The City of Wichita is still evaluating the impact of the EPA’s revised ozone standards, which were released on Wednesday, March 12. Ground-level ozone is the primary component of smog and the new standard is 0.075 parts per million (ppm). The revision reflects new evidence about ozone and public health effects. The previous standard was 0.080 ppm (or 0.085 ppm with rounding factors).

“It is too early to know whether or not Wichita will stay compliance with the EPA’s new ozone standard or if the community will be out of compliance (nonattainment),” Kay Johnson, Director Environmental Services, said.

Three monitors measure ozone levels in Sedgwick County. One is near the Sedgwick-Sumner County line at Peck to measure air moving in from the south. Another is at Park City to measure the air as it moves through Wichita. The third monitor is located at the City’s Environmental Services Building at 1900 E. Ninth Street (Wichita Health Department), to measure the air near the central downtown corridor. As depicted in the chart below, Wichita’s ozone levels have been close to exceeding standards for many years.  Wichita and area organizations have worked diligently to keep the community in compliance but the new standards are presenting a difficult challenge.

Ozone concentrations at two of the three monitoring sites currently demonstrate compliance based on the previous three years of 2005, 2006 & 2007, but it is exceeded at Peck. The monitor at 1900 E 9th St is also close to exceeding the new standard. The three-year averages for the monitors are: Peck – 0.076 ppm, Park City - 0.062 ppm and Environmental Services (Wichita Health Department) – 0.069 ppm. The uncertainty is that compliance depends on the readings at the monitoring sites during the 2008 ozone season (April to October). EPA will use data from 2006, 2007, & 2008 to make its compliance determination.

Ozone Health Effects:
If Wichita’s ozone levels are exceeding the new standards (0.075 ppm), residents may experience increased health effects. Ozone can harm people's lungs. People with asthma or other lung diseases, as well as those who spend a lot of time outside may be particularly vulnerable. The positive effects for this new standard will be largely related to improved health and environmental benefits.

Wichita MSA Communities and Cities Could be Impacted:
If any one ozone monitor exceeds the new standard, the entire Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA, or cities in Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, and Sumner counties) will be in violation. The cost for getting back to compliance is high.

Negative effects include:

1. increased requirements for road projects to prove that projects don’t contribute to additional air pollution;

2. increased requirements that could limit plans of existing businesses and might discourage new businesses in locating to Wichita;

3. and increased requirements for citizens including possible mandatory annual vehicle emissions testing and car-pooling.

Individuals can reduce air emissions. See Attachment: Tips for Keeping Our Air Plain.

Ozone Is Caused by the Reaction of Sunlight and Air Emissions:
Ground-level ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by the reaction of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight. Emissions from industrial facilities, electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents are the major man-made sources of these ozone precursors. Ozone levels are dependent on many factors including weather and every day activities such as driving a vehicle, construction activities, operating a business or hundreds of other activities that uses a fuel or emits organic pollution.

The Cost Impact:
In 2005, the Wichita Environmental Services Department developed a cost estimate if the Wichita MSA became an ozone nonattainment area. Using data compiled from seven nonattainment cities across the U.S., for an MSA the size of Wichita, the estimated cost to local government, local businesses, and citizens would be approximately $10 million a year for at least ten years.

EPA Timeline:
By June 2009, the state of Kansas must make recommendations for areas to be designated attainment (in compliance) and nonattainment (out of compliance). By June 2010, EPA will make final designation decisions. After that, the state of Kansas (along with the Wichita MSA) will be required to identify what requirements will be implemented to reduce the pollution.

Wichita Will Evaluate Regulations and Data To Determine Next Steps:
The City of Wichita has had in place for many years an active community Air Quality Improvement Task Force. This group, comprised of businesses, industries, government agencies and organizations, meets monthly during the ozone season. These entities have worked to keep the community in compliance through implementation of voluntary pollution prevention measures as well as education activities. During the next few months the committee and City staff will evaluate the regulations and data to determine what next steps should be recommended to the City Manager, the Wichita City Council and other MSA communities.

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