Start of Ozone Season 2024

March 1st officially marked the start of Ozone Season (March 1 - October 31), the time when ozone pollution is most likely to reach higher levels. Ground Level Ozone is an irritant that can negatively affect human health, making it more difficult to breathe, increasing the frequency of asthma attacks, and inflaming or damaging the airways.

Ozone is not emitted directly into the air but is formed through chemical reactions between natural and man-made emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in direct sunlight. Weather conditions like low wind speeds, high peak temperatures, and low humidity contribute to high ozone levels.

Ozone levels in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA are currently out of compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which puts the region at high risk of being designated "nonattainment" status. In a 2016, CAPCOG estimated that this designation could cost the region $24.4 - $39.0 billion over the next 30 years. This cost would be due to prevented manufacturing growth from companies like Samsung and Texas Lehigh, a temporary loss in federal funding for highway constructions projects, and delays in infrastructure improvements.

What to Do During Ozone Season?

Together, we can improve our air quality in Central Texas!

Take action to cut down on ozone pollution in the region and improve our air quality by making a pledge to "Commit to ACT".

Sign up for Ozone Action Day alerts to stay informed about air quality in the region.

The Current State of PM2.5

In February 2024, EPA updated the annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) NAAQS from 12 micrograms per cubic meter to 9 micrograms per cubic meter, which puts Travis County at high risk of being designated out of attainment with the new standard. The graph below shows the annual PM2.5 design value trend since 2006.

The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires nonattainment areas to implement emissions reductions to meet the the NAAQS as quickly as possible. If the Austin area stays out of attainment the federal government can withhold funding for transportation and other projects or refuse to issue permits for initiatives that would exacerbate the pollution.

The EPA has up to two years to issue a formal nonattainment designation for the Austin area. This means that we still have time to improve our region's air quality and avoid nonattainment status. It will take our collaborative efforts to return to compliance. Air Central Texas encourages individuals, businesses, and governmental organizations to commit to make emissions reductions.

Take ACTion to Protect Air Quality: School Edition

You may not think about it too often, but there’s a lot of pollution being emitted in a single day of driving your kids to school. There’s the commute to get to school, there’s the vehicle idling while you’re waiting in the queue, there’s your commute to leave the school, and there’s your commute back and your second round of vehicle idling while you wait to pick up your kids.

These vehicle emissions create pollutants like PM2.5 and ozone that linger in the air around your kid’s schools and can cause serious health problems, both in the short term and long term. We’re talking increased rates of asthma attacks, decreased lung function, and exacerbating pre-existing health conditions. They can even cause irregular heartbeats and heart attacks.

With so many vehicles making these trips and idling at schools, your kids are at risk of being exposed to a lot of air pollution. How can you improve air quality around your kids’ schools?

• Drive Cleaner!
  • Reduce vehicle idling by turning off your engine when you're not driving
  • Avoid high-emission driving practices by obeying the speed limit, braking gently, and driving slowly on unpaved roads
  • Maintain your vehicle by keeping your tires properly inflated and changing your oil regularly
  • Buy and use cleaner vehicles. You can look up a vehicle's emissions information under the "Energy and Environment" information at www.fueleconomy.gov
• Use public transit like bus services, metro rails, and shuttle services.
• Ride your bike. You can use services like MetroBike, or you can combine bike ride trips with bus and shuttle services.
• Walk. It decreases air pollution and traffic congestion, while also lowering health risks.
• Carpool or vanpool. Students can SchoolPool with parents who share the driving or costs to transport a group of kids to and from school.

Air Quality News

Austin Area Has Dangerously High Levels of Air Pollution, According to New EPA Standards - The EPA has announced long-awaited updates to air quality standards for fine particulate matter, also known as “soot,” pollution. The new, tighter limits mean some places that previously had acceptable levels of pollution are no longer meeting health standards. Austin and its surroundings are among those places. (Austin Monitor)

Austin Receives $1M Climate Pollution Reduction Grant -  The City of Austin received a $1 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant aimed to help develop climate action strategies to benefit the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown metro area. (KXAN)

'Concerned': Mayor Calls for Shut Down of Austin's Involvement in Fayette Power Plant - Watson announced in a newsletter that he was “concerned” about the direction Austin Energy was heading with that plan. Namely, that he didn’t feel it incorporated a hard enough approach to departing from Austin’s largest greenhouse gas producer — the Fayette Power Plant. (KXAN)

US Air Pollution Has Changed its Chemical Makeup Since 2006 - The report, published in the journal Atmospheric Environment by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, found that fine particulate matter (PM2.5), had significantly reduced in the United States, but also that its chemical composition completely changed between 2006 to 2020. (Newsweek)

Texas' Air Quality Predicted to Backslide - After decades of progress in the U.S. toward cleaner air, climate change-related events are expected to set back gains in parts of Texas through 2054.The big picture: Nearly 70 of Texas' 254 counties are expected, by 2054, to see an increase in days with an average air quality index of 100 or higher under current climate conditions. (Axios Dallas)

2024 Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown MSA Monthly Air Quality Index Levels

In February 2024, we experienced 22 good days, and 7 moderate days. All 7 moderate days were due to PM2.5. Air quality trends in February 2024 were improved to those of February 2023, which had 16 good days and 12 moderate days.

Access the Air Quality Index (AQI) forecast by using any weather app or by going to AirNow.gov for localized information.

To learn how these pollutants can affect public health, click the following links:

• Particulate Matter
• Ozone

View the current Air Quality Index (AQI) and learn more at AirNow.gov.

Share the Air Central Texas newsletter with your friends, family, and coworkers to help people understand the risk of poor air quality and how their actions can affect our breathable air.  

Make an air quality commitment to improve our local air quality, today!