North Carolina Counties with 8-Hour Ozone Violations 2006-2008

In March 2008, the US EPA promulgated a revision of the ozone standard with a lower nonattainment threshold. We have colored the Design Value map in a novel way so that it can be compared easily to past years with the previous standard and to future years with the new standard. We present the details in four tables. Table 1 and Table 2 refer to the ozone standard that was effective from 1997 through 2007. Table 3 and Table 4 refer to the ozone standard that was effective beginning in 2008.

A map of North Carolina counties with 8 hour ozone violations from 2006 to 2008.

Table 1. The following table shows two counties with a 3-year average of the annual 4th high value for each year equaling 0.085 ppm level or higher (violation of the 8-hour standard that was in effect from 1997 through 2007). The first column lists the county; the second lists the average value for that county. On the 2006-2008 Design Value Map, these counties are colored red.

CountyAverage value
Mecklenburg0.094 ppm
Rowan0.088 ppm

Table 2. The following table shows 27 monitored counties that are attaining the 0.085 ppm standard that was in effect from 1997 through 2007. The first column lists the county; the second lists the average value for that county. On the 2006-2008 Design Value Map, these counties are colored orange and green, with orange signifying counties that would not attain the 2008 8-hour standard.

CountyAverage Value
Alexander0.077 ppm
Avery0.068 ppm
Buncombe0.071 ppm
Caldwell0.075 ppm
Caswell0.079 ppm
Chatham0.072 ppm
Cumberland0.077 ppm
Davie0.082 ppm
Durham0.078 ppm
Edgecombe0.076 ppm
Forsyth0.081 ppm
Franklin0.077 ppm
Graham0.078 ppm
Granville0.080 ppm
Guilford0.082 ppm
Haywood0.078 ppm
Johnston0.075 ppm
Lenoir0.074 ppm
Lincoln0.082 ppm
Martin0.073 ppm
New Hanover0.069 ppm
Person0.077 ppm
Rockingham0.080 ppm
Swain0.065 ppm
Union0.080 ppm
Wake0.080 ppm
Yancey0.077 ppm

Table 3. The following table shows 20 counties with a 3-year average of the annual 4th high value for each year equaling 0.076 ppm level or higher (violation of the 8-hour standard established in 2008). The first column lists the county; the second lists the average value for that county. On the 2006-2008 Design Value Map, these counties are colored red and orange, with red signifying counties that violated the 1997 8-hour standard and orange signifying counties attaining the 1997 8-hour standard.

CountyAverage Value
Alexander0.077 ppm
Caswell0.079 ppm
Cumberland0.077 ppm
Davie0.082 ppm
Durham0.078 ppm
Edgecombe0.076 ppm
Forsyth0.081 ppm
Franklin0.077 ppm
Graham0.078 ppm
Granville0.080 ppm
Guilford0.082 ppm
Haywood0.078 ppm
Lincoln0.082 ppm
Mecklenburg0.094 ppm
Person0.077 ppm
Rockingham0.080 ppm
Rowan0.088 ppm
Union0.080 ppm
Wake0.080 ppm
Yancey0.077 ppm

Table 4. The following table shows 9 monitored counties that are attaining the 0.076 ppm standard that was established in 2008. The first column lists the county; the second lists the average value for that county. On the 2006-2008 Design Value Map, these counties are colored green.

CountyAverage Value
Avery0.068 ppm
Buncombe0.071 ppm
Caldwell0.075 ppm
Chatham0.072 ppm
Johnston0.075 ppm
Lenoir0.074 ppm
Martin0.073 ppm
New Hanover0.069 ppm
Swain0.065 ppm

Note:

  • Additional counties may be involved in emission reduction strategies
  • Nonattainment designations may not follow county boundaries
  • Final data validation is not yet complete