/news/ en lee@rabbleandrouser.com Copyright 2011 2011-09-02T16:39:28+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/tightening_of_ozone_standard_delayed_to_2013/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/tightening_of_ozone_standard_delayed_to_2013/#When:16:39:28Z The Obama Administration has pushed back the tightening of the federal ozone standard which lobbyists say could cost billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs.  The current standard of 75 parts per billion set in 2008 by the Bush administration will stay in effect until a review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone pollution is scheduled for review in 2013. To see statements from President Obama and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, click on the links below. Statement by President Obama Statement by Lisa P. Jackson New York Times Article 2011-09-02T16:39:28+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/u.s._regulators_delay_smog_rule_for_fourth_time/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/u.s._regulators_delay_smog_rule_for_fourth_time/#When:15:14:00Z The Environmental Protection Agency is again delaying issuing a final limit on ozone (smog) pollution until the Obama administration has finished reviewing it.  The rule is going through interagency review at the White House Office of Management and Budget and EPA will not issue the rule on Friday as it had intended.  EPA did not say when it expects to announce the standard. The initial standards, proposed near the start of last year, would limit ground-level ozone, or smog, to between 60 and 70 parts per billion measured over eight hours.  The proposal was stronger than 2008 standards set by the Bush administration. Environmentalists blasted those for being less than what government scientists recommended. Click here to view the complete Reuters article. 2011-07-26T15:14:00+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/come_park_your_bike_for_free_at_events_throughout_the_summer/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/come_park_your_bike_for_free_at_events_throughout_the_summer/#When:17:21:32Z The Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) has partnered with BikeDenver to offer FREE bicycle parking at several events throughout the summer. In addition, maps depicting where bike parking is located on the RAQC's mobile ozone site at m.ozoneaware.org to make it easy for people on the go.  Check out all the locations below and make sure to stop by and see us for some cool free bike gear! People's Fair, June 4 & 5 Denver Century Ride, June 11 & 12 National Get Outdoors Day, June 11 Westword Music Showcase, June 18 Bike to Work Day, June 22 Bike From Work Bash, June 22 Civic Center Ride in Movie 1, June 26 Cherry Creek Arts Festival, July 2-4 Civic Center Ride in Movie 2, July 10 Civic Center Ride in Movie 3, July 24 Dragon Boat Festival, July 30 & 31 Civic Center Ride in Movie 4, August 7 Viva Streets August 14 Quiznos Pro Challenge, August 28 2011-06-03T17:21:32+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/mow_down_pollution_coming_soon/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/mow_down_pollution_coming_soon/#When:19:00:03Z YOUR OLD MOWER'S DAYS ARE NUMBERED. The Regional Air Quality Council is planning our annual Mow Down Pollution even for May 7th at locations around the Denver metro area.  This year, we invited you to pre-register for your new Neuton mower after April 18 at http://www.neutonpower.com/raqc and choosing whether or not you will be bringing a mower to recylce. Then plan to join us on May 7th to recycle your old gasoline mower at one of the locations listed below. Then, call Neuton at 1-800-457-8651 to order your new mower and have it shipped directly to you. WITH OR WITHOUT AN OLD MOWER TO RECYCLE, YOU'll GET A GREAT PRICE. Neuton's CE5 model, which is perfect for smaller lawns, retails for $399. When y ou recycle a gas-powered mower, you'll pay only $165. Without recyling a mower you'll pay just $190. The Neuton CE6 model is ideal for lawns up to 1/3 acre, and retails for $499. When you recycle a gas-powered mower, you'll pay only $250. Without recycling a mower, you'll pay just $275. The reel mower, great for small urban yards, will be just $54 when you recycle and old mower and only $64 without a mower to recycle. TOGETHER, WE'LL MOW DOWN POLLUTION. Plan now to pre-register for your Neuton mower online then join us Saturday, May 7th at these locations: Denver: Fred Thomas Park, corner of 26th and Quebed Streets, 8am - 3pm Commerce City: Civic Center, 7887 East 60th Avenue, South lot G, 8am - 3pm Lone Tree: Ridgegate, off I-25 at Lincoln and Park Meadows Blvd., 8am - 3pm   2011-03-25T19:00:03+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/fuel_supply_costs_and_impacts_study_2011/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/fuel_supply_costs_and_impacts_study_2011/#When:22:23:05Z The Fuel Supply Costs and Impacts Study is complete and now available here. Please contact Jerry Dilley, the RAQC's Air Quality Engineer with questions at (303) 629-5450 ext. 240. 2011-02-18T22:23:05+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/raqc_chooses_environ_alpine_for_sip_modeling/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/raqc_chooses_environ_alpine_for_sip_modeling/#When:19:02:20Z After a thorough competitive RFP process, the RAQC has chosen to move forward on a contract with ENVIRON/Alpine. The contract will include modeling to support the development of the upcoming Ozone State Implementation Plan, as well as other tasks that may arise as the result of the project. The ENVIRON/Alpine team has extensive experience in photochemical modeling throughout the West including previous work performed for the 2004 and 2008 Ozone State Implementation Plans in Colorado.  2011-02-10T19:02:20+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/epa_delays_the_final_issuance_of_the_8-hour_ozone_standard_until_no_later_t/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/epa_delays_the_final_issuance_of_the_8-hour_ozone_standard_until_no_later_t/#When:17:08:40Z EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has announced a delay in the final issuance of the 8-hour ozone standard until no later than July 31, 2011.  According to the EPA statement below, she will “ask CASAC for further interpretation of the epidemiological and clinical studies they used to make their [60-70 ppb] recommendation.  To ensure EPA's decision is grounded in the best science, EPA will review the input CASAC provides before the new standard is selected. EPA Statement Under Administrator Jackson's leadership, in January the Environmental Protection Agency proposed stricter standards for smog - standards that would help prevent up to 12,000 premature deaths, 58,000 cases of aggravated asthma and save up to $100 billion dollars in health costs. The proposed standard would replace an existing standard set during the previous Administration, which many - including the Agency's independent team of expert scientists known as Clean Air Science Advisory Committee (CASAC) - believed did not go far enough to protect public health. Administrator Jackson proposed that EPA select a standard in the range that CASAC indicated would be protective of Americans' health. As part of EPA's extensive review of the science, Administrator Jackson will ask CASAC for further interpretation of the epidemiological and clinical studies they used to make their recommendation.  To ensure EPA's decision is grounded in the best science, EPA will review the input CASAC provides before the new standard is selected.  Given this ongoing scientific review, a final standard - which will be in the range recommended by the CASAC - will be set by the end of July, 2011. In addition to this standard, EPA is moving forward with a number of national rules that will significantly reduce pollution and improve public health for all Americans.  These include rules designed to reduce harmful emissions from cars, power plants and other industrial facilities that contribute to ozone formation.  Taking additional time to complete the scientific review of the ozone standard will not delay the public health benefits of these rules. 2010-12-09T17:08:40+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/4th_maximum_ozone_values_table_ppb_through_august_29_2010/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/4th_maximum_ozone_values_table_ppb_through_august_29_2010/#When:20:53:08Z Click here to view the updated table. The ozone standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calculated using a rolling three-year average of the fourth (4th) maximum 8-hour ozone concentrations. An official violation occurs when the rolling three-year average meets or exceeds 75 parts per billion (ppb), a standard set in 2008. The table above shows current monitoring data for the Denver metropolitan region including 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th maximum values as well as data for 2008 and 2009 to calculate the average for three years. The region is currently designated as a "non-attainment" region by the U.S. EPA. A new, stricter ozone standard is expected in August 2010. The Voluntary Ozone Reduction Program began in 1999 in response to unusually high ozone levels in the summer of 1998. The RAQC’s ozone education campaign – "Let's Take Care of Our Summer Air" – includes issuance of Ozone Action Alerts, advertising and community events. In addition, the RAQC posts information on the campaign and asks citizens to Join Our Clean Air Community on the Pledge page of the web site. For additional information on ground-level ozone, please visit the "What is Ground-level ozone?" page on the site or the RAQC’s Web site at http://www.raqc.org or call (303) 629-5450, ext. 220. 2010-09-27T20:53:08+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/epa_delays_the_release_of_the_final_ozone_naaqs/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/epa_delays_the_release_of_the_final_ozone_naaqs/#When:21:50:20Z EPA announced it is delaying the release of the final ozone NAAQS until approximately October 31, 2010. A status report filed by EPA with the court announcing this new date is available here: http://airweb.timberlakepublishing.com/rc_files/5042/ENV_DEFENSE-ozone_08_--_Second_Abeyance_Status_Report.pdf 2010-08-24T21:50:20+00:00 http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/2008_ozone_sip_approved_by_epa/ http://www.ozoneaware.org/news/2008_ozone_sip_approved_by_epa/#When:17:17:19Z On July 21, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Proposed Rule for approval the 2008 ozone state implementation plan (SIP) in the federal register (Vol. 75 , Number 139, July 21, 2010).  For the final SIP and supporting documents, please click here. 2010-08-04T17:17:19+00:00