Columbus, Georgia

Columbus Consolidated Government

Referrals From Mayor and Council-02/17/2004





Subject Air Quality



Description Have the staff to address the issues of air quality and the

non-attainment concerns of Russell County, which includes Phenix City and

determine whether or not Phenix City is in a non-attainment status as well.

(Request of Councilor Hunter)



Received From



Assigned To Carmen Cavezza



Please enter a date mm/dd/yy before any comments are added.

Response 02/20/04 - According to the Alabama Department of Environmental

Management (ADEM), Russell County has been recommended to the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) for consideration as a non-attainment area. This is

based upon the monitoring data that shows that Russell does not meet the

Particulate Matter 2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Russell

County's 3-year average, which is the time period for review, is 15.3 ug/m3.

The annual standard is 3.0. While the county is just barely over the required

standard, ADEM has no other choice but to recommend non-attainment. EPA will

undoubtedly accept this recommendation and will place this designation on the

county. This designation should take place in December of this year and with

it will come new restrictions and requirements for additional planning

activities.



Columbus is not immune from this action either. The Georgia Environmental

Planning Division (EPD) will not recommend that Muscogee be considered for

non-attainment status, due to its monitor readings that are below the national

standards. However, because Russell County is part of the Columbus

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), EPA may elect to designate the entire MSA

area as a non-attainment area. The odds of this happening are extremely high,

and like Russell, it would require the counties of Chattahoochee, Harris,

Marion and Muscogee to implement new regulations and strategies. EPA will make

its recommendations on this by July. At that time there will be a 60 day

comment period that we can provide input on this subject. Action on this

matter should be taken now by working with our Congressional representatives

and the other counties.



Closed Date



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