HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 01-016 RESOLUTION NO. el—elm
WHEREAS, the Southeast Texas region of Hardin, Jefferson and Orange counties
does not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone and is currently
classified as a moderate non-attainment area for ozone by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and,
WHEREAS, the South East Regional Planning Commission Air Quality Advisory
Committee (SETRPC AQAC) in conjunction with local, state and federal elected officials
and area plant managers, have worked diligently to demonstrate to the EPA that ozone
causing pollutants are transported into the Southeast Texas from a significant upwind
source, the Houston/Galveston (HGA) area; and,
WHEREAS, the Southeast Texas region cannot be held accountable for pollutants
transported from other areas which cannot be locally controlled; and,
WHEREAS, pollutants transported into Southeast Texas from HGA prohibit the
Hardin, Jefferson and Orange county region from reaching attainment until the HGA area
does so; and,
WHEREAS, the TNRCC has provided agency staff and resources to prepare the
air dispersion modeling and other technical data needed to complete the proposed clean
air plan and submitted it to the EPA for their consideration in accordance with all EPA's
applicable guidelines and criteria; and,
WHEREAS, local, state and federal elected officials and area plant managers have
worked diligently to facilitate the review and timely approval of the proposed State
Implementation Plan (SIP) by the EPA; and,
WHEREAS, the EPA announced on December 19, 2000, a proposal to approve a
clean air plan for the Beaumont/Port Arthur(BPA) area. The plan, formally known as the
ozone attainment demonstration SIP, details how the BPA area will ensure it meets the
national health-based air quality standard for ozone by 2007; and,
WHEREAS, the BPA clean air plan is the first in Texas where EPA recognized the
impact of ozone traveling from the HGA area to other areas in the state. As a result of the
impact of ozone from Houston, the EPA has given the BPA area the same clean air
attainment date as the HGA area, 2007.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT:
THAT the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission and the City of Beaumont
strongly urges the EPA to approve the proposed clean air plan which maintains the
moderate ozone non-attainment status for Hardin, Jefferson and Orange counties and
provide an attainment date of 2007 to coincide with the HGA area's attainment date.
PAS ED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Beaumont this the day
of , 2001.
- Mayor -
Pro TM