fell from 95 to 51 ug/m from 1974 to 1979. The maximum subsequently fell 

 from 277 to 123 ug/m^ In Santa Rosa County in 1979, the arithmetic means 

 ranged from 50 to 58 ug/m^, which was close to the Florida primary (National 

 secondary) maximum standard of 60 ug/m^. 



Sulfur dioxide . The only Northwest Florida counties measured for sulfur 

 dioxide were Bay, Escambia, and Santa Rosa Counties. These measurements were 

 taken largely to monitor industrial sources and military installations. None 

 of the time-related readings (3-hour, 24-hour, and annual arithmetic mean 

 standards) was approached. The annual arithmetic mean in Panama City in Bay 

 County flucuated between 5 and 9 ug/m^ in 1975-77. In Escambia County, the 

 Ellyson Naval Air Station, Monsanto Chemical Co., and Montren areas were 

 monitored, as well as several other urban and remote sites. Average annual 

 concentrations were relatively low and no trends appeared in the 1970' s. The 

 annual average was 26 ug/m-^, well below the annual secondary standard 

 (60 ug/m^). 



In Santa Rosa County, the maximum short-term concentration of sulfur 

 dioxide in the air was about 1,118 ug/m , which was near the 1,300 ug/m 

 3-hour standard. In Santa Rosa County, the monitoring included a site at the 

 Jay Oil Field Production and processing facility. Generally, concentrations 

 of sulfur dioxide for both short-and long-term standards are increasing in 

 Santa Rosa County. None, however, approach primary or secondary standards at 

 this time. Annual arithmetic means at most stations ranged from 5 to 

 19 ug/m^ 



Nitrogen dixode . Limited measurements of nitrogen dioxide in Northwest 

 Florida were taken at Panama City in Bay County, Pensacola in Escambia County, 

 and Gulf Breeze in Santa Rosa County. The highest ambient nitrogen dioxide 

 concentration was in Pensacola where the arithmetic mean was 16.8 ug/m^, well 

 below the Federal and State standard. 



Future Forecasts 



All indications suggest good air quality for Northwest Florida now and 

 into the near future (Discussions with staff. Bureau of Air Quality, Florida 

 State Department of Environmental Regulation, July 1980). 



Evaluation of The Resource 



Economic evaluation of side effects of air pollution . The nature and 

 approaches used in estimating indirect economic costs or secondary impacts 

 caused by air pollution are wide and varying. According to Waddel 1 (1974), 

 the costs of air pollution were about $5.5 billion for property damage, $4.3 

 billion for health, $1.1 billion for material damage. No estimates were made 

 for damage to vegetation. 



In another report, the annual cost of air pollution in the United States 

 was estimated at $16.1 billion, or about $74 per person per year. These costs 

 obviously are far greater for the elderly, the young, and the poor because of 

 their weak socioeconomic status. 



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