Latest ozone monitoring readings reportedly ‘good’

Ozone monitoring readings are taken daily at 23 locations across the state of Missouri by the state’s Department of Natural Resources.
Jeremy Tanz, executive director of Southeast Missouri Regional Planning, reported recent ozone monitoring readings for this region were “good” at a Nov. 19 environmental quality committee meeting held in Perryville.
Readings for this seven-county region, which includes Perry, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Iron, Madison, St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve, are taken at both Farrar and Bonne Terre.
There were a couple of instances in which the measurements at Farrar exceeded the threshold level of .070 in 2021. A data point of 0.077 parts per million was measured June 14 and a recording of 0.071 took place June 16.
Statewide, there were 21 occasions from March to October in which the reading exceeded the threshold of .070 parts per million over eight hours, the standard which has been in place by the National Ambient Air Quality Standard since late 2015. Eleven of those readings which were higher than the required threshold occurred in July, seven in June, two in September and one in August.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources provides daily ozone testing results. “They look at the fourth highest readings for the year and then an average of those gets the ‘design value’ which is what they base on whether you’re in compliance or not,” Tanz said.
“Overall, I think the ‘design value’ was in the mid-60s, so we’re below,” he said.
Tanz said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has had discussions about doing another review of the standards and they recommend dropping that standard, making it lower.
“It’s possible that the region could be at or above the new levels,” Tanz said.
The metro areas now are pretty much out of compliance for ozone, making it a “non-containment area,” Tanz noted.
Typically, the more populated areas tend to have higher ozone readings since there is more traffic and cars, noted Tanz.
The ozone level is a measurement of sunlight, volatile organic chemicals and particular matter. “All of those together form ozone,” Tanz said.
This non-compliance distinction, also referred to as a non-attainment area, applies for those seeking special air quality permits, according to Tanz.
“They have to go through extra steps because they’re in a non-compliant area,” Tanz said. “Usually, it’s more stringent permitting and more stringent mitigation factors they have to install.”
Non-attainment areas near St. Louis include the city of St. Louis, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County as well as the northeast portion of Franklin County (Pacific).

The daily monitoring is done during “ozone season” which is from March 1 to Oct. 1, except at the Blair Street (St. Louis) and Mark Twain State Park (Monroe County) locations where the ozone monitoring occurs year-round.
Particulate matter measurements on ozone are not taken in this area, according to Tanz. This is measured only in St. Louis and Kansas City at this time.
Tanz noted the US EPA has announced a new review of the air quality standards for PM 2.5 and Ozone levels. At this time, the region this region only has ozone monitors and the standard is set at 70 parts per billion. The EPA has not announced a possible new target for ozone yet, but in the previous review the consideration was 65 ppb, Tanz noted.
“While currently that would not put the region at risk of a non-attainment designation, historically we could be,” Tanz said. “Given the rise in the 2021 numbers as we are getting back to more normal patterns after the pandemic, I believe real efforts may need to be implemented to bring ozone levels down below a possible new standard.”

RECENT FISH KILL (Subhead here)
A Missouri DNR official on a recent fish kill of the grotto sculpin at the meeting.
A dozen or so dead sculpin fish were found by a spelunker, Tanz noted.
Water quality samplings were conducted, though results have not been released yet, according to Tanz.
The testing of water quality is done before it goes into a local caving system as well as when it is taken away, according to Tanz.
“Before it goes in or after it comes out,” Tanz said.
All of the cities and counties in the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning are invited to attend the bi-annual environmental committee meetings.
The meeting is open to local businesses, industry leaders and more.
NEXT MEETING (subhead)
The next Environmental Quality Committee meeting for this area is set for Friday, March 11, at 11 a.m. One of the individuals scheduled to attend is Dru Button, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director.