{
  "id": "RL32345",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL32345",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 104316,
      "date": "2004-04-20",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-08T14:21:55.745428",
      "title": "Implementation of EPA's 8-Hour Ozone Standard",
      "summary": "On April 15, 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated areas in 32\nstates\nand the District of Columbia (474 counties in all) as \"nonattainment areas\" for a new ozone air\nquality standard. This standard was promulgated by EPA in 1997, but because of court challenges\nand other delays is just now being implemented. Designation begins a process in which the areas\nmust adopt emission control programs sufficient to bring air quality into compliance. Deadlines will\nvary depending on the severity of the measured pollution. Areas failing to adopt adequate plans or\nfailing to demonstrate that their highway and transit construction programs \"conform\" to approved\nemission budgets, are subject to sanctions, including a possible lapse in the provision of federal\nhighway funds.\n  While much attention has been placed on the challenges that new nonattainment areas will face\nin implementing the new ozone standard, less attention has been paid to the impact of the new\nstandard on areas not yet in attainment of the  old  (1-hour) ozone standard. Many of\nthese areas,\nespecially the most severely polluted, appear likely to be given as many as 16 additional years to\nreach attainment under EPA's implementation plan. In the many explanations of EPA's new\n\"tougher\" standards, this apparent relaxation of the Act's requirements for the most severely polluted\nareas has gone largely unnoticed.\n  This report, which will be updated as developments warrant, provides information on the\ndesignation process for nonattainment areas, describes EPA's implementation plan, and discusses\nissues that have been raised as EPA, the states, and potential nonattainment areas develop\nimplementation strategies. These issues include how the boundaries of nonattainment areas should\nbe set, how areas can improve air quality sufficiently to attain the standard, what the timelines will\nbe for attainment, whether areas affected by upwind pollution can be granted extra time to comply,\nwhat grants might be available to assist areas in reaching attainment, and whether designation will\nhave a negative impact on economic activity in the affected areas. In response to some of these\nconcerns, Congress is considering legislation that might alter the implementation process. The\ncourts may also be asked to review whether the Agency's implementation of the standard meets the\nstatutory requirements of the Clean Air Act.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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      "topics": []
    }
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}