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Air Quality:
air quality program

Our Position: support
Bill Number: SB1552
Sponsor: Senators Allen, Huppenthal
Legislative Session: 2007 Legislative Session

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Background

Let’s clean up the air!

What is the status of air quality?

The Phoenix area continues to struggle with poor air quality and recently failed to meet a deadline for reducing coarse particulate (PM₁₀) pollution.  In 2005, the Phoenix area experienced 20 exceedances of the federal health standard for particulates and in 2006, there were 23 exceedances.  Because of this, we must cut particulate emissions by five percent per year until we meet the federal health-based standard and must have a plan in place by the end of this year.  Coarse particulates are generated by construction-related activities; vehicular travel; driving on unpaved lots, road shoulders, and roads; as well as off-road vehicles, agriculture, leaf blowers, and other sources. 

We have seen significant increases in the fine particulates as well.  While still within the federal standards when averaged out over the entire year, the fine particulates (PM_2.5) exceeded federal health-based standards several times recently.  These particulates come primarily from combustion including from trucks and cars.

 The area also has a serious ozone problem which is at its worst during the hot summer months.  Ozone is formed when sunlight reacts with volatile organic compounds emitted from vehicles, industry, and other sources.  Transportation is the number one contributor to ozone pollution.  Because of the weather patterns, areas in the northeast valley such as Fountain Hills suffer most from this pollution.  In 2005, there were 30 exceedances of the federal health standard for ozone.

Pima County also suffers from significant air pollution, although not nearly to the degree seen in the Phoenix-area.  In 1999, Pima County exceeded the federal health standard for particulate matter on four days, a violation of the health standard. As a result, the county had to develop a plan to reduce future PM10 exceedances and protect public health.

Other parts of the state also suffer from significant air pollution.  We should not accept any “bad air days.”  No child should have to play indoors because of poor air quality.  Emergency rooms should not be filled with people who cannot breathe because the pollution has exacerbated asthma or other respiratory problems.

What are the health effects of air pollution?

Coarse particulates (PM₁₀) are particles that are 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller.  When they are inhaled, they can affect the heart and lungs and increased respiratory symptoms, irritation of the airways, coughing, difficulty breathing, and more.

Fine particulates (PM_2.5) are 2.5 microns or smaller and contribute to significant respiratory problems, increased heart attacks, and increased mortality from respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Exposure to these particulates can worsen asthma, cause coughing and wheezing, and respiratory irritation.

Ozone damages lung tissue by reacting chemically with it. Exposure to ozone increases the risk of asthma attacks and has even been implicated in contributing to the development of asthma.  It also causes pulmonary inflammation and risk of premature mortality.

What are we doing to clean up the air?

Right now, SB1552 air quality program (Allen, Huppenthal) is a bill in the Arizona Legislature.  It will be going to conference committee for additional amendments on Monday, June 11.  Currently, the amendment for the bill includes provisions for:

• Dust Training and Dust Coordinator requirements (areas larger than 5 acres);
• Cleaner Burning Gasoline summer provisions for a new Area C (western Pinal County);
• Requirements for development of off-road vehicle ordinances and limits on where off-road vehicles can drive;
• An additional Agricultural Best Management Practices (basically nothing);
• Leaf Blower use, training and public education provisions – only use vacuum mode on high pollution days and prohibitions on blowing debris into the roads;
• Increased open burning penalties;
• Restrictions on parking on unpaved lots; and
• Requirements for cities and towns to pave or stabilize unpaved road shoulders, roads, and alleys.

We would like to see additional measures adopted to improve and protect our air quality including:

• An indirect source review program for development.  New development contributes to the air-pollution problems by increasing both the number of vehicles and the vehicle miles traveled.  Instead of focusing only on the pollution caused by construction activities, indirect source review addresses the pollution caused by the resulting use.  Developers are asked to develop onsite measures to mitigate the pollution generated by the completed development.  This program would encourage bicycle paths and pedestrian friendly development, mixed land use, increased energy efficiency, and accommodations for mass transit. 
• Additional funding for more mass transit statewide.  Additional roads and freeways will give us more bad air.
• Cumulative impacts analysis to address issues with permitting sand and gravel operations.

If the measures in the bill along with those enacted by the county and the cities do not achieve the appropriate emissions reductions, then additional measures, like those above, will need to be considered for any special session.  If not, then we would like to see them addressed in a bill or bills next year.

For more information, please contact Sandy Bahr at (602) 253-8633 or sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org.