The Tampa Bay area has seen tremendous improvements in air quality over the past 25 years thanks to the efforts and programs at the federal, state and local levels. We still have, however, much to do to improve the levels of ozone in our air. The standard was made more stringent because the EPA review of recent health studies showed that long exposure to low concentrations of ozone were just as harmful as short exposures to high concentrations. It is likely that the Tampa Bay area will not be able to meet this new standard.
Ozone is a highly reactive, poisonous form of oxygen.
The largest source of VOCs are motor vehicles. Visit the Environmental Protection Agency's web site to access state and local air quality forecasts, current ozone maps and information about ozone and other air quality issues. Most road rage incidents start off as a simple encounter between two drivers. An initial encounter can soon escalate and lead to more aggressive and dangerous behavior. There is a disagreement among professionals on whether there has really been an increase in road rage.