1 GROUNDLEVEL OZONE Ground level ozone is also known as smog High ozone levels can worsen asthma and other lung conditions It can be formed by emissions from sources like power plants car exhaust and factories ID: 681887
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "CONGRESSMAN PETE OLSON Ozone & The ..." is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
CONGRESSMAN PETE
OLSON
Ozone & The Clean Air, Strong Economies Act
1Slide2
GROUND-LEVEL OZONE
Ground level ozone is also known as smog. High ozone levels can worsen asthma and other lung conditions. It can be formed by emissions from sources like power plants, car exhaust and factories.
Beijing, China in 2005 on low and high ozone days.
2Slide3
Ozone is also formed
naturally. That is where the Great Smoky Mountains got their name- ozone formed by certain types of vegetation and even lightning strikes.
3Slide4
Ozone also pours into the United States from overseas, coming from as far as China.
Most
of the ozone in the United States is beyond our control.
4Slide5
WHAT CHINESE OZONE LOOKS LIKE:
5
WHAT HOUSTON
OZONE LOOKS LIKE:
Beijing Marathon
October 19, 2014
Chevron Houston Marathon
January
19, 2014Slide6
This EPA map shows the percentage of ozone in various cities from “background” (
natural & foreign
). As this map shows, there are very few cities where more than 50% of the ozone is under our control (Red/Orange dots – more control,).
6
HOW MUCH OF OZONE IS UNDER
OUR
CONTROL?Slide7
OUR HOUSTON AIR QUALITY
IS
IMPROVINGFrom HoustonAirQuality.com7Slide8
EPA & OZONE: WHAT THEY CAN & CAN’T DO
EPA CAN CHANGE
the ozone standard every 5 years, but THEY DON’T HAVE TO CHANGE IT. When they set a new cap, states must find a way to implement it.
Currently, EPA CAN’T consider the impacts on our economy
from a new standard they propose. EPA CAN’T CONSIDER IMPACTS ON JOBS.
EPA CAN’T
consider whether the standard they set
can be done with current technology.
The current standard– from 2008– is
75 parts per billion
. Many parts of the country – including Houston –
have not yet reached
this level.
Last November, EPA proposed lowering the current ozone standard to between
65 and 70 parts per billion
.
8Slide9
Counties in
BLUE WOULD VIOLATE
EPA’s proposal. According to EPA, the Houston area will be in violation for at least another decade.9
WHAT WILL EPA’S NEW STANDARDS DO TO TEXAS & AMERICA?Slide10
?
HOW DOES NON-ATTAINMENT HURT
US?It means that new manufacturing, chemical facilities, power plants, or other sources large enough to emit these pollutants,
must purchase expensive– and hard-to-find– offsets.
Someone else needs to close or clean up for new facilities to open.
It means that Houston and other cities must find creative ways to reduce pollution, like
restricting construction projects
(idling generators) and possibly
drive-through-restaurants
during certain hours (idling cars) .
TXDOT has also said it means
delays to highway projects
, and possibly a loss of highway funds.
10
Valero expanding Houston refinery
Jan 16, 2013
Dow Chemical to Start Building Ethylene Cracker in Texas
June 26, 2014
Pappas group opening Southern-themed
restaurant concept
Aug 18, 2014
Huge expansion on tap for a port
that's bursting with energy goods
Thursday, April 17, 2014Slide11
A BI-PARTISAN, BI-CAMERAL SOLUTION
We MUST balance
clean air goals we all share with a strong economy – the CASE (Clean Air, Strong Economies) ActI introduced the CASE Act with Co-sponsors Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Sen. John Thune (R-SD)The CASE Act which has 4 planks:EPA should not lower the current standard UNTIL places like Houston
HIT the current standard
(85%)Health will
always come first
, but
EPA MUST CONSIDER
cost, job loss, and if the technology exists
to hit the new standard..
EPA’s cost/benefit analysis should be more
open & transparent
.
EPA should
USE HARD DATA
have to prove counties are not in attainment –
no more estimates
to force counties to act.
11Slide12
Thank
You
Call my offices for assistanceSugar Land Office - (281) 494-2690 Pearland Office - (281) 485-4855Katy Office - (281) 889-7134
Washington Office – (202) 225-5951
Visit me on the web at www.olson.house.gov
12