EPA approves Washoe County ozone levels

Friday, June 12, 1998 | 1:57 a.m.

The county violated federal standards in February 1990 when unusual weather conditions prompted the rise in ozone levels.

A snowstorm followed by warm weather helped spur the mixture of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides that pushed ozone into the unhealthy range.

"It was a freak winter," said Tracie Douglas of the Washoe District Health Department Air Quality Management Division.

Since then, county officials have used special systems on gasoline pumps and tighter permit conditions for other contributors to pollution as ways to bring the ozone levels back into compliance.

The EPA notified the county this week that it no longer was on the non-attainment list.

The county has been within EPA attainment levels for ozone since 1990 but had to maintain a clean record for three years before it was could submit a new report. It took until now for EPA to make the formal ruling.

"We are still required to monitor for ozone and we are also required to maintain lower levels," said Andy Goodrich, the division's air pollution supervisor.

"Each year the smog technology on new cars gets cleaner, and since we've had several years of changing out older cars for newer ones, the air has gotten cleaner," he said.