast
Davie
County
is
the
only
monitor
projected
to
be
in
non­
attainment
in
2007.
While
air
quality
at
this
monitoring
site
is
affected
by
Charlotte
region
emissions,
the
model
shows
that
for
at
least
6
of
the
16
days,
emissions
sources
originated
in
the
Piedmont
Triad.
Monitors
at
Hattie
Avenue
and
Union
Cross
measure
just
below
the
threshold
for
non
attainment.

With
three
monitors
so
near
the
threshold
for
attainment,
additional
local
efforts
are
needed
to
ensure
that
all
monitoring
sites
will
be
in
compliance
by
2007.

DAQ
final
modeling
results
confirm
that
Triad
ozone
reduction
strategies
should
focus
on
mobile
source
emissions
(
i.
e.,
on­
and
offroad
vehicles)
to
bring
all
air
quality
monitors
into
compliance
with
EPA s
8
hour
ozone
standard
before
December,
2007.

Since
the
1970'
s
there
had
been
great
gains
in
emissions
reductions
through
vehicular
emissions
controls,
more
fuel
efficient
vehicles
and
inspection
and
maintenance
programs.
However,
past
gains
have
been
offset
by
continued
population
growth,
urban
sprawl,
increased
vehicle
miles
traveled,
increased
commuting
patterns
across
counties,
and
the
increase
of
motor
vehicles
on
the
road.

North
Carolina
will
experience
tremendous
reductions
in
the
ozone
precursor
emission
nitrous
oxide
(
NoX)
through
2007
that
will
not
likely
be
experienced
again.
Our
ability
to
maintain
ozone
attainment
as
the
Triad
continues
to
grow
and
develop
will
depend
on
how
the
region
chooses
to
grow
overtime.
The
Triad
must
seek
to
aggressively
change
its
growth
patterns
and
be
strategic
in
planning
and
development
Click
here
to
view
more
information
on
the
Triad
Air
Quality
EAC:
PTCOG
EAC
News
and
NWPCOG
EAC
web
page
Background:
Back
to
top
Piedmont
Triad
Region
Exceeds
EPA s
8­
hour
Standard
for
Ozone
Levels
The
NC
Division
of
Air
Quality
has
recommended
to
EPA
that
the
counties
of
Alamance,
Guilford,
Forsyth,
and
Davidson,
and
portions
of
Davie,
Randolph,
Caswell
and
Rockingham
counties
be
designated
as
areas
exceeding
EPA's
eight
hour
standard
for
ozone
levels.
However,
EPA
guidance
is
for
whole
county
designations
(
i.
e.,
any
county
with
a
violating
ozone
monitor
and
nearby
contributing
areas
need
to
be
designated
as
non­
attainment)

The
Triad
Early
Action
Compact
represents
commitments
by
local
governments
in
this
region,
in
partnership
with
the
state
and
EPA,
to
adopt
local
air
quality
strategies
to
achieve
clean
air
earlier
than
the
schedule
imposed
by
the
federal
Clean
Air
Act.
EAC
resolutions
were
adopted
by
county
boards
of
commissioners
in
Alamance,
Caswell,
Davidson,
Davie,
Forsyth,
Guilford,
Randolph,
Rockingham,
Stokes,
Surry
and
Yadkin
counties
and
major
municipalities
in
December
2002.
Through
participation
in
the
EAC
the
eleven
county
Piedmont
Triad
region
will
defer
the
effective
date
of
non­
attainment
designation
from
December
31,
2004
to
December
31,
2007.

Designation
as
a
non­
attainment
area
will
have
substantial
negative
impacts
on
economic
development
Lengthy
permitting
requirements
for
industry
in
non
attainment
areas
could
influence
their
decision
whether
to
locate
new
operations
or
expand
existing
operations
in
non­
attainment
areas.

Industrial
recruitment
difficult.

New
industries
are
subject
to
review
and
limits
on
their
emissions
Non
attainment
means
significant
loss
of
federal
transportation
funding
Upcoming
Public
Meetings:
Back
to
top
Below
is
a
list
of
upcoming
briefings
and
public
input
sessions
sponsored
by
the
Piedmont
Triad
(
North
Carolina)
Early
Action
Compact
on
strategies
being
developed
to
help
this
region
attain
EPA's
8­
hour
ozone
standard.

Event
Convener
Time
Frame
Joint
Meeting
of
City
and
County
Managers,
2
regions
Piedmont
Triad
COG
and
Northwest
Piedmont
COG
October
14,
2003
Public
Meeting
Forsyth
County
(
also
including
Stokes,
Surry,
Davie,
Yadkin
counties)
October
22,
2003
Public
Meeting
Randolph
County
and
municipalities
October
27,
2003
Public
Meeting
Guilford
County
(
organized
November
13,
2003
by
Guilford
County
Advisory
Board
for
Environmental
Quality)
Alamance
County
Commissioners
Briefing
November
3,
2003
Greensboro
City
Council
Briefing
October
28,
2003
Guilford
County
Commissioners
Briefing
November
20,
2003
Davidson
County
Commissioners
and
City
Councils
Joint
Briefing
To
be
announced
Burlington
City
Council
Briefing
To
be
announced
Next
EAC
Stakeholder
Meeting:
Back
to
top
Kernersville
Town
Hall,
Monday,
November
3
@
2:
00
pm