Colorado’s ozone reduction plan heads to the Air Quality Control Commission

Colorado’s mandatory plan to reduce ozone pollution, called a State Implementation Plan or SIP, is headed to the Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC), which is expected to kickoff a rulemaking on September 14.

The plan is required by the EPA because Colorado is failing to meet air quality standards set to protect Coloradans from dangerous ground-level ozone.

Key contributors to ground-level ozone pollution are gas and diesel-powered vehicles, including on-road vehicles like cars and trucks and off-road equipment like lawn mowers and snow blowers, oil and gas operations and heavy industries.

CoPIRG is calling on the AQCC to use its power to add additional measures to the SIP to reduce ozone pollution.

In a preface to the SIP, the Regional Air Quality Council highlighted a set of ozone pollution strategies that the AQCC should consider.