West Michigan Impacts

As of 2007, Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon counties, are all designated as attainment - maintenance areas according to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 1997 8-hour standard. Allegan county is the only county in West Michigan that is currently listed as being in nonattainment, due largely in part to ozone transported across Lake Michigan from places like Chicago, IL and Gary, IN. However West Michigan ozone monitors in counties other than Allegan recorded violations to the 8-hour standard during the Summer 2007. This means that contingency measures from the State Implementation Plan (SIP) must be employed in West Michigan to prevent further violations and/or redesignation as nonattainment for the 1997 standard. As of March 12, 2008 the EPA strengthened the 8-hour standard for ground-level ozone, making it even more likely for West Michigan to fall into nonattainment of the standard requiring contingency measures. This reemphasizes the importance of individual actions taken by West Michigan residents who remain critical to our campaign to reduce ozone violations at area monitors.

Across the nation, areas with nonattainment status for the ozone standard are at a distinct disadvantage. Control measures (contingency measures) to reduce emissions can increase costs for business and residents.  New businesses are not allowed to increase emissions in the region, and more stringent air permitting requirements apply in nonattainment areas.   If clean air cannot be maintained after redesignation to attainment, additional measures to reduce pollution must be implemented.  People in poor air quality areas may also incur added health care costs. 

The likelihood of maintaining clean air is greatly improved when businesses and individuals voluntarily take steps to reduce emissions on days when the area is particularly vulnerable to unhealthy ozone levels. Your actions do make a difference in West Michigan's air quality, so please sign up for Ozone Action day notifications and consider alternatives to driving, especially on these sensitive days.

The West Michigan Clean Air Coalition is a partnership of businesses, academic institutions, government agencies, industry, and non-profit organizations in Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, and Kalamazoo counties working together to achieve cleaner air in the region through the education and promotion of voluntary emission reduction activities.