Page with Table
EPA creates air quality trends using measurements from monitors located across the country. The table
below shows that air quality based on concentrations of the common pollutants has improved nationally
since 1980.
| Percent Change in Air Quality | 1980 vs 2013 | 1990 vs 2013 | 2000 vs 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Monoxide (CO) | -84 | -76 | -59 |
| Ozone (O3) (8-hr) | -33 | -23 | -18 |
| Lead (Pb) | -92 | -87 | -60 |
| Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) (annual) | -58 | -50 | -40 |
| Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) (1-hour) | -60 | -46 | -29 |
| PM10 (24-hr) | – | -34 | -30 |
| PM2.5 (annual) | – | – | -34 |
| PM2.5 (24-hr) | – | – | -34 |
| Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) (1-hour) | -81 | -76 | -62 |
SOURCE: http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/aqtrends.html#comparison
NOTES: – Trend data not available
Negative numbers indicate improvements in air quality
In 2010, EPA established new 1-hour average National Ambient Air Quality Standards for NO2 and SO2
The oil and gas industry has invested $284
billion since 1990 to improve its environmental
performance – investments that build on past progress
and that will continue to improve air quality in the years
ahead. Like all Americans, we want a clean and healthy
environment for ourselves, our neighbors and our
families. http://www.api.org/environment-health-andsafety/
environmental-performance/corporate-reporting/
environmental-expenditures-survey accessed 3/4/15
Sensible government regulations can contribute to safety
and the protection health without impeding energy
development, job creation, revenue generation and
economic growth. With more new rules coming in the
next few years, including possible new ozone standards,
it’s critical that our government ensure that proposed
regulations make sense and that standards aren’t
changed needlessly.
The oil and natural gas industry operates under
extensive rules that, along with the industry’s own best
practices and standards, have enabled it to steadily
improve safety and reduce environmental impacts. Our
fuels are much cleaner today, and so are our facilities.
Indeed, that’s a primary reason why so much national
progress has been made over the decades improving air
quality – as EPA emissions data confirms.
We can build on this progress without going to stricter
and potentially very damaging standards that EPA may
soon propose. Air quality continues to improve under
current regulations and the oil and natural gas industry is
committed to making the air we all breathe cleaner while
creating new jobs and growing the economy.