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http://www.macon.com/198/story/647375.html

Thursday, Mar. 12, 2009

Bibb could be flagged for smog levels ­ again

By S. Heather Duncan - hduncan@macon.com


Georgia environmental regulators are expected to recommend today that Bibb County and Plant Scherer in Monroe County be placed in a federal nonattainment zone ­ again ­ for dangerous smog levels.

Bibb County and a portion of Monroe County were first identified as failing to meet federal standards for ozone, the primary component of smog, in 2004. High amounts of ozone at ground level can cause breathing and heart problems.


But air quality improvements in recent years brought the region back into attainment for ozone pollution in 2008, a year ahead of schedule.

Then the ozone standards got tougher. Macon fell short again.

A letter sent Feb. 9 to local leaders indicated the state would again tell the federal Environmental Protection Agency that Bibb County should be put in a nonattainment zone, said Jimmy Johnston, manager of air quality planning for Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division.

The EPA, which has final say over the nonattainment zones, will respond to the state by Nov. 12, Johnston said.

Johnston said the zone the EPD is suggesting looks a little different from the original: It excludes the corridor of land between Bibb County and Plant Scherer, the largest coal-fired power plant in the country.

Johnston said that area was included before because previously EPA wanted the parts of nonattainment zones to be connected.

Its policies have changed since then, he said, and the connecting corridor had complicated transportation planning. Road projects within a nonattainment zone can’t add significantly to ozone pollution in the area.

The EPD didn’t include Houston County in its nonattainment recommendation.

It made the same decision in 2004, but the EPA initially disagreed. In response to additional information provided by the state and intense lobbying from proponents of Robins Air Force Base, the EPA reversed itself and the final designation excluded Houston County.

Johnston explained the rationale for excluding Houston County this time: It has a separate planning organization for transportation; including it would be inconsistent with current nonattainment boundaries; it has participated in regional efforts to reduce air pollution, including open burning restrictions; and two of its three largest industrial sources of smog-related pollution already have pollution controls.

The two primary contributors to ozone pollution are sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Cemex and Anchor Glass are the two largest single sources of nitrogen oxide in Houston County, Johnston said.

The Cemex cement kilns and one of the two glass furnaces at Anchor have nitrogen controls, Johnston said.

Houston County still has no ozone monitor, so state scientists don’t have specific information about its ozone levels. Johnston said EPA criteria determine where monitors are installed, and Houston isn’t required to have one.

EPD sent the February letter to local stakeholders for feedback before sending out a final recommendation today, Johnston said.

He said the state has heard little feedback concerning the Macon non-attainment zone.

Bibb County and the portion of Monroe between the county line and Plant Scherer remain in an existing nonattainment zone for fine-particle pollution.

To contact writer S. Heather Duncan, call 744-4225

http://www.macon.com/198/story/647375.html

Telegraph file photo Plant Scherer in Monroe County can be seen in this 2003 file photo.



Posted on Sat, Apr. 28, 2007   http://www.macon.com/198/story/29428.html

Annual burn ban will begin Tuesday

By Wayne Crenshaw - wcrenshaw@macontel.com

Middle Georgia residents needing to do some outdoor burning might want to put that on the work schedule this weekend. After Monday, burning will banned through Sept. 30.

Bibb, Jones, Monroe, Twiggs, Houston and Peach counties are among 54 in the state included in the burn ban - not because of dry weather, according to the Environmental Protection Division, but because of failure to meet air-quality standards.

"Our top priority is to protect the health and wellbeing of Georgia citizens by reducing air pollution," Heather Abrams, chief of EPD's Air Protection Branch, said in a news release.

Other Middle Georgia counties on the list are Crawford, Lamar, and Upson counties.

The ban applies to the burning of yard and land-clearing debris, the EPD said. Some exemptions apply, including campfires and for agricultural purposes. Middle Georgia residents impacted by the burn ban may call the West Central District Office of the EPD at (478) 751-6612.

To contact Wayne Crenshaw, call (478) 923-6199, ext. 235.


The Telegraph will post smog forecasts for the following day each weekday afternoon at www.macon.com and will print warnings in the paper on days when smog levels are expected to be high. People who would like to be notified directly of smog alerts by e-mail can sign up by e-mailing Charise Stephens, director of the Clean Cities Coalition, at charise.stephens@macon.ga.us.


Posted on Wed, May. 02, 2007
http://www.macon.com/198/story/32126.html

Hot months mean return of burn ban in midstate

FROM STAFF REPORTS


The burn ban that covers most of Middle Georgia during the summer months is now in effect again through Sept. 30, and it will be enforced by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

Residents and businesses in Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Lamar, Monroe, Peach, Twiggs, Upson, Jasper and Putnam counties are not allowed to burn yard and land-clearing debris during the burn ban, although activities such as campfires and agricultural activities are exempt, according to a release from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Scientists will also be providing smog forecasts daily to alert Middle Georgia residents when smog levels are too dangerous for strenuous outdoor activity or pose a threat to people with weakened immune systems, asthma and other conditions.

Residents are encouraged to avoid topping off gas tanks and making unnecessary car trips on high-smog days.

The drought conditions Georgia is experiencing make more high-smog days likely this year, said Charise Stephens, director of the Clean Cities Coalition, which coordinates the local smog alerts.

The smoke from burning contributes to smog and creates fine particles that can be breathed deep into the lungs. Bibb County and part of Monroe County are in a federal "non-attainment zone" for having dangerously high levels of smog and fine particle pollution. Putnam County is in such a zone for its fine particle pollution.

For more information about alternatives to burning, such as composting and chipping, call the Department of Community Affairs at (404) 679-4940 or the Pollution Prevention Assistance Division toll-free at (800) 685-2443.

Debris can also be hauled to a commercial processing/ grinding/ composting operation or to an inert or construction and demolition landfill. For a list of landfills in the your area, call the EPD's Solid Waste Management Program at (404) 362-2692.

Residents can get more information on the open burning ban by calling the EPD district office in their area or the EPD's Air Protection Branch at (404) 363-7000. Bibb and the counties surrounding it are handled by the West Central District Office at (478) 751-6612. Putnam and Jasper counties are handled by the Northeast District Office at (706) 369-6376.

Information from The Telegraph's archives was used in this article


 

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