Geologic, Hydrologic, and Urban Hazards for Design in Desert Environments - Design with the Desert: Conservation and Sustainable Development - page 110

TABLE 5.1
Designated Nonattainment Areas by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

State Location 8 h Ozone 2006 PM 2.5 1997 PM 2.5 PM 10

AZ Ajo Moderate

AZ Douglas Moderate

AZ Hayden/Miami Moderate

AZ Nogales Nonattainment Moderate

AZ Phoenix Sub par Serious

AZ Rillito (Pima Co.) Moderate

AZ Yuma Moderate

CA Los Angeles Extreme Nonattainment Nonattainment Serious

South coast
Air basin

CA Southeast desert Moderate

Modified AQMA

NV Las Vegas Sub par Serious

NV Reno Serious

NM Anthony Moderate

TX El Paso Moderate

Source: http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/greenbk/ancl3.html, accessed July 13, 2011.

with redevelopment of other sites. Since the inception of the program in 2002, several sites
nationwide have been rehabilitated and are back in use as productive real estate.

5.7.6 Air Quality

The Southwestern deserts were once promoted as a destination for health and rehabilita-
tion for those people suffering from tuberculosis or respiratory disorders. Development
in the Southwest over the past 50 years has significantly altered the quality of the air to a
point of noncompliance with standards set forth by the Clean Air Act and administered by
the EPA. The rapidly urbanizing cites of the Southwest have a mixture of tailpipe emissions
from automobiles that release carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrous oxide (NO 3 ), industrial
pollution from power plants and factories, and particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10 ) from
disturbing the ground or driving on unpaved roads and high levels of ozone (O 3 ). The
minimal rainfall in deserts allows contaminants released into the environment to remain
and accumulate in the atmosphere above urban areas, where under certain atmospheric
conditions (such as inversions), they may remain for days or weeks. Southwest cities are
constantly faced with attempting to create rational policies to manage the airshed below
EPA threshold for these criteria pollutants. Table 5.1 outlines the areas of nonattainment as
listed in the EPA's Greenbook .*
In some states, the EPA has threatened the state to take direct enforcement actions
because the state failed to meet targeted pollution levels during a noncompliance period.
Future development activities in the Southwest will continue to test the line between meet-
ing EPA air-quality standards and allowing activities that will support the current and
future growth of the region.

* http://www.epa.gov/oaqps001/greenbk/ancl3.html (accessed July 7, 2011).