OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

This State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision presents the Request for Redesignation of the New Jersey portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island moderate carbon monoxide nonattainment area from nonattainment to attainment for the carbon monoxide National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This area comprises counties in Northern New Jersey, downstate New York, and Southwestern Connecticut. The New Jersey portion of the area includes Hudson, Essex, Bergen, and Union counties and several municipalities in Passaic County. On November 22, 1999, the USEPA determined that the entire multi-state nonattainment area had attained the carbon monoxide NAAQS. As part of this Request for Redesignation, this SIP revision presents the carbon monoxide Maintenance Plan for the New Jersey portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island carbon monoxide nonattainment area. Implementation of the Maintenance Plan will ensure that the carbon monoxide NAAQS are maintained for at least ten years after a USEPA redesignation.

The redesignation action is a major milestone in New Jersey’s clean air effort. All of New Jersey has now attained the carbon monoxide health standard. Attainment of the carbon monoxide health standard represents a significant health benefit to the citizens of New Jersey. Carbon monoxide has significant health effects when present in levels above the standard. An odorless, colorless gas, carbon monoxide is readily absorbed by the body through the lungs and can reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the heart, brain, and other tissues. Exposure to elevated carbon monoxide levels has been linked to adverse health effects and can be especially harmful to children, people with heart disease, and pregnant women. At moderate levels, carbon monoxide exposure has been linked to symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, fatigue, poor vision and concentration, headaches, and heart pains. Exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide may result in unconsciousness and death.

This SIP revision presents the data and information that the USEPA requires in order to redesignate the area to attainment. Specifically, the document contains: (1) updated air quality monitoring data that demonstrate that measured carbon monoxide levels continue to remain below standards; (2) a Maintenance Plan that includes control measures, transportation conformity budgets, and a Contingency Plan; and (3) other information that supports the Request for Redesignation. The air quality monitoring data shows attainment with the health-based carbon monoxide NAAQS since 1996, while the carbon monoxide inventory projections for the years 2007 and 2014 that are included in the Maintenance Plan show reductions in emissions relative to the emissions estimated for 1996. Therefore, since future carbon monoxide emissions are expected to be lower than during 1996, there is every reason to conclude that attainment of the standard will continue through 2014.