97-05-20 Conference on Federal Air Quality Standards

CONFERENCE TO EXAMINE NEW FEDERAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS

     COLUMBUS -- Experts from government, industry and academia
will gather next month at the Ohio State University to discuss
the impact of new federal air quality regulations and the science
and public policy issues behind them.

     The meeting is set for June 5 and 6 at the Wexner Center for
the Arts, 1871 N. High St.  It is sponsored by Ohio State and the
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, in collaboration with the
Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the Columbus Health
Department, the U.S. Geological Survey and American Electric
Power Co.

     “Air quality is an environmental issue that is national and
even continental in scope,” explained Paul Berkman, a senior
research associate and science policy coordinator with Ohio
State’s Byrd Polar Research Center.  “We want to bring focus to
various aspects of the topic, including the science behind the
proposed standards and the economic and public policy
implications for Ohio and the Midwest.”

     At the center of the discussion are proposed changes to the
ozone and particulate-matter standards under the federal Clean
Air Act.  The proposed changes are scheduled to go into effect in
July.  Those changes could have a major impact on the Midwest and
in particular, Ohio, the third-largest producer of energy in the
country.

     That energy production, based largely on burning coal, has
pitted Ohio and its neighbors against states in the northeastern
U.S., which complain that Midwestern pollution migrates to them,
reducing the quality of their air and potentially harming their
environment.

     “There is evidence that pollution from the Midwest can
migrate to the Northeast,” Berkman said.  “The questions are, how
frequently does this occur and what is the real effect on the
Northeast?  More importantly, will these proposed changes to the
Clean Air Act result in real improvement in regional air quality
and human health?”

     Ohio has not established a coordinated multi-state effort to
address this issue, as some states have done.  Berkman said
discussion at this meeting should help establish a regional
approach to dealing with these standards.

     The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday (6/5) and is
divided into four half-day technical sessions.  The first focuses
on the current understanding of the science related to ozone and
fine particle formation.  The second addresses scientific studies
of the transport of pollution through the atmosphere.

     On Friday (6/6), panelists will discuss the public health
implications of the problem and the scientific basis for the
proposed standards.  The fourth and final session will have
experts discussing the process of establishing new air quality
standards.

     Berkman hopes that the discussions will help policymakers,
government, the environmental community and industry officials
reach a consensus on how the state should respond to the proposed
federal air quality standards and the still unanswered scientific
questions.

     The conference is open to the public.  Registration for one
day is $20, while registration for both days is $30.  Student
registration is $15.  Registration and program information can be
found at www-bprc.mps.ohio-state.edu.

                             #

Contact: Paul Berkman, (614) 292-3670 or pberkman@osu.edu
Written by Earle Holland, (614) 292-8384 or holland.8@osu.edu


[Submitted by: Von Vargas  (vargas.12@osu.edu)
               
Tue, 20 May 1997 10:03:34 -0400 (EDT)]
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