“Cleaner Air Sooner” South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Bureau of Air Quality

SC Air Quality Status… …Attainment

Potential non-attainment areas for South Carolina * Potential areas of violation for the 8-hour ozone standard based upon unvalidated data for years Due to rounding allowance, a violation is not triggered until ppm. Near the standard (0.080 – ppm) Above the standard (>0.084 ppm)

Groundlevel Ozone Why is it a problem? –Increasing population with increasing respiratory illnesses –More cars, sprawl, etc. –More industry –More stringent federal regulations

Asthma In South Carolina Annually about 204,000 adults and 77,000 children suffer from asthma in SC. In 2000, 1.2% (5,995) of ALL hospitalizations were due to asthma. More than 27% of all those hospitalizations were among children. Information from SC DHEC Bureau of Epidemiology

Asthma In The Upstate Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Pickens, Cherokee, Oconee, And Abbeville About 52,835 (6.6%) adults in the upstate suffer annually from asthma. In 2000, there were 1,252 hospitalizations due to asthma for all ages. In 2000, there were 518 asthma hospitalizations of children under the age of 18. 2,007 children under the age of 18 visited the Emergency Room due to asthma. Information from SC DHEC Bureau of Epidemiology

Asthma In Lexington And Richland Approximately 34,145 (8.5%) adults in Lexington and Richland Counties suffer annually from asthma. In 2000, there were 723 hospitalizations due to asthma (for all ages). In 2000, there were 338 asthma hospitalizations of children under the age of children under the age of 18 visited the Emergency Room due to asthma. Information from SC DHEC Bureau of Epidemiology

Asthma Aiken, Edgefield, And Barnwell About 12,784 (9.0%) adults suffer annually from asthma. In 2000, there were 147 hospitalizations due to asthma for all ages. In 2000, there were 52 asthma hospitalizations of children under the age of children under the age of 18 visited the Emergency Room due to asthma. Information from SC DHEC Bureau of Epidemiology

Asthma In Florence And Darlington About 7,416 (5.2%) adults suffer annually from asthma. In 2000, there were 590 hospitalizations due to asthma for all ages. In 2000, there were 206 asthma hospitalizations of children under the age of children under the age of 18 visited the Emergency Room due to asthma. Information from SC DHEC Bureau of Epidemiology

Asthma In York, Lancaster, Union, And Chester About 10,881 (5.1%) adults suffer annually from asthma. In 2000, there were 432 hospitalizations due to asthma for all ages. In 2000, there were 210 asthma hospitalizations of children under the age of children under the age of 18 visited the Emergency Room due to asthma. Information from SC DHEC Bureau of Epidemiology

Asthma In Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, And Colleton About 25,807 (5.9%) adults suffer annually from asthma. In 2000, there were 784 hospitalizations due to asthma for all ages. In 2000, there were 286 asthma hospitalizations of children under the age of 18. 1,443 children under the age of 18 visited the Emergency Room due to asthma. Information from SC DHEC Bureau of Epidemiology

Sources of NO x (Oxides of Nitrogen) Lexington and Richland Counties

Sources of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) Lexington and Richland Counties

Sources of NO x (Oxides of Nitrogen) Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg

Sources of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg

Sources of NO x (Oxides of Nitrogen) Florence and Darlington

Sources of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) Florence and Darlington

Sources of NO x Oxides of Nitrogen York, Chester, Lancaster, Union

Sources of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) York, Lancaster, Chester, Union

Sources of NO x (Oxides of Nitrogen) Aiken, Barnwell, Edgefield

Sources of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) Aiken, Barnwell, Edgefield

Sources of NO x (Oxides of Nitrogen) Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Colleton

Sources of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Colleton

What Can We Do? Sit back and wait for federal requirements to activate.  A wait and see attitude is not protective of public health and may be more costly! Create an Early Action SIP to provide South Carolina with Cleaner Air Sooner.  Address the potential problems of tomorrow with common sense today!

Benefits Of An Early Action SIP Positive impact on public health and environment Partnerships implementing local strategies to maintain clean air and provide public health protection Positive public reaction for voluntarily addressing air pollution problems ahead of federal requirements Deferral of effective date of non-attainment designation (Non-Attainment NSR, Conformity)

Drawbacks to Participating May not work as well as we expect Unnecessary use of resources (time, money) Clean Air Act does not allow

*Assumes designations made November 2004 as currently being indicated by EPA ActionReactive - Clean Air Act Required Path * Proactive - Early Action Plan State Implementation Plan November 2007December 2004 Controls in Place -November 2004 for NSR -November 2005 for Transportation Conformity -Others as needed to show compliance by 2010 April 2005 Show Compliance With Standards November 2010December 2007 Approach Comparison

What Are The Next Steps? Meet with local groups –Identify local and state controls/strategies Submit a letter of intent to EPA with an Early Action Compact by December 31, 2002 –Include milestones Completion of emissions inventories and modeling Adoption of control strategies that demonstrate attainment Completion and adoption of the early action SIP revisions (Dec. 31, 2004) Attainment not later than Dec. 31, 2007 Post-attainment demonstration and plan updates

Next Steps continued Local Early Action Plan completed by August 2003 Incorporate local Early Action Plans into State Early Action Plan State Early Action Plan to South Carolina Legislature (December 2003) –Include statewide controls Submit Early Action State Implementation Plan to EPA (December 31, 2004) Implement controls by April 2005 Attainment December 31, 2007

Steps To Early Action SIP Notice of Drafting – August 23, 2002 Public Forums Create stakeholder groups  Targeted local areas likely to be designated and areas with potential problems Develop a Protocol to be used as a guideline for local Early Action Compacts

Principles of the Early Action Compact Early planning, implementation & emissions reductions Broad-based public input State support within the local early action plan Formal incorporation of the early action plan into the early action SIP revision Deferral of the effective date of non-attainment Safeguards to return areas to traditional SIP requirements if terms and/or milestones not met

Basic Requirements Of The Early Action Compact Milestones Emissions Inventory Modeling Maintenance for Growth Public Involvement Control Strategies

EPA Commitments Recognize commitments of state and locals Review and approve Early Action SIP Defer effective date of non-attainment designation Designate area as attainment and impose no additional requirements provided monitors reflect attainment – December 31, 2007

State Commitments Sign and adopt Early Action Compact by March 31, 2003 Develop and implement State Early Action Plan –Emission inventories, modeling process –Control strategies Provide technical support and guidance to locals

Local Commitments Sign and adopt Early Action Compact – March 31, 2003 Develop and implement local Early Action Plan –Local measures to reduce emissions Submit local EAP for incorporation into State EAP by August 31, 2003 Assist in collecting emissions data Support state efforts

National Tier II phase-in 2004, complete 2007 (Tailpipe standards for passenger cars) Low Sulfur Gasoline phase-in 2004, complete 2007 NO x SIP Call reductions

Statewide Control Examples State Government (leading by example) Statewide - Best Available Control Technology (BACT) Cleaner fuels Ban Open Burning

Local Control Examples Mass Transit Commute Options Fleets\Fuels Smart Growth Ban Open Burning

For More Information Contact: Henry Phillips (803) Or Visit: