Highlights from Michigan EGLE’s Annual Air Quality Report
The Michigan EGLE Air Quality Division (AQD) is required to prepare an annual report per the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. The AQD Annual Report gives an overview of Michigan’s air quality for 2019, along with any changes that occurred in monitoring programs throughout the year. Since EGLE began monitoring air quality in the early ‘70s, criteria pollutant levels have continually decreased. The six pollutants monitored by EGLE AQD are:
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Lead (Pb)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
Ozone (O3)
Particulate matter smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns in diameter (PM10 and PM2.5, respectively)
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
EGLE has established a network of more than 40 monitoring sites throughout the state that monitor for one or more of these pollutants. Five of the monitoring sites were shut down in 2019 due to funding changes or to reduced workload. A review of the FY20 state budget shows that over $23 million was cut from the Michigan EGLE budget.
The AQD Annual Report also confirms that Michigan is currently in attainment for the following pollutants:
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Lead (Pb)
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
Particulate Matter (PM)
Non-attainment problems in Michigan, however, have always been for sulfur oxides and ground-level ozone. SO2 non-attainment areas include a portion of Wayne County and a portion of St. Clair County. Ozone non-attainment areas include a portion of Allegan County, Berrien County, a portion of Muskegon County and the entire 7-county area of Southeast Michigan (Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties). Two of the monitoring sites that were removed due to 2019 budget cuts were from this non-attainment area (Livingston and Wyandotte sites). It is also no surprise that the areas of non-attainment are also the areas in Michigan where we have the most concentrated manufacturing industry and surface transportation. Management of air pollution coming from these sources is the key to Michigan achieving attainment status.
CFR Environmental has a long track record of providing support related to air permitting, compliance, and reporting projects. Our expertise includes Renewable Operating Permits (ROP), Permits to Install (PTI) and Potential to Emit (PTE) projects for compliance with state and federal regulations. Contact us to learn more about our air consulting services.
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