Impact of this week's Ozone Alert violations

Tulsa exceeded federal air quality standards for the third day in a row Sunday. There was no Ozone Alert called for Monday, but there is one for Tuesday. News on 6 reporter Rick Wells fills us in on

Monday, August 25th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa exceeded federal air quality standards for the third day in a row Sunday. There was no Ozone Alert called for Monday, but there is one for Tuesday. News on 6 reporter Rick Wells fills us in on where we stand.

I talked to Nancy Graham the air quality program manager at INCOG Monday about the dirty air list and how we are doing. She told me despite the bad air weekend we are still ok. The EPA will announce in April our status either on or off the list, even then there is wiggle room.

Tulsa would have some control over its fate, vehicle emissions testing, reformulated gasoline, changes in fueling equipment, as of now we are close but still ok. "If we stopped the ozone season right now, our numbers would be ok, we would meet the new ozone standard."

But of course we can't end the season now. What we can do is do something on the 6 or 8 days each season when we are close to a bad air situation. She says that really doesn't seem like a lot to ask.