Oregon DEQ to List Salem/Keizer Area as Meeting Air Quality Standards for Carbon Monoxide

Maintenance plan to ensure compliance also proposed; Open House, March 26th; Public Hearing, April 16th.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is proposing that the Environmental Quality Commission change the status of the Salem-Keizer Carbon Monoxide area from nonattainment (i.e., not in compliance) to a state maintenance area (in compliance).

The proposal includes adoption of a Salem-Keizer Limited Maintenance Plan which demonstrates how the area will stay within the required CO limits for at least the next ten years and guarantees that past reductions of emissions from motor vehicles will be maintained.

In the last two decades CO levels have decreased considerably due to computerized engine controls and tighter emission requirements for new cars and trucks.

The Salem-Keizer area has not violated the CO Standard since 1985, and future emissions are expected to stay low.

Historically, elevated CO levels were seen in the winter months, and were caused by automobile traffic at congested intersections.

Because the public health risk from CO has been significantly reduced in the Salem-Keizer area, DEQ can propose to redesignate Salem from a CO nonattainment area to a state CO maintenance area and federal attainment area.

If adopted, DEQ will submit the CO Maintenance Plan to the US Environmental Protection Agency with a request that the Salem-Keizer area be redesignated to attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for CO under federal requirements.

The complete rulemaking notice and document of proposed rule changes are available via DEQ’s Web site at: http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/planning/nonattainment.htm .

Written comments may be mailed to DEQ by 5:00 PM Friday, April 20th to Dave Nordberg, Oregon DEQ, Air Quality Division, 811 SW Sixth Ave., Portland, OR 97204.

Comments may also be faxed to Dave Nordberg at (503) 229-5675 or e-mailed to: nordberg.dave@deq.state.or.us.

DEQ will host an open house to provide information and respond to questions on the proposal:

March 26th:

DEQ Salem Office, 750 Front St. NE, Ground Floor, Salem, OR 97301. 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

In addition, DEQ will accept oral and written comments at a public hearing:

April 16th:

DEQ Salem Office, 750 Front St. NE, Ground Floor, Salem, OR 97301. 7:00 PM.

DEQ will respond to all comments received during the public hearings and comment period and may modify the proposed rules.

To be considered, comments must be received prior to the comment deadline of 5:00 PM on April 20th.

Email comments will be acknowledged immediately. If there is a delay between servers, emails may not be received before the deadline.

It is not necessary to attend the hearing in order to comment.

Written comments received prior to the deadline are treated equally with oral comments.

DEQ is scheduled to present the proposed rulemaking to the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission for adoption at the Commission’s June 21st-22nd meeting.