O.C.G.A. § 12-9-41 (2019)

With respect to the ambient air quality in this state, the General Assembly finds that:

CONSERVATION & NATURAL RES.

(1) Some counties of the state have ambient air levels of ozone or carbon monoxide in excess of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for such pollutants specified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 7401, et seq., as amended; and that the USEPA has determined that under certain conditions, such excess levels in such counties are directly related to emissions of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide from responsible motor vehicles registered in such counties;

(2) In order to comply with federal health related air standards in counties where the USEPA has determined that excess levels of ozone or carbon monoxide or both are directly related to emissions of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide from responsible motor vehicles, it is necessary to monitor and limit emissions of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide from responsible motor vehicles registered in such counties;

(3) The USEPA has the duty, by law, to designate those areas of the state violating the NAAQS and has and will, from time to time, as facts dictate, designate those counties or areas of the state violating the NAAQS for ozone and carbon monoxide, and the USEPA has the duty, by law, to establish criteria to determine whether the excess levels of ozone or carbon monoxide or both are directly related to emissions of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide from responsible motor vehicles in such counties;

(4) With respect to such designations, when counties or areas are designated to have ambient air levels of pollutants in excess of the NAAQS and according to the criteria established by the USEPA the excess levels of pollution are directly related to emissions of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide from responsible motor vehicles, the state is under a duty to provide a plan for reducing the ambient air levels of pollutants found to be in excess of the NAAQS if the state is to maintain its authority to permit new or expanded industry in such county or area; and

(5) Failure of the state to provide a legally enforceable mechanism pursuant to state law for reducing such pollutants in such counties or areas to levels within the NAAQS will result in such a mechanism subsequently being devised by USEPA and enforced in such areas pursuant to federal law and could result in a significant loss of federal funds for sewage treatment plants, transportation projects, and air quality improvement funds; further, new or expanded industry which would contribute to the ambient air level of such pollutants would be subject to significant new emission control requirements to offset increased emissions.