Ozone standards to affect W. Michigan

Four of the five air monitors placed in Holland, Grand Rapids and the Muskegon areas detected ozone levels above federal pollution standards set last year, The Grand Rapids Press reported yesterday.

A county is in violation of EPA rules if the fourth highest daily reading in a summer is greater than 85 parts per billion for three consecutive years.

This year only the Grand Rapids monitor stayed below that mark.

Holland had the worst record, setting the highest one-day reading for ozone at 118 parts per billion on June 25.

That means all three counties could be subject to mandatory sanctions in 2000 if the high ozone counts persist, including vehicle inspections, cleaner but more expensive fuel and costly controls on industry.

This year's readings were no surprise to officials with the state Department of Environmental Quality and West Michigan Clean Air Coalition. Most knew the new EPA standard, changed from 120 parts per billion over one hour, would be difficult to meet.

Still, some officials say they are encouraged with the efforts of West Michigan's Ozone Action program.

The program issued alerts 11 times this year on the hot and humid days, which provide ideal conditions for pollution from industry and vehicles to combine with sunlight to form ozone.

On those days, residents were asked to limit driving as much as possible, avoid using gas-powered lawnmowers and other equipment and refuel vehicles after 6 p.m.

Steve Bulthuis, transportation manager for the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council, thinks the program has helped to reduce ozone pollution.

He said ozone levels recorded by the Holland monitor appeared to decline in a few cases when alerts were called on consecutive days. Bulthuis figures that residents may have reacted to the alerts.

But Darrell Robinson, a program coordinator with the Clean Air Coalition, isn't sure how much credit the program deserves.

"It's kind of hard to say. It could have been from people taking action, but it also could have been some meteorological phenomenon,'' he said.

10-02-98