Poor air quality in the Upstate could prevent new businesses and business expansion in the region if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reduces allowable ground-level ozone levels from 75 parts per billion, according to a state Department of Health & Environmental Control official.
“If EPA sets it at 60, I’m not going to say we’re doomed, but the state will be likely designated into nonattainment,” said Brian Barnes, who works with air quality assessments for the state. A nonattainment designation would mean more approvals and regulations, and can make new developments, buildings and roads significantly more time-consuming and expensive to implement, he said.
“That would be a devastating announcement to everyone in the air quality planning area to try and meet 60,” said Barnes at a briefing with the Upstate Air Quality Advisory Committee today.
Meeting the standard of 60 parts per billion would be a problem for all but a handful of South Carolina counties, while meeting a standard of 65 parts per billion would be problematic for every Upstate county, he said.
Spartanburg received an F rating while the rest of the Upstate received C ratings for counties with the worst ozone air pollution in each state, according a State of the Air report by the American Lung Association, said Barnes.
In 2014, areas such as Hilcrest and Cowpens, S.C., recorded 65 parts per billion, while Due West, S.C., recorded 61 parts per billion.
A nonattainment designation cost Birmingham, Ala., an estimated $5 billion in economic development, according to Ten at the Top Executive Director Dean Hybl. The $5 billion includes lost jobs and an estimated loss of 15 manufacturing businesses due to the nonattainment status, according to Alabama nonprofit organization GASP.
“It’s not a big scary thing as long as you’re not designated that,” said Barnes. “Can it be an economic problem? Yes, it can. Is it the kiss of death? Well, maybe not, but we’d rather not have it if we don’t have to.”
TATT has been organizing the committee’s activities since 2012, and has since had a hand in outreach and education about reducing emissions locally. Reducing car idling time in school pickup lines, encouraging carpooling and school bus use has reduced emissions by saving 5,300 gallons of diesel fuel, 82,000 gallons of gasoline and 165,000 hours of personal vehicle time, said Hybl.
No area in South Carolina has ever been designated nonattainment, and Barnes says they’re not expected to as long as reduction efforts continue.
“The time is right now if we can take action, and it will matter,” he said. “A lot of folks get caught up by climate change and carbon … let’s just improve.”
