Comments on What are the nonattainment regions where transport of regional ozone is significant?

Senior Meteoologist

Recent work performed by Wishinski, Poirot, Husar, and
Schictel only substantiate and solidify the field data that
has been collected along and above the airshed in Maine over
the years.

As THE MOST DOWNWIND STATE, it is impossible for the Pine
Tree State to come into attainment of the present or future
ozone standard until upwind source regions significantly
reduce their precursors of ozone.

Maine's background levels of ozone are about 40 ppb. Due to
the transport along the marine boundary layer from the
metropolitan plumes originating from our south, combined
with the incredible levels of ozone recorded aloft (80-130 ppb
on the average, Blumenthall 1996)during the peak summer months of June, July
and August that mix down shortly after sunrise, air parcels
within the airshed in Maine are left with no margin of safety.

As a result of the numerous inadequacies within the ACT dealing
with long and short range transport, the citizens of Maine
are forced to implement costly control strategies (before the
upwind nonattainment areas) that may have little
or insignicant impact on improving the air qualiy within
their own borders.

Maine has adopted all of the required measures of the ACT, and
more. Even in the attainment areas of the state where a
182f NOx Waiver has been granted, NOx RACT is remains in
place, and for the most part, the analysis of HC data
reveals that Maine is a NOx limited environment.

Equity in the development of national control strategies is
crucial, so lets try some. Is it equitable to financially
strangle those areas of the country not responsible for their
nonattainment status? I have yet to find any respectable
researcher that doesn't conclude that Maine will not achieve
attainment unless they get some help from distant and regional
emission sources.

I want to express Maine's gratitude
for the research, support and educational resources this
web site has provided to the OTAG process and the world.
Well done CAPITA!!


Submitted by Clifton Michaelsen on 12/24/96 RecID: CliftonMichaelsen

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