AG 2007 11 19 - Laserfiche WebLink

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RESOLUTION WHEREAS, the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners strongly supports clean-air standards at a level that ensures public health and improves quality of life for all our residents; and WHEREAS, both state and local governments and private industry are making measurable progress in improving air quality, with the national average for ozone levels having decreased by 21 percent from 1980 to 2006; aggregate emissions of six principal pollutants down more than half since 1980 despite a 46 percent increase in population; and programs in place to cut power plant emissions by more than 40% from today's levels by 2010 in 30 eastern jurisdictions, reduce emissions vehicles by 77 to 95 percent from 20041evels, dramatically reduce airborne levels of mercury and virtually eliminate diesel emissions; and WHEREAS, state and local governments and business are working diligently to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's current National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ground level ozone by the 2020 deadline, investing approximately $20 billion each year, according to EPA estimates; and WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency, in the course of its required review of NAAQS, is nevertheless considering a further tightening of the ozone standard from 0.08 parts per million; and WHEREAS, further tightening the ozone standard, even before the current standard is met, could significantly expand the number of nonattainment areas and result in emissions controls in additional areas, thereby imposing significant administrative and regulatory burdens on more citizens, businesses and local governments; and WHEREAS, the burdens associated with a tightened standard would include almost certain plant and business closures and loss of jobs, along with higher energy and other prices to consumers, with total additional costs estimated at $10 billion to $22 billion per year; and . WHEREAS, it is in fact likely that scores of local businesses in Cabarrus County will have to close their doors if the lowest proposed standard is established; and WHEREAS, significant questions have been raised regarding the science behind the EPA's proposal to tighten the ozone standard, and members of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), the Agency's own scientific advisory board, have disputed its conclusions; and WHEREAS, the Agency is proposing this action with virtually no evidence that the change in standards will result in significant health benefits and with no analysis of the enormous costs that will be charged to Cabarrus County businesses and consumers and to those communities that must implement new complicated compliance programs; l'~ ~W