County Records More Poor Air Quality
May 16, 1996
Contact:
Doug Allard, (805) 961-8853
Bobbie Bratz, (805) 961-8833
Tom Murphy, (805) 961-8857
GOLETA, CA — Santa Barbara County recorded exceedances of the
federal health-based ozone standard at two locations on the Gaviota
coast on May 11 and 12, 1996. Coupled with exceedances of the ozone
standard at the same and other locations on May 1, Santa Barbara
County will not meet the 1996 deadline to attain the federal ozone
standard, nor be eligible to apply for an extension to the deadline.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to reclassify the
county from a “moderate” ozone non-attainment area to a “serious” non-attainment
area which will trigger additional air quality planning, monitoring, and
regulatory requirements.
“We will be working very closely with the EPA and the California Air Resources
Board to determine what this means for us,” noted Air Pollution Control Officer
Doug Allard about the ozone standard exceedances.
Despite the recent ozone standard exceedances Santa Barbara County’s air quality
is not deteriorating. The three year period ending in 1995 was the cleanest on
record for ozone air pollution but the rate of improvement in the county’s air
quality has not been rapid enough to attain the federal health standard by the
1996 deadline in the federal Clean Air Act.
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