08 LC 25
5237S
Senate
Resolution 1007
By:
Senators Staton of the 18th, Douglas of the 17th, Thomas of the 54th, Grant of
the 25th and Harp of the 29th
ADOPTED
SENATE
A
RESOLUTION
Relating
to federal environmental quality standards; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the United States Environmental Protection Agency on June 20, 2007, proposed to
tighten the eight-hour ground level ozone national ambient air quality standard
from its present standard of 0.08 ppm to between 0.07 and 0.075 ppm, with
discussions of a standard as low as 0.065 ppm; and
WHEREAS,
tightening of the ground level ozone national ambient air quality standard would
increase the number of counties in the United States that are designated as
nonattainment counties and would move some nonattainment counties into more
severe nonattainment levels; and
WHEREAS,
to meet a tightened national ambient air quality standard, nonattainment areas
would need to reduce ozone precursors, i.e., volatile organic compounds and
nitrogen oxides; and
WHEREAS,
a recent study prepared by NERA Economic Consulting and Sierra Research for the
National Association of Manufacturers contains some alarming conclusions
concerning the effects of a tightened national ambient air quality standard on
the metropolitan Atlanta area; and
WHEREAS,
the study found that, for the Atlanta area, the maximum implementation of all
identified controls from the regulatory impact analysis of the Environmental
Protection Agency would not result in the area meeting the tightened national
ambient air quality standard, and additional measures would be needed to attempt
to meet the standard; and
WHEREAS,
the study concludes that it will cost the Atlanta area $9.8 billion annually to
meet a 0.07 ppm standard and $17.9 billion annually to meet a 0.065 ppm standard
in 2020 and beyond; and
WHEREAS,
the economic impact on the Atlanta area in 2025 of a 0.07 ppm standard using
2007 dollars would be the loss of $11.5 billion in gross regional product,
79,300 jobs, $8.9 billion in disposable income, 112,800 people, and $330.9
million in state tax revenue; and
WHEREAS,
the economic impact on the Atlanta area in 2025 of a 0.065 ppm standard using
2007 dollars would be the loss of $20.8 billion in gross regional product,
143,200 jobs, $16.1 billion in disposable income, 204,500 people, and $603
million in state tax revenue; and
WHEREAS,
these impacts could easily cripple the economy of the Atlanta area and have
profound impacts on its citizens; and
WHEREAS,
greater flexibility in meeting air quality standards is needed; and
WHEREAS,
greater focus should be placed on tools such as early action compacts and
sequencing of standards; and
WHEREAS,
analyses of costs and benefits of quality standards should be considered in all
federal environmental legislation and regulations.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body urge the
Georgia congressional delegation to oppose efforts by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency to make air quality standards more strict,
support more flexibility in attaining environmental quality standards, and
support costs and benefits analyses of federal environmental legislation and
regulations.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to each member of the Georgia
congressional delegation and the administrator of the United States
Environmental Protection Agency.