Town Spokesperson: As the spokesperson for
this town hall meeting, I would like to call the meeting to order. We
have assembled here to learn more about the NOx State Implementation
Plan required by the Environmental Protection Agency and to hear the
concerns of affected individuals and institutions. As an outcome of
this meeting, we want to develop a list of ideas and vote on the best
solutions to recommend to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
To start, I would like to call on the representative from EPA, who
will describe the situation.
EPA Representative: I am here to describe why EPA is
requesting a State Implementation Plan to reduce NOx emissions in
Indiana. I'll begin by explaining some technical information about
ozone and nitrogen dioxides, and then I'll describe the sequence of
events that led up to this request. Copies of my notes are available
for those interested.
NOx is the term used for the many nitrogen oxides that
are air pollutants. One nitrogen oxide is NO, nitric oxide, which
is formed in combustion engines and boilers. NO reacts with oxygen
to form another oxide called nitrogen dioxide, or NO2.
NOx are irritating gases and in the presence of water vapor
contribute to acidic rain. NOx also are reactants that
along with volatile organic compounds and sunlight form ozone at the
ground level, another air pollutant. Ground-level ozone affects the
environment differently from stratospheric ozone, which is a thin
layer containing ozone that stops ultraviolet light from reaching
the earth. Chlorofluorocarbons are reducing this layer, but that is
a different issue.
Ground-level ozone pollution is more commonly called smog. Ozone
days occur during the long sunshine-filled days of late spring, summer,
and early fall. Since ozone formation requires sunlight, ozone is
not produced until after the sun rises. Typically, as commuter traffic
begins to build, the concentrations of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) and NOx begin to increase until the sun begins reacting with
NOx and creating ozone.
Ozone causes breathing problems and can cause asthmatic episodes.
Ozone also causes harm to some crops. Recently, the EPA set a new
eight-hour health standard of 0.08 parts per million to replace the
previous standard after determining that human health was not adequately
protected. All states are required to attain the new ozone standard.
Unfortunately, some states will not be able to attain the new ozone
standard, partly because of pollution not originating in their state
but from other states. The EPA determined that about 20 upwind states
were significant contributors to the ozone problem of northeastern
states. If those states reduce their NOx emissions, downwind
states should be able to attain the standards. As an aside, I should
inform you that when states don't meet the standards, or are in nonattainment,
they lose federal road repair money and other benefits.
Before I discuss Indiana, I would like to paint a broader picture
of NOx pollution. Over the nation, the major sources of NOx are from
transportation (49 percent), utilities (29 percent), and industry
(17.3 percent). As you can see, the major source of NOx is from mobile
sources--cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, gas powered tools like
lawnmowers, and recreational vehicles. On the surface it appears that
regulating mobile sources would be best. They may be difficult to
regulate, however, since many of the trucks driving through a state
are not licensed there. Expressway traffic may not be exclusively
local but in-transit. Also, emissions from mobile sources tend to
stay at the ground level and remain localized, and are not transported
to far away states.
By contrast, utility and industry emissions affect more than our
local environment. Emissions from tall stacks can travel hundreds
of miles and impact the air quality of cities far downwind. In addition,
utilities and industries have state permits for emissions, and therefore
are easier to regulate. The EPA has determined that Indiana contributes
significantly to the ozone problem in other states and requires that
Indiana write a State Implementation Plan to reduce NOx emissions.
This reduction will improve your air quality and reduce the amount
of ozone transported to other states. The Indiana Department of Environmental
Management (IDEM) will be responsible for submitting the plan.
Town Spokesperson: Thank you for this clarification. The next invited
speaker will be our IDEM representative.
IDEM Representative: By 2007, the EPA requires a reduction of 200,000
tons (36 percent) in NOx emissions. Even though IDEM disagrees with
EPA on the extent of NOx reductions required by Indiana to address
the transport of ozone to other states, Indiana must submit a NOx
SIP to EPA. Furthermore,the EPA has specified electric utilities and
cement kilns must be included in the NOx emission reduction plan.
Fortunately, EPA allows every state to work at the regional level
to determine the sources of NOx emissions to control. Since Indiana's
NOx emissions come from a variety of large and small stationary and
mobile sources, it is up to each region to make recommendations based
on community input as to the sources that IDEM will include in the
Indiana NOx SIP. Meetings similar to this one are being held around
the state to generate comments that will be considered by IDEM when
creating the NOx State Implementation Plan.
Town Spokesperson: Thank you. Since this information is quite involved,
I will allow groups 20 minutes to work through the list of questions
given to clarify the situation.
Questions
- Explain how ozone is formed (describe factors such as names of
the reactants, season of year, time of day, air transport phenomena).
- How does this ozone problem differ from the ozone "hole"
problem?
- What are NOx and VOCs, and what are their major sources?
- Why was Indiana one of the states required to participate in the
NOx SIP call?
- What might happen if Indiana's NOx SIP isn't accepted
by the EPA?
- List four ways NOx emissions could be reduced. Determine possible
consequences if these NOx control measures are applied.
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Part III: PUBLIC COMMENTS
