Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Addresses Ozone Attainment Issues at NOACA Board Meeting: May 12, 2006

At today’s monthly Governing Board meeting, NOACA hosted Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) Director Joseph P. Koncelik, who addressed ozone pollution issues impacting Northeast Ohio. Koncelik expressed his uncertainty that the region will be able to meet federal clean air standards by the year 2010 as mandated by U.S. EPA and discussed possible options.

“Northeast Ohio could meet the clean air standard for ozone by 2015, using the federal ozone-reduction controls we currently have on the books if we can get more time to see the impacts of these controls,” noted Koncelik. “Timing is everything. If U.S. EPA gave us until 2015 to meet the ozone standard, I am confident that Northeast Ohio would succeed in complying with the clean air requirements.” The region faces more stringent, even severe, controls on mobile sources and industries if clean air standards are not met. Mobile sources such as cars, trucks, motorcycles and off-road diesel vehicles such as construction and farm equipment, account for most of the ozone pollution in the area, according to Koncelik. Federal ozone-reduction programs currently on the books include newer, cleaner vehicle fleets; removal of sulfur from diesel fuel; and improved design of diesel fuel engines that enables fuel to burn cleaner.

In other business, the Board approved the agency’s Fiscal Year 2007 Overall Work Program (OWP) and budget. The OWP outlines transportation and environmental planning work, products and activities to be undertaken by NOACA staff during fiscal year 2007, which runs from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007. The OWP is available on NOACA’s Web site. As part of the OWP approval, members agreed to increase local dues to support additional water quality planning staff. Federal and state support for water quality planning has been steadily declining, and the increase in local funding will help NOACA continue staff support for the agency’s comprehensive water quality program. In addition, the dues increase will help NOACA meet the local match funding for transportation programs as required by the new surface transportation law, SAFETEA-LU (The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005 – a Legacy for Users).

Board members and guests also heard a presentation introduced by City of Cleveland Councilman Joseph Cimperman that focused on an alternate design for the Innerbelt trench, which runs through the Midtown Corridor from the Innerbelt Bridge to Dead Man’s Curve. Many businesses in the Midtown Corridor have expressed concern that the design proposed by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will reduce access to Midtown, and increase street traffic leading to the Gateway sports complex. “Access issues are critical to the City of Cleveland and Midtown Corridor,” said Cimperman. “We’d like to continue a dialogue with ODOT and the NOACA Board to address these access concerns prior to the final design of the Innerbelt trench.”

The Board also approved entering into a contract between NOACA and National Center for Biking and Walking (NCBW), which will provide support for NOACA to conduct bicycling and walkability workshops in Northeast Ohio neighborhoods this fall. The workshops will focus on helping integrate bicycle and pedestrian facilities into other modes of transportation, increasing safety and creating bicycle and pedestrian-friendly communities.