Regional-Air-Quality-Planning-demo

The MAG region has made tremendous gains in planning for and addressing ozone pollution over the decades – but there is still work left to do. MAG has been able to demonstrate attainment with prior EPA standards in past air quality plans, including the 1979 one-hour standard, and the 1997 and 2008 eight-hour standards – but the region remains in nonattainment with the 2015 eight-hour standard.

Reaching attainment with the more stringent 2015 ozone standard has become increasingly complex and difficult. MAG and EPA modeling estimate that approximately 80% of the ozone impacting the region is either from natural sources like trees and vegetation, or from sources outside of Arizona. That leaves only 20% of regional ozone subject to local control. Steady increases in wildfires across the western US also contribute to increased ozone pollution in the region.

Despite these challenges, MAG has teamed up with researchers at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona through the Ground Level Ozone Research (GLOR) Project to better understand and control ozone formation from local sources.