Lawrence residents can breathe a little easier.

The latest readings from a Lawrence air quality monitor have found ozone readings well within acceptable federal standards.

That is good news for people with asthma and other respiratory problems.

But the readings also mean good news for consumers. Richard Ziesenis, director of environmental health for the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, said the latest numbers made it less likely environmental regulators would impose costly new guidelines on the area.

“The numbers show that we’re certainly in compliance with the federal Clean Air Act, and that is very good news,” Ziesenis said.

Richard Ziesenis, director of environmental health for the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, stands in a field in North Lawrence near the air quality monitoring station. Ziesenis says the city is in compliance with the federal Clean Air Act.

Counties not in compliance run the risk of the Environmental Protection Agency imposing regulations such as requiring gasoline stations to sell a more environmentally friendly – but more expensive – form of gasoline.

Other regulations could include requiring large industrial plants – like the coal-powered Lawrence Energy Center – to install more air quality control equipment. Those costs could then be passed along to electric customers.

“There are a lot of penalties that can hit businesses and our pocketbooks,” said Bert Rowell, a member of the county’s Air Quality Advisory Committee.

The preliminary numbers for 2005 showed only one eight-hour period for the entire year where Lawrence ozone levels were above federal guidelines. Ziesenis said that compared favorably to the 24 times levels were exceeded in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area.

Ziesenis said the fact that Lawrence is contributing significantly lower amounts of ozone to the atmosphere than Kansas City is important because it should help squelch talk that Lawrence should be included in the greater Kansas City area for regulation purposes.

That’s important because Kansas City is at a greater risk of falling out of compliance with the Clean Air Act, said Tom Gross, chief of the air monitoring and planning section of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Gross said the latest numbers won’t cause the Kansas City area to fall out of compliance, but he’s concerned the area had 24 days over the limit. If that continues, the area runs the risk of additional regulations because cities are judged on a three-year rolling average.

• 6News video: Area’s air deemed clean
• EPA.gov
• Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department

If Kansas City falls out of compliance, it could renew pressure to include Lawrence in the Kansas City region.

“I don’t want to speculate on whether that would happen or not,” Gross said. “We just want to make sure we stay in compliance so we don’t have to worry about it.”

But the readings, which are taken from a small station near the Lawrence Municipal Airport, don’t mean Lawrence can rest assured ozone levels won’t become a problem.

“As the city expands and more cars get on the road, I think it will get progressively more difficult to keep a handle on,” Rowell said. “We will certainly have to keep an eye on it.”

Ziesenis said his office conducts public education campaigns designed to reduce ozone levels. He said people should remember, especially during hot summer months, to carpool when possible, and to fill up their cars with gasoline at night. The heat of the day reacts with the gasoline and allows vapors to escape more easily into the air. Mowing lawns during the cooler evening hours also is recommended.