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State warns Utah County faces 'serious' PM2.5 nonattainment classification, stricter controls possible
Summary
Utah County was told by the Division of Air Quality it is being reclassified as a 'serious' PM2.5 nonattainment area; the county must prepare a more stringent state implementation plan with a 2019 attainment review and possibly tighter control measures that could raise compliance costs.
State air-quality staff told the Board of County Commissioners that monitoring data show Utah County missed its PM2.5 attainment date and that the EPA has proposed reclassification to a "serious" nonattainment area. Bill Reese of the state Division of Air Quality outlined the implications: the state must prepare a serious-area State Implementation Plan (SIP) that builds on the earlier moderate-area SIP, includes an updated quantitative air-modeling analysis, and assigns a new attainment date (initially 2019).
Reese said the serious classification raises the benchmark for required emissions controls from 'reasonably available controls' to 'best available controls' and, if the county cannot demonstrate attainment within the extension window to 2024, the standard could require "most stringent measures" — controls drawn from any state or jurisdiction that has successfully implemented them. "That benchmark will rise a bit and become what is called best available controls," Reese said, warning that the difference is primarily cost: "Basically, the difference is it costs more."
Commissioners asked how reclassification squares with longer-term emission reductions. Reese said emissions have generally trended down but the short-term 24-hour health standard is measured on a 3-year rolling average and seasonal winter events can drive spikes. He explained the 24-hour health standard (35 micrograms per cubic meter) allows roughly eight exceedance days per year in the averaging window and noted the county's monitors showed enough high short-term readings to trigger the reclassification review. "We are making progress," he said, "we're still not there."
Staff and commissioners explored sources and mitigation levers — tailpipe and secondary chemistry contributions, wood smoke, and geography-driven inversions — and asked about modeling by airshed and coordination with regional planning organizations. Reese said the state will work with local governments and regional agencies, and the Mountainland Association of Governments will participate in transportation and emissions analysis. He emphasized the timeline the state received for completing the SIP and cautioned the board that the more stringent benchmarks could require controls with higher dollars-per-ton costs and potential economic impacts if more severe measures are needed.
