Mass transit could help solve Midlands’ pollution problem

THE CONTINUING pollution problem in the Midlands is yet another reason local governments must work together to build a quality regional transit system.

The Columbia area exceeded federal air pollution standards twice this month. Smog not only endangers people’s health, but it threatens economic growth. High ozone levels in smog can make breathing difficult for people with asthma and other lung disorders.

If Richland and Lexington counties don’t meet federal ozone standards by late next year, they face tougher pollution clean-up measures for new and expanding industries. Industries could be required to install more restrictive and expensive pollution-control equipment. Industrial recruiters fear that could hurt economic development. The region also could lose some federal highway money if it doesn’t comply; auto emissions contribute to ozone pollution.

As the Midlands attempts to improve air quality it must not overlook the fact that a clean, effective regional transit system can help combat pollution. That’s why it’s important for Lexington and Richland counties as well as other area local governments to sufficiently fund the struggling public bus system. The Midlands Regional Transit Authority has said up to 85 percent of services would have to be cut by January if it doesn’t get funding.

Regulators have been working for more than four years to reduce ozone across the state. They say there is lots of work to be done if Columbia is to meet the federal ozone standards by the deadline.

David Farren, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said he isn’t surprised by the high ozone readings in Columbia. Last spring, the attorney was critical of South Carolina’s effort in a letter to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. In addition to calling for a state law better controlling power plant pollution, Mr. Farren also said the Columbia and Greenville areas could do more at the local level.

Richland County has a fast-developing core city and sprawl-plagued suburbs, where people are calling for wider and more roads. Lexington County suffers from similar problems. Mr. Farren said Richland should study how new development projects could worsen air pollution. The state and cities also could buy low-emission vehicles and encourage mass transit more aggressively, he said.

Local governments have made some attempts to address smog, but they haven’t done enough. If they’re serious about fighting pollution, they must support regional transit. They must stop thinking of the current bus system with its limited routes and consider what it can be and the positive effect it can have on air quality.

Governments in Lexington and Richland counties must invest in the development of a competitive transit system that takes cars off the road and reduces congestion and pollution while taking people where they need and want to go. The only alternative is to continue widening roads that draw even more automobiles, which adds to the smog level.

And that’s unacceptable.