ISSUE AQ‐1
Regional Air Quality Though Harrison County is in attainment for six air quality criteria pollutants and Keesler AFB is in compliance with its Title V Air Quality Operating Permit , future development has the potential to affect regional air quality .
In Mississippi , authority has been delegated to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality ( MDEQ ) to ensure that the state maintains or moves into attainment with all NAAQS . Emissions for the Gulf Coast region are calculated on a county‐by‐county basis ; however , the Gulf Regional Planning Commission and MDEQ formed the regional Clean Air Committee , to develop a regional action plan called the Path Forward Plan , which identifies methods to reduce ozone in the Gulf Region since regional attainment and nonattainment values for each county can affect the region as whole .
Attainment is based on an 8‐hour design value from the four highest scoring days averaged over a three‐year period measured from April to October . In 2015 , the ozone NAAQS was revised from 75 ppb to 70 ppb . Based on 2015 design values , the tri‐county area of Hancock , Harrison and Jackson counties were in attainment for the six criteria pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act , which include ozone , sulfur dioxide , carbon monoxide , lead , particulate matter , and nitrogen dioxide . Although in attainment for all pollutants , Harrison County , inclusive of Keesler AFB , and Jackson and Hancock counties were close to nonattainment for ozone with design values of 67 , 68 and 64 parts per billion ( ppb ) respectively . Through the planning , education and implementation efforts of the Gulf Regional Planning Commission and Clean Air Committee , the Gulf Coast tri‐county region continues to be in attainment for ozone .
Preliminary 2016 design values for ozone have Hancock , Harrison and Jackson counties at 63 , 6 The counties continue to be in attainment for th Table 5‐1 shows the ozone levels for Hancock , H from 2014 to 2016 .
Table 5-1
Year Current Standard ( est . 2015 )
Gulf Region Air Quality 3-Year Averag
Hancock County Ozone Design Values ( ppb )
Harriso Ozone Value
70 7
2014 66 6
2015 |
64 |
6 |
2016 |
63 |
6 |
Source : Mississippi Department of Environmental Qu |
Summary ; MDEQ Environmental News Vol . 13 Issue 9 |
Ozone is a secondary pollutant as it is formed b other chemicals – nitrogen oxides ( NOx ) and vo ( VOCs ). The combination of these chemicals is emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels fr power plants , and industrial boilers . Even at low the respiratory system .
According to the Mississippi Department of Env implications of a nonattainment status for these economic development constrictions , such as li longer permitting process , and potential constr improvements . Additionally , if in a nonattainm have restrictions on its emissions as part of a re attainment , which could affect military operatio
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