March 1 through November 30 is the time when there is a greater risk of ground-level ozone, a harmful secondary air pollutant formed by the interaction of sunlight, heat and precursor pollutants such as volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides. Several North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) initiatives combat the negative impact of ground-level ozone to improve air quality.

Vehicles, construction equipment, locomotives and aircraft account for about 60 percent of emissions. The 2024 ozone season closed with a design value of 83 parts per billion (ppb), meaning Dallas-Fort Worth remains out of compliance with the federal government’s standards for ozone pollution. There are two such standards for North Texas: one from 2008 that established a limit of 75 ppb and a more recent 70 ppb standard from 2015. (As the new ozone season begins, Dallas-Fort Worth has a current design value of 74 parts per billion.)

Dallas-Fort Worth is currently classified as a “severe” nonattainment zone under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2008 ozone standard and a “serious” nonattainment zone under the 2015 standard. NCTCOG programs and policies that help the area meet attainment and avoid further sanctions include:

·   The Saving Money And Reducing Truck Emissions (SMARTE) program promotes fuel savings and emissions reduction for the trucking industry through education and events. The program includes a yearlong web series covering topics such as the EPA SmartWay Verified Technology program, an initiative designed to reduce truck emissions.

·   The Dallas-Fort Worth Air Quality Improvement Plan (AQIP) helps local governments improve air quality, protect public health and reduce impacts of extreme weather events. The development of this plan is funded through a grant from the EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program.

·   Engine Off North Texas is a regional initiative designed to combat the negative effects of unnecessary vehicle idling.

North Texas residents can help by using the region’s many mass transit options from Dallas Area Rapid Transit, the Denton County Transportation Authority and Trinity Metro, including buses, trains and on-demand rideshare options; carpooling to reduce use of single-occupancy vehicles;  combining errands to cut back on the number of car trips; and taking part in air quality education programs. Air North Texas is the NCTCOG public awareness campaign, which encourages North Texas residents, government agencies and businesses to pitch in to improve the region’s air quality.

For more information, visit AirNorthTexas.org and NCTCOG.org/trans.