State Implementation Plans

State Implementation Plans also known as SIP, is a plan for each state which helps identifies how that state will attain and or maintain the primary and secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).  State Implementation Plans take many forms, the plans are supposed to provide people with how far an area is re-designated to attainment from non-attainment will maintain acceptable packages or revisions by the EPA.

The six criteria pollutants are:  carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, particle pollution, and sulfur dioxide. Under the Clean Air Act each state must develop plans describing how it will attain and maintain the NAAQS, this means that the EPA draws up a plan on how to clean up polluted areas and how to continue to keep them clean. The first pollutant is carbon monoxide, and the multiple ways to implement a reduction in the emissions in the air.  One way that this can be watched is through a monitoring program, which takes measurements of the concentrations in the air, to identify if it is meeting the quality standards.  The second pollutant is lead. Lead is a metal that is found naturally in the environment but also is seen in products that are being manufactured. The largest sources of lead emissions historically have been seen from fuels steaming from vehicles, and also from industrial sources. “The major sources of lead emissions to the air today are ore and metals processing and piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation gasoline.” The third pollutant is nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen dioxide forms quickly from emissions from vehicles, power plants and off road equipment. Nitrogen dioxide has many adverse effects on the respiratory system.  The first standards were set in 1971 setting both a primary and secondary standard. Primary standards are to protect health, and secondary standards are to protect the public health and welfare. The fourth pollutant is ozone. Ozone is not directly emitted into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight. Emissions from industrial facilities and electric utilities, motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors and chemical solvents are some of the major sources. Breathing in ozone can create many health problems. The fifth pollutant is particulate pollution also known as particulate matter is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. It is made up of a number of components including organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles. The size of the particles is linked to causing health problems because they generally pass through the throat and go straight to the lungs. The last pollutant is sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is a highly reactive gas. The largest source of sulfur dioxide is emissions from fossil fuel combustion at power plants and other industrial facilities.

A geographic area in which levels of a criteria air pollutant meet the health based primary standard, National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the pollutant. An area may have an acceptable level for one criteria air pollutant but may have unacceptable levels for others; this is called an attainment area. A non-attainment area is a geographic area in which the level of a criteria air pollutant is higher that the level allowed by the federal standards. Yes, Ohio is an attainment.

The Division of Air Pollution Control develops and enforces rules in the Ohio administrative code. Ohio is to attain and maintain the NAAQS contained in the Clean Air Act. They are to fulfill the requirements set forth by the Ohio General Assembly in Ohio Revised Code, and they are to protect and maintain healthy air quality for the citizens of the state of Ohio. 

http://www.epa.gov/airquality/montring.html