NASHVILLE - As Tennessee works to comply with new, more stringent federal clean air laws, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Betsy L. Child today issued a call for Tennessee citizens to join local and state efforts to improve air quality.

"Improving air quality requires improvements from homes and communities, as well as from industry and businesses," Child said. "Every Tennessean must do their part for clean air."

"Many Tennessee communities are already taking early action to meet new federal air quality standards," Child continued. "Over 60 public meetings have been held in affected counties over the past year to identify locally-led solutions to improve air quality. The state is working in close partnership with local governments to develop air quality plans tailored to specific areas while continuing to provide state regulation."

On July 18, 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the national standard for ground-level ozone from a 0.12 ppm (parts per million) 1-hour "peak" standard to a 0.08 ppm 8-hour "average" standard. This new standard is commonly referred to as the 8-hour ozone standard. The new standard faced several legal challenges, but was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2001.

Under the new federal regulations, each state is required to submit to the EPA by July 15, 2003, a list of counties expected to exceed federal ozone standards. In addition to the counties that do not meet the standard, the list must also include counties that have been determined to be contributing to high ozone levels in other counties - even if they themselves meet the standard. EPA will conduct an independent review of each state's list and make its final determination of "non-attainment" areas in Tennessee by April 15, 2004.

The state has submitted the following counties as having the potential to be designated as "non-attainment:" Anderson, Blount, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Jefferson, Loudon, Meigs, Putnam, Rutherford, Sevier, Shelby, Sullivan, Sumner, Washington, Williamson and Wilson.

Tennessee counties expected to exceed or be in "non-attainment" with the federal ozone standard, as well as those counties that are contributing to ozone levels in other counties, have joined the state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in agreements called "Early Action Compacts" (EACs).

"We are very pleased that all of these counties, along with 10 other counties, have committed to improve air quality in Tennessee through Early Action Compacts," Child said. "We commend local officials for their leadership, and will continue to work closely with them to meet our shared goals for clean air."

EAC counties have committed to taking early action to meet the ozone standard by 2007. In return for this early action, EPA will defer their "non-attainment" designation, and the economic and transportation restrictions the designation includes.

Ozone is a colorless gas formed by the interaction of emissions of oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds during the hot, dry months of summer. These emissions are caused largely by motor vehicles, utilities, and industrial and commercial sources. High ozone levels have negative health impacts, especially for children, the elderly, those with respiratory problems, and those that spend a lot of time outdoors.