Park becomes ozone zone — again

Park becomes ozone zone — again
Smokies already
ahead of last year's
pollution record
By Sarah Peterson
of The Daily Times Staff

Once again the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park is being plagued by high ozone
concentrations.
Ozone advisories were issued on Saturday
and Sunday for the Great Smoky Mountains. Concentrations of ozone — a powerful respira-
tory irritant formed when industrial and
automobile emissions react with volatile
organic compounds in the presence of sun-
light — have remained above the eight-hour
federal health standard continuously since
noon on June 9.
Under standardized measurements estab-
lished by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), ozone concentrations of 85
parts per billion (ppb) above eight hours are
unhealthy.
Automobiles and transportation exhaust
combined with electric power generators and
air stagnations are the main causes for high
concentrations of ozone.
"There is no short-term solution to the ozone
problem," said Bob Miller, Great Smoky
Mountains National Park spokesman Sunday.
To lower the concentrations, "there needs to
be cleaner vehicles and cleaner-burning
power plants," he said.
According to the EPA, those with respirato-
ry problems such as emphysema, asthma and
chronic bronchitis are at risk from ozone
exposure.
Also at risk are individuals engaging in
strenuous outdoor exercise and children play-
ing outdoors. "People that fall into these cat-
egories need to take it easy," Miller said.
Maximum ozone averages reached 110 ppb
and 112 ppb at Cove Mountain and Clingmans
Dome. Clingmans Dome also exceeded the
one-hour ozone standard for the first time
ever with a one-hour average concentration of
128 ppb on June 10.
While Cades Cove, Look Rock and Purchase
Knob exceeded the eight-hour standard Satur-
day and Sunday, ozone concentrations
remained between 85 and 105 ppb.
In 1998 there were 44 days that the ozone
concentrations were higher than the standard;
1999 had 52 days in violation, the worst ozone
season on record.
Sunday was the 10th day for the park to
exceed the standard in 2000. The 10th day that
surpassed the health standard in 1999 did not
occur until July 23.
With about three months of ozone season
remaining, the park is already six weeks
ahead of last year's record.
Miller predicted that until a weather front
moves into the area, high concentrations of
ozone will continue to be an immediate prob-
lem in the park.