We have
a great opportunity this summer to bring our Baton Rouge area
community into attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality
Standard for ozone. Achievement of this standard brings important
benefits such as cleaner air and an improved regulatory environment
for economic development. Failure to achieve attainment of the
standard this summer will lead to more expensive reformulated
gasoline among other onerous new EPA requirements. Some of these
new requirements present serious threats to the economic health
of our region. Recognizing the gravity of the ozone nonattainment
situation facing the Baton Rouge area, Mayor-President Bobby
Simpson along with the Presidents of Ascension, Iberville, Livingston,
and West Baton Rouge Parishes; the Capital Region Planning Commission,
and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality set in
motion an action plan for this summer. Now, local and state
government, industry, businesses, Chambers of Commerce, Capital
Region Planning Commission, DEQ, and civic and environmental
organizations are working together on a comprehensive clean
air campaign for this summer. The purpose of this campaign is
to raise local awareness of our ozone nonattainment problem
and encourage all within our community to do their share to
reduce ozone-forming emissions this summer. Even small measures
taken at the individual level can make a difference when multiplied
by the total number of those in our community willing to help
with this problem. Please join our effort by learning what you
can do this summer to help reduce ozone-forming emissions.
