OzoneSeasonEnds2004

San Antonio, November 17, 2004 –The San Antonio region’s 2004 ozone season closed on October 31st with a series of ozone levels that again show violations of federal air quality standards.

Federal standards draw the fourth highest eight-hour average ozone concentration readings each year over three consecutive years, and if the average of the three readings is 85 parts per billion (ppb) or higher, the area is in violation of federal air quality standards. Such an area is said to be in “non-attainment” of clean air standards.

For the San Antonio region, the 2002-2004 average of the fourth highest daily eight-hour ozone values is greater than 85 parts per billion at two local regulatory monitors. The records show a series of such violations at two local monitors, one near Marshall High School (CAMS 23) and one located inside Camp Bullis (CAMS 58).

Monitoring Site	Three Years in Average	Ozone Values (ppb) for three-year period	Average (ppb)
SA Northwest C23	2000 – 2002	(77+78+104)/3 =	*86.3*
	2001 – 2003	(78+104+86)/3 =	*89.3*
	2002 – 2004	(104+86+85)/3 =	*91.7*
Camp Bullis C58	2000 – 2002	(80+81+95)/3 =	*85.3*
	2001 – 2003	(81+95+85)/3 =	87
	2002 – 2004	(95+85+89)/3 =	*89.7*

Our region was declared “non-attainment deferred” for the federal standard on April 15 2004, and that declaration was based on the 2001-2003 averages in our area. However, the effective date of non-attainment was deferred because local elected officials in Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe and Wilson Counties, together with the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality signed an agreement in December 2002 called the Early Action Compact (EAC). The EAC allowed our local air quality planners and elected officials to work with state and federal agencies, local business and industry representatives, and local citizens to plan and implement Clean Air Strategies early in exchange for deferral of the effective date of non-attainment.

The local clean air planning effort was completed earlier this year. As a result, the area has avoided federal planning and project requirements that would have been necessary if the EAC was not developed.

The EAC and the protections it affords will end in December 2007. When the EAC terminates, the federal government will again judge whether the San Antonio region meets federal clean air requirements. The question will be whether or not the 2005-2007 average of our ozone readings, as stipulated by law, will be below 85 ppb. If so, the San Antonio region will be declared in attainment of federal standards. If the average is 85 ppb or more, the region will be declared non-attainment and will face all programs and planning requirements under federal law.