In 1990, Congress adopted the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) to address the country’s major air pollution problems. The CAAA regulates six major pollutants: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and ozone. In April 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated the Greater Cincinnati area as basic nonattainment under the 0.084 ozone standard. The ozone nonattainment area includes the Ohio counties of Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton and Warren; the Kentucky counties of Boone, Campbell and Kenton; and Lawrenceburg Township in Dearborn County Indiana (see the map below). In December 2004, the U.S. EPA designated the Greater Cincinnati area as nonattainment under the annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) standard. The PM2.5 nonattainment area is identical except for the exclusion of Clinton County.

The daily PM2.5 standard was revised by the U.S. EPA in 2006 to further protect public health. In 2009, the U.S. EPA is scheduled to designate those areas not attaining the new PM2.5 daily standard and set an attainment timeframe for meeting the standard. In 2008, the U.S. EPA completed its review of the national air quality standard for ozone and replaced the 0.084 parts per million with a new 0.075 parts per million standard. The U.S. EPA is scheduled to designate ozone nonattainment areas and set an attainment date for meeting the new ozone standard in 2010.

Commitment to Clean Air

Through its 2030 Regional Transportation Plan, OKI has recommended behavior based strategies to reduce vehicle miles traveled. These travel demand management (TDM) strategies encourage using alternatives to single occupancy vehicle travel and shifting trips out of peak travel period, or even eliminating some trips all together. The TDM strategies identified in this plan include increased telecommuting and flexible work schedules through employers, expanded rideshare programs, additional opportunities for safe bicycle and pedestrian travel, parking management and growth management planning as an alternative to roadway expansion.

The plan also identifies improved transit as a critical component in improving air quality. Expanded bus service, development of rail transit and improved access to the transit system through park and ride lots and transit centers, would attract additional transit ridership thereby reducing vehicle miles traveled. The plan also identifies measures aimed at easing congestion through improved traffic flow. These measures, such as access management, traffic signal coordination, and incident management programs, generally have a positive impact on emissions because of a decrease in stop and go travel and reduced delay due to accidents or construction. Roadway improvements that reduce traffic bottlenecks can also have a positive impact on regional air quality. Projects demonstrating measurable reductions in vehicle emissions are eligible for federal funding through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program.

OKI’s Regional Clean Air Program continues to market its successful “do your share for cleaner air” campaign that provides valuable information to the community, businesses and the media on air quality topics. Through this program, more than 1000 contacts are notified when a smog alert is issued for the Greater Cincinnati region.  Ozone and particulate matter pollution are critical issues in the tri state region and OKI’s commitment to bringing these issues to the forefront is evident through this program. Improved air quality leads to better quality of life and enhanced economic vitality.