COLUMBIA – As part of the effort to improve air quality statewide, South Carolinians are urged to consider using mass transit instead of single-occupant vehicles on May 30 as part of "Drive Nowhere Day," the state Department of Health and Environmental Control announced today.

"As summer heats up and ground-level ozone poses a bigger threat to public health, the 'Drive Nowhere' pledge sponsored by Environmental Action has state and local officials asking Americans to take a second look at mass transit," said Myra Reece, chief of DHEC's Bureau of Air Quality. "In early May, nearly 1,000 people took the 'Pledge to Drive Nowhere' on May 30.

"During the summer months, ground-level ozone is the state’s most widespread air-quality concern,” Reece said. "High ground-level ozone concentrations generally occur on hot, sunny days when the air is stagnant. That can create breathing problems for anyone, but especially does so for children, people with asthma or other respiratory problems, as well as for adults who work or exercise outdoors. Ground-level ozone can also cause tree or crop damage."

According to Reece, ground-level ozone forms when emissions from volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxide, which primarily come from tailpipe exhaust, react in the presence of sunlight.

"Since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made the ground-level ozone standard more stringent in March, county and local governments have increased their support for use of mass transit as one of many ways to reduce emissions," Reece said. "For example, the Seneca City Council voted unanimously on April 24 to spend $48,550 for a transportation study aimed at expanding Clemson Area Transit bus routes to Walhalla and Westminster; the Charleston area is looking into ways to expand service for the growing number of commuters driving to the Super Kmart park-and-ride lot in North Charleston to pick up the CARTA Express buses to the peninsula; and the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority has lowered fares for its SMARTRIDE service for commuters from Newberry, Little Mountain and Chapin."

Mass transit has many benefits:

• By taking cars off the road, citizens can lower their dependence on oil and reduce air pollution from ozone, particulate matter and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
• Mass transit also creates economic opportunities and improves quality of life for riders of all stripes.
• Public transportation creates opportunities to get ahead for people who don't have the option of driving a car to get to work.
• It also provides time for reading, working or relaxing that would otherwise be spent navigating through traffic.

Web pages for all South Carolina regional transportation authorities, with information on bus routes and fares, can be accessed at the Transportation Association of South Carolina Web site at: http://www.go-tasc.org/.

Anyone interested in taking the pledge not to drive on May 30 may do so by logging on to the Environmental Action Web site at: http://www.environmental-action.org/enviroaction.asp?id=2623&id4=ES

For more information about how to get involved with local efforts to improve air quality in South Carolina, please visit the DHEC Bureau of Air Quality Web page at: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/baq/community.aspx, or call (803) 898-4123.