Background
The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) has established National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six criteria pollutants, which are known to be harmful to human health and welfare. These criteria pollutants are:
- carbon monoxide (CO)
- lead (Pb)
- nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
- ozone (O3)
- particulate matter (PM)
- sulfur oxides (SOx)
The Sacramento Region is currently designated nonattainment for the following criteria pollutants: ozone and particulate matter. The Sacramento Region currently meets the NAAQS for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and lead.
The federal Clean Air Act (CAA) requires plans which identify how nonattainment areas will attain and/or maintain the NAAQS. The CAA requires the US EPA to review each plan and any plan revisions and to approve the plan or plan revisions if consistent with the CAA.
Key elements of these plans include emission inventories, emission control strategies and rules, air quality data analyses, modeling, air quality progress and attainment or maintenance demonstrations.
