Denver has struggled with ozone pollution problems during the last decade and suffered the stigma of “dirty air” violations.
Last summer, ozone reared its ugly head again, but this time it was different.
The high levels measured last July at a monitor in northern Jefferson County meant the area was officially out of compliance with federal law.
It also means local air pollution control agencies must devise a stricter plan to rein in the pollutant, and those efforts are subject to greater federal scrutiny.
The Regional Air Quality Council, which meets Thursday, has some promising ozone reduction strategies on the drawing board. We hope to see them move quickly in developing them further, putting some into place before next summer.
Most important, the council must come up with a reduction plan by the end of 2008 that will pass muster with federal authorities.
Everyone from local environmentalists to the governor will be watching to see if this blueprint to clean air in the future is well-conceived with a good chance of success.
After ozone levels spiked last summer, Gov. Bill Ritter made his voice heard, calling ozone reduction “critical” to public health. He challenged the air quality council to “be more aggressive” in reducing ozone.
It would be an easier problem to take on if ozone came from a single source, such as smokestacks. But ground-level ozone is a cocktail of several ingredients and conditions.
Volatile organic compounds found in many substances, including vehicle emissions or solvents, combine with nitrogen oxides produced by combustion engines and coal-fired utilities. If baked by the sun and undisturbed by wind, they form ozone.
Tackling ozone means depleting the ingredients that form it. Some good luck with the weather would help, too.
The air quality council has acted wisely thus far in choosing strategies that would be the least intrusive but have the most impact.
Ken Lloyd, executive director of the council, said estimates show that 10 percent of vehicles cause half of the area’s auto emissions problems.
The council has gotten grants to find, fix or even buy these older, high-emitting vehicles. They’re also spending $1.7 million in 2008 for a diesel retrofit program that will clean up dirty schoolbuses and work vehicles. Those are targeted, smart ways of tackling ozone.
Some longer-term measures being contemplated are more far-reaching, complicated and even controversial. They include working with local refineries for cleaner auto fuels, supporting the sale of cleaner cars in Colorado, and requiring further emissions reductions from the oil and gas industry.
Ozone is a complex problem and the air quality council has been diligent about parsing solutions. As council members continue their work, we hope they’ll find the most effective strategies to protect Colorado’s air.
