Air Quality Planning: Ozone

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The Clean Air Actis a federal law that provides for the protection of human health and the environment. The original CAA was passed in 1963, and the 1970 version of the law resulted in the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which was charged with setting and enforcing ambient air quality standards. The law was amended in 1977, and most recently in 1990. Most of the activities performed by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Air Division come from CAA mandates, which are overseen by the EPA.

The CAA lists six air pollutants that are commonly found in the air throughout the United States. These pollutants can injure humans by causing respiratory and cardiovascular problems and can harm the environment by impairing visibility, and causing damage to animals, crops, vegetation and buildings. EPA has developed health-based criteria for these pollutants through scientific studies. The six "criteria” pollutants are:

carbon monoxide
sulfur dioxide
nitrogen dioxide
ozone
particulate matter
lead

EPA has established regulations called National Ambient Air Quality Standards(NAAQS) that set permissible levels of these pollutants in the air. After EPA sets a new NAAQS or revises an existing standard for any criteria pollutant, the CAA requires EPA to determine if areas in the country meet the new standards.

attainment areas- the air quality in a geographic area meets or is cleaner than the national standard
nonattainment areas - areas that don't meet the national standard
maintenance area - an area that has formerly been designated nonattainment but is now recognized by EPA as meeting the NAAQS. A maintenance area must have an approved “maintenance plan” to meet and maintain air quality standards.
unclassifiable - EPA is not able to determine an area's status after evaluating the available information

Typically, an area is declared nonattainment based on data collected at one or more ambient air monitoring sites within the area. In Virginia, nonattainment areas are designated for ozone and sulfur dioxide.

The CAA requires that nonattainment areas of the Commonwealth for ozone or fine particulate matter (PM2.5) must form lead planning organizations (LPOs). The purpose of LPOs in nonattainment areas is to assist in:

examining baseline emissions levels to determine necessary control strategies,
examining transportation needs for future growth, and if necessary,
creating plans for EPA review and approval to bring the area into attainment with the air quality standards.

The extent of the planning requirements depends on the classification of the nonattainment area and the severity of the air pollution problem.

LPO members are:

elected officials from the localities in the nonattainment area and
representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT),
representatives of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transport (VDRPT), and
the metropolitan planning organizations within the nonattainment area.

Other people, such as private citizens and representatives of industry, military installations, and environmental groups may also participate in the LPOs in an advisory capacity.

EPA is responsible for designating nonattainment and attainment/maintenance areas for the Commonwealth. Ozone nonattainment and maintenance areas generally correspond to VOC and NOX emissions control areas. Virginia implements additional federal nonattainment and maintenance requirements within these control areas.

DEQ has established LPOs for three areas. These LPOs are ad hoc committees that meet only when needed to fulfill CAA mandates

The Metropolitan Richmond Air Quality Committee (MRAQC)
The George Washington Air Quality Committee (GWAQC)
The Hampton Roads Air Quality Committee (HRAQC)

Additionally, DEQ has established a northern Virginia delegation to participate in the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee (MWAQC). Due to long-standing, historical air quality issues and the tri-state nature of the Metropolitan Washington, DC area, MWAQC is a standing committee with regularly scheduled meetings.

To demonstrate how it plans to achieve federal air quality standards, Virginia must draft a “State Implementation Plan,” or SIP. This plan lists specific actions that the Commonwealth will undertake to improve and maintain acceptable air quality, and a time frame for accomplishing these goals.

Metropolitan Richmond air Quality Committee

For both the 2015 ozone NAAQS and the 2008 ozone NAAQS, EPA originally designated the Metropolitan Richmond (Richmond-Petersburg) area, consisting of the Counties of Prince George, Hanover, Charles City, Henrico, and Chesterfield, and the Cities of Colonial Heights, Petersburg, Richmond, and Hopewell, as attaining each standard. EPA designated the Richmond-Petersburg area as nonattainment with a classification of moderate for the 1997 ozone NAAQS. Air quality improved, and the Richmond-Petersburg area developed and submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for the 1997 ozone NAAQS. EPA published final approval for the Richmond-Petersburg 1997 ozone NAAQS redesignation request and maintenance plan in the Federal Register on June 1, 2007.

George Washington Air Quality Committee

For both the 2015 ozone NAAQS and the 2008 ozone NAAQS, EPA originally designated the Fredericksburg area, consisting of the Counties of Stafford and Spotsylvania and the City of Fredericksburg, as attaining each standard. For the 1997 ozone NAAQS, EPA designated the Fredericksburg area as nonattainment with a classification of moderate. Air quality improved, and the Fredericksburg area developed and submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for the 1997 ozone NAAQS. EPA published final approval of the Fredericksburg area 1997 ozone NAAQS redesignation on December 23, 2005.

As required by the CAA, Virginia submitted a second, limited maintenance plan for the Fredericksburg area in 2023 to ensure good air quality through 2025. EPA approved this second plan on April 12, 2024.

Hampton Roads Air Quality Committee

For both the 2015 ozone NAAQS and the 2008 ozone NAAQS, EPA originally designated the Hampton Roads area, consisting of the Counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, and York, and the Cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg, as attainment. EPA designated the Hampton Roads area as nonattainment with a classification of marginal for the 1997 ozone NAAQS. Air quality subsequently improved, and the Hampton Roads area developed and submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for the 1997 ozone NAAQS. EPA published final approval for the Hampton Roads 1997 ozone NAAQS redesignation request and maintenance plan in the Federal Register on June 1, 2007.

As required by the CAA, Virginia submitted a second, full maintenance plan for the Hampton Roads area in 2022 to ensure good air quality through 2032. EPA approved this second plan on October 17, 2023.

Shenandoah National Park Information

For both the 2015 ozone NAAQS and the 2008 ozone NAAQS, EPA originally designated the portions of Page County and Madison County located in the Shenandoah National Park as attaining each standard. EPA designated this portion of the Shenandoah National Park as nonattainment for the 1997 ozone NAAQS. Subsequent years' monitoring data demonstrated air quality improvement in the Shenandoah National Park, and therefore DEQ applied for redesignation of this area to attainment status for the 1997 8-hour ozone air quality standard. This plan was created in conjunction with the National Park Service. EPA published final approval of the Shenandoah National Park redesignation for the 1997 ozone NAAQS on January 3, 2006.

Metropolitan Washington Information

This area consists of northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and southern Maryland; therefore, the LPO for this area contains representatives from all three jurisdictions as well as members representing each state’s transportation and air quality agencies.

For the 2015 ozone NAAQS, EPA designated the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area as nonattainment with a classification of marginal on June 4, 2018. This area includes nine jurisdictions in Virginia: Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, the City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax, the City of Falls Church, the City of Manassas, and the City of Manassas Park. Air quality did not improve quickly enough, and EPA reclassified this area to a moderate nonattainment area on October 7, 2022. The area is currently attaining the 2015 ozone NAAQS.

EPA had originally designated the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, including northern Virginia, as nonattainment with a classification of marginal for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. Air quality improved such that the area submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for this standard. EPA issued final approval of this SIP submittal on April 15, 2019.

Ozone Standard Designation Recommendations for Virginia

On October 3, 2016, the DEQ Director submitted updated air quality designation recommendations for Virginia for the 2015 ozone NNAAQS to EPA. These recommendations denote the status of areas in the Commonwealth that are or are not in compliance with the new standard based on direct monitoring and/or indirect evidence. DEQ recommended, based on air quality monitoring data, that nine jurisdictions in northern Virginia be designated nonattainment: Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, City of Manassas, and City of Manassas Park

On June 4, 2018, EPA published their final designations, identifying northern Virginia, as part of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, as nonattainment with a classification of marginal.

Additional information on the 2015 ozone standard can be found on EPA's website.