Air Quality
Few things are as important as the air we breathe. Virginians have grown more concerned with emissions and the ozone they produce — but the quality of our air garners mixed reviews.
Why is This Important?
Poor air quality causes increased deaths, especially among the very young and the very old; reduces water quality; and damages forest resources, agriculture and materials. It also makes Virginia a less attractive place to live, do business in or visit — all substantial economic as well as quality-of-life consequences.
How is Virginia Doing?
Virginia is holding air pollutant levels down, but has not reduced total emissions. Although emissions per unit of economic activity in the state continue to fall for many pollutants, strong economic growth in recent years potentially erodes any gains in air quality that tighter emission controls might achieve.
Virginia is within the federal limits on air quality for all pollutants except for ozone in Northern Virginia. Starting in 1998, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began using a more stringent standard for ozone performance. Since that time, Virginia has significantly reduced the number of days when the ozone standard was exceeded, from 235 days per year on average between 1997 and 1999 to an average 51.7 days between 2005 and 2007. Northern Virginia, with an average of 38.7 days exceeding the ozone standard between 2005 and 2007, had the poorest air quality.
Air Quality, 2006
| State | # of Unhealthy Days * |
|---|---|
| Virginia | 56 |
| Maryland | 75 |
| North Carolina | 60 |
| Tennessee | 72 |
| Vermont | 0 |
| United States | 25 |
| * For those suffering from asthma and lung disease | |
In 2006, Virginia had 56 days where the air quality was considered unhealthy for people with asthma and lung disease, a part of the population that is most sensitive to changes in air quality.
What Influences Air Quality?
Ground level ozone, the main ingredient in smog, is a colorless gas formed by the reaction of sunlight with vehicle emissions, gasoline fumes, solvent vapors, and power plant and industrial emissions. Particle pollution is made up of particles found in soot, dust, smoke and fumes caused by burning coal, oil, diesel and other fuels. Global atmospheric circulation can cause emissions from other states and even other countries to affect Virginia.
Certain emissions are subject to reductions or caps mandated by state, federal and international laws and obligations. Regulations requiring reductions in emission rates per unit of activity will need to be tightened periodically to maintain air quality as economic activity grows. Regulations limiting air pollutant emissions to a certain amount per year can maintain air quality at a given level even as the economy grows.
What is the State's Role?
Air quality standards are established by the federal government. The state Department of Environmental Quality is charged with enforcing these federal standards.
What Can Citizens Do?
Individuals and groups are strongly encouraged to be active participants in resource management. To learn more about Virginia's environment, stewardship and public participation opportunities, and the partners engaged in conservation, please visit Virginia Naturally or the Virginia Conservation Network.
Data Definitions and Sources
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, www.deq.state.va.us/
Definition: 8-Hour Ozone Exceedance: The number
of times air quality monitors have recorded
ozone concentrations greater than 84 parts
per billion over an 8-hour period.
Note: Virginia Department of Environmental
Quality regional configurations are used in
this section.
EPA AirNow, www.epa.gov/aircompare/compare_by_state.htm
See the Data Sources and Updates Calendar for a detailed list of the data resources used for indicator measures on Virginia Performs.
