Corpus Christi: Current Attainment Status

Corpus Christi Area: Attainment Status by Pollutant

*The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revoked the one-hour ozone standard in all areas, although some areas have continuing obligations under that standard. See ozone history for more information.

**Standard will be revoked one year after the effective date of final designations for the 75 ppb standard.

Corpus Christi Attainment Areas

2008 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard Designation: Attainment/Unclassifiable, effective July 20, 2012 (77 FR 30088)   
On March 27, 2008, the EPA lowered the primary and secondary eight-hour ozone NAAQS to 0.075 parts per million (73 FR 16436). San Patricio and Nueces Counties were designated attainment/unclassifiable under the 2008 eight-hour ozone NAAQS, effective July 20, 2012. 

1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard Designations:  Attainment/Unclassifiable, April 20, 2004 (69 FR 23858) 
Counties: San Patricio, Nueces
Stakeholders in Nueces and San Patricio counties expressed a desire to develop an Ozone Flex (O₃ Flex) program for the eight-hour ozone standard and sent a letter of intent to the EPA signed by the Mayor of Corpus Christi on October 4, 2004. In response to Corpus Christi’s initiative, the EPA issued national guidelines for the Eight-Hour O₃ Flex Program on May 18, 2006, similar to the previous guidance for the One-Hour O₃ Flex Program. The purpose of the program is to encourage eight-hour ozone attainment areas nationwide to reduce ozone emissions to continue to meet the NAAQS for ozone. All parties signed the five-year agreement in 2007.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

The EPA has set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six principal criteria pollutants: ground-level ozone, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter. 

No later than one year after promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS for any pollutant, the governor must submit designation recommendations to the EPA for all areas of the state. The EPA must then promulgate the designations within two years of promulgation of the revised NAAQS. Areas that do not meet (or contribute to ambient air quality in a nearby area that does not meet) the NAAQS are designated nonattainment. Areas that meet the NAAQS are designated attainment; and areas that cannot be classified based on the available information, unclassifiable.

For ozone, the Federal Clean Air Act establishes nonattainment-area classifications ranked according to the severity of the area’s air pollution problem. These classifications—marginal, moderate, serious, severe, and extreme—translate to varying requirements with which Texas and nonattainment areas must comply.