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The U.S. EPA promulgated a new ambient air quality standard for fine particulate matter (particles less than 2.5 microns in size) in 1997. The new standard required the State of South Carolina to monitor these particles in the air at monitoring sites throughout the entire state for the period of January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2003. At that time, the state submitted the data and reported on the status of the state’s air quality with respect to the new air quality standard. In early 2004, the Governor of South Carolina, with the support of the SC DHEC, recommended to the U.S. EPA that the entire state was in attainment (in compliance) with the new PM2.5 standard.
The U.S. EPA did not concur with the Governor and determined that the three upstate counties of Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson were unclassifiable until the three full years of data from the downtown monitoring site in Greenville could be obtained. At that time the three counties would be classified as non-attainment (in violation) with the new PM2.5 standard. The U.S. EPA’s classification of non-attainment would be based on faulty data being used from the downtown Greenville monitoring site that is unduly influenced by local sources of particulates (primarily from wood burning in fireplaces and stoves). The monitor was located in violation of EPA’s own monitor siting criteria.
Legal action was taken by Greenville and Anderson Counties on March 7, 2005 in order to preserve the Upstate’s right to challenge the faulty siting of the downtown Greenville monitor. In addition, South Carolina DHEC also filed a legal challenge claiming that EPA should have used a different approach to determining the status of the Upstate region. On March 21, Spartanburg County Council voted unanimously to enter the legal challenge. On March 24, the Directors of the Spartanburg Area Chamber voted to join the legal action as a named plaintiff.
If Greenville County is incorrectly classified as violating the PM2.5 standard, all three counties (including Spartanburg and Anderson) will be designated as “non-attainment”. It will significantly impact the recruiting of new industries and the expansion of existing industries. Also, Federal highway funds can be frozen, with projects having to go through a major Air Quality Review Process (non-conformity analysis) and approval prior to Federal and State DOT monies being awarded. This process could divert DOT monies and cause delays to priority road projects in all three upstate counties.
The Board of Directors of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce believes there is a reasonable basis to challenge the validity of data gathered by an EPA ‘particulate matter’ monitor located in downtown Greenville. While the organization supports the goals of the Clean Air Act and does not dispute the EPA’s standards for PM2.5, the chamber does not believe the Greenville monitor is providing an accurate measurement of the air quality in the Upstate South Carolina region. The Spartanburg Area Chamber will pursue all appropriate steps to support and/or participate in the actions underway by the counties of Spartanburg, Greenville and Anderson.
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