SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board is backing the U.S. EPA's decision to strengthen the national ambient air quality standard for ground-level ozone pollution. That brings the national standard more in line with California's 10-year-old standard.

The federal standard has been lowered from 75 ppb to 70 ppb. Several rural counties likely will fall out of attainment, adding to California’s existing 16 ozone non-attainment areas. The new non-attainment areas are expected to include Amador, Tehama and Tuolumne counties and the Sutter Buttes area.

One of several goals California must meet are the existing ambient ozone air quality standards in 2023 and 2031. Those require an estimated 80 percent reduction in oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions below current emission levels in the South Coast air basin.

The South Coast Air Basin and the San Joaquin Valley are the nation's only two air basins designated 'extreme' non-attainment.

Story Date: October 9, 2015