August 17, 2005

RALEIGH – Despite record high temperatures, North Carolina’s major metropolitan areas are experiencing a third straight year of low ozone pollution, according to a new analysis published by the John Locke Foundation.

Dr. Roy Cordato, JLF vice president for research and author of several reports on North Carolina air-quality and ozone trends, wrote a new Spotlight briefing paper on the latest readings from ozone monitors through August 1 of this year.

Cordato compared 2005 monitor readings in Mecklenburg, Wake, Forsyth, and Guilford counties to those of previous years. He found that ozone levels were low in 2003 and 2004 and that they are on track to stay low for 2005.

“This is very good news, especially with record setting high temperatures during the month of July,” Cordato said. “It appears that North Carolina may be experiencing a permanent reduction in ozone pollution.”

A high ozone day is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency and North Carolina’s Division of Air Quality as a day when any ozone monitor in a designated region registers a code orange or greater.

Cordato said that ozone-forming pollutants have been declining for more than two decades and credited this decrease in emissions for much of the recent air-quality improvement. He concluded that one of the best ways to continue the declining emission trend was to get older cars off the road.

“Fifty percent of the auto emissions are generated by about five percent of cars,” Cordato said. “If people want to really help North Carolina’s air quality they should trade in those old, polluting vehicles for a new car or SUV. Regardless of the size, newer is cleaner than older.”

He added that policymakers should avoid imposing any new regulations that make new cars more expensive, arguing that they could actually interrupt the improving trend in air quality by delaying turnover in the automobile fleet.

Dr. Cordato’s Spotlight, “Ozone in the City,” is available on the John Locke Foundation website. For more information, contact Cordato ([email protected]) or Summer Hood ([email protected]) at (919) 828-3876.

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