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MONTEREY MILESTONE: REGION FORMALLY ATTAINS NATIONAL CLEAN AIR STANDARDS

Release Date: 4/16/1997
Contact Information: Randy Wittorp, U.S. EPA, (415) 744-1589

     San Francisco -- The U.S. EPA today congratulated the Monterey Bay Area for achieving the national health standard for ground-level ozone.  Felicia Marcus, Regional Administrator for EPA Region 9 officially announced redesignation of the counties of San Benito, Santa Cruz, and Monterey as an attainment area for the Clean Air Act’s ozone standard in a ceremony today at the Monterey Bay Air Pollution Control District in Monterey, California.

     This achievement is good news for the health of the region’s 600,000 residents.  The region has worked to meet the health standard since initially being designated a non-attainment area in 1978.  The health standard is set at .12 parts per million of ozone and the Monterey region has recorded ozone levels in compliance with the standard since 1988.

     "Not only is Monterey Bay one of the most beautiful areas in our nation, it is now one of the best for clean, healthy air," said Felicia Marcus, Regional Administrator for the U.S. EPA’s western region.  "Today the hard work invested by your business people, air district staff, and local environmental groups has paid off.  Monterey has met all of the federal air quality standards, so you can all breathe easier.  We commend your efforts, which can serve as a model for other areas."

     The national ozone standard is one of six criteria health standards for air pollution set by the Clean Air Act to protect sensitive populations, such as children.  Ozone, a harmful component of photochemical smog, irritates the nose, throat and airways.  Ninety percent of the ozone inhaled into the lungs is never exhaled.  The other five criteria pollutant standards are for carbon monoxide, fine particulates, sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and lead. The Monterey Bay Region now attains the standards for all six pollutants.