Urban ozone rules not suited to rural areas, Emerson says

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The potential restrictions on development if Perry County is declared an ozone nonattainment area are an example of a cookie-cutter approach to regulations rather than a common-sense approach, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said Thursday.

Speaking after a discussion of pollution issues at the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission offices, Emerson said things that make sense in urban areas aren't suited for rural regions.

"We just basically want them to use sound science and common sense," Emerson said.

In the seven-county area covered by the regional planning commission, ozone readings at two monitoring stations -- one in Farrar, Mo., in Perry County and one in Ste. Genevieve County -- exceeded the federal standards for the three-year period of 2006 through 2008. Those readings led the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to initially propose that Cape Girardeau County and Perry County be named as a "Southeast Missouri nonattainment area" and that St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve counties be added to the St. Louis nonattainment area.

Those recommendations were modified, with Cape Girardeau County and St. Francois County being dropped from the list and the two remaining counties being labeled as stand-alone nonattainment areas. That recommendation, from the Missouri Air Conservation Commission, is being reviewed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. A decision is due by March.

Cool summer may help

Since the recommendation was made, low ozone readings as a result of this year's cool and wet summer have the potential to show that Perry County is in compliance with the federal standard.

Ozone is a form of oxygen that forms when sunlight interacts with volatile organic chemicals, such as gasoline fumes, and nitrogen oxides, found in car exhaust and emissions from coal-fired power plants. Federal rules impose increasing restrictions as violations become more serious.

Many of those restrictions aren't viable in rural areas and could impair the region's ability to attract industry, Emerson said.

"Sometimes we have other factors weighing against us, lack of education, being a prevailing-wage state," Emerson said. "This is just another factor."

While the planning commission is working to keep Perry County off the list, it has also drafted a Clean Air Action Plan that will be submitted to the EPA as a set of voluntary measures to keep ozone in check, said David Grimes, director of research and special projects for the commission.

One of the main thrusts is an education campaign that will include public service announcements on ways to reduce emissions. Those ideas include telling motorists to stop adding fuel to their vehicle the first time the pump clicks off, switching from motorized lawn trimmers and mowers to electric models and reducing the time motorists spend with their engines idling.

Those steps will probably do more, if the public adopts them, than can be achieved by targeting industries or imposing costs such as vapor recovery pumps at gas stations, he said. There are fewer than 100 gas pump nozzles in Perry County, he noted, so an education campaign should be more effective than regulation.

"We really need to get busy and get the word out," Grimes said.

If Perry County avoids being classified as nonattainment, the steps to keep emissions down will still be good ideas, Grimes said. The EPA reviews the air standards and whether local areas are in compliance every five years, he noted.

"The ideal condition is that we keep the Farrar monitor in compliance," he said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent addresses:

1 W. St. Joseph St., Perryville, MO

Farrar, MO