Cleveland Manufacturers Could See More Regulation Due to Federal Ozone Standards

Ohio EPA this week hosted its second regional meeting for interested parties, including manufacturers and the OMA, to discuss the likelihood that the Cleveland airshed will be bumped up from “marginal” to “moderate non-attainment” under the federal ozone standard. The standard was lowered to 70 parts per billion during the Obama administration. Earlier this month, Ohio EPA notified parties in the Cincinnati area of the same possibility.

A change in status will trigger additional compliance requirements under the federal Clean Air Act. One of the key components of additional regulatory restrictions would be emissions offsets, so that any new emissions creator would need to be set at the New Source Review offset ratio 1.15:1.

The OMA will continue to work with members and Ohio EPA on this important issue that could affect many of the state’s manufacturers and Ohio’s overall economy. 2/27/2020