About Us: How it all Started

In 1997, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established a new 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS).  This was done based on a review of ground level ozone and related health impacts.

By eliminating all unnecessary idling, the average driver can save up to 30 gallons of gasoline per year.  Idling: it gets you nowhere.

Based on air quality data from 1997 to 1999, the Eastern Panhandle was designated to be a non-attainment area for ground level ozone.  An Early Action Compact (EAC) was formed to address this issue by the leadership of Jefferson County, Berkeley County and the City of Martinsburg.  In December of 2002, the EAC submitted an Early Action Plan (EAP) to the EPA.  This plan was approved by the EPA and implemented in 2004.

At the time the Eastern Panhandle was designated to be a non-attainment area, Washington County, MD and Frederick County, VA were also designated to be non-attainment areas.  This demonstrates the regional nature of the problem and why a regional approach has been chosen to address the problem.

Ozone is a colorless-odorless gas that has a direct affect on people's health and plant life.  It can cause and worsen lung related illnesses and reduce crop yields. 

Since 2004, the air quality program has worked to implement the seven control measures of the EAP.  These control measures are: Ozone Action Days, Public Awareness Program, Bicycle and Pedestrian Measures, Reduce Engine Idling, Voluntary Partnership with Ground Freight, Increase Compliance with Open Burning Restrictions and School Bus Retrofit.  To this end, the program is heavily involved with public outreach and education to advance the control measures, collects monitoring data for ozone levels and provides the EPA with semi-annual reports on the progress of the air quality program.