Ozone Regulations
In 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set a National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone of 0.08 parts per million (ppm) to protect public health with an adequate margin of safety. EPA estimated the cost to the nation to be more than $100 billion. On June 20, 2007, EPA proposed to tighten the ozone NAAQS yet again, to a level within the range of 0.070-0.075 ppm to “reflect new scientific evidence about ozone and its effects on people and public welfare.”
The cost to the nation of attaining the proposed NAAQS will be huge, including billions of dollars in direct costs, with many new non-attainment areas where businesses, including food processing facilities, will face increased costs to operate, permitting delays, and restrictions on new facilities and expansions.
The new standard, if finalized, will also result in billions of dollars in indirect costs, including increased energy, fuel and equipment prices and transportation costs due to special requirements for vehicles and fuels sold in the areas, and for commercial and consumer products; and, continued loss of jobs to China/India, which do not have such stringent standards. AFFI and other FIEC members are working with a larger Ozone Coalition and will contemplate cosigning the coalition’s comments. EPA is providing a 90-day comment period (to October 9, 2007), and plans to issue a final decision by March 2008.