Air
Air Quality Permits
The Air Quality Permits layer displays sources of air pollution permitted by the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality. This layer focuses on Class I, Class II, and other air quality permits. A more comprehensive list can be found by visiting PDEQ's
Air Quality Operating Permits page. Permits included on this layer include copper mines, natural gas compression, aerospace manufacturers, power generation, landfills, and other sources of air pollution which require a permit. The data displayed is static data updated as of March 1, 2020.
Nonattainment and Maintenance Areas
There is one nonattainment area and four maintenance areas that are either partially or fully within Pima County. Nonattainment and Maintenance Areas are areas designated by the the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for each of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) required by the Clean Air Act. PDEQ monitors for each of the six criteria pollutants through an air monitoring network. The Clean Air Act requires a federally approved and enforceable plan developed by a state or local authority which identifies how it will meet and/or maintain the NAAQS, known as a State Implementation Plan (SIP). For each of the NAAQS, EPA must designate areas as meeting (attainment) or not meeting (nonattainment) each standard.
Pima County is in attainment with all of the NAAQS, with the exception of the Rillito PM10 nonattainment area. This nonattainment area is displayed on the Nonattainment Areas layer.
When an area was formerly nonattainment and is later redesignated as in attainment, it is covered under a maintenance plan. There are four maintenance areas within Pima County: two Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) maintenance areas in Ajo and San Manual, the Ajo PM10 maintenance area, and the Tucson Carbon Monoxide (CO) maintenance area.
Water
Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund
The
Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF) layer displays data obtained from the
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The WRARF program supports ADEQ in identifying, prioritizing, assessing and resolving the threat of contaminated soil and groundwater sites in the state. The program conducts statewide efforts using state funds and oversees privately funded cleanups as well. ADEQ maintains a
WQARF registry that lists sites in Arizona that may pose a risk to public health or the environment due to hazardous substances and have current or planned investigation and cleanup.
Impaired Streams and Lakes
The
Clean Water Act (CWA) requires states to
identify and list impaired waters, which includes the impaired streams and lakes displayed on this layer. ADEQ's
data for impaired streams and lakes is displayed on the respective layers, which identify impaired waters in the State of Arizona.Impaired
Waste
Hazardous Waste Generator Registrations
The Hazardous Waste Generator layer displays facilities that generate hazardous waste in Pima County. PDEQ registers these facilities in one of three categories based on the amount of hazardous waste generated monthly: Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG), Small Quantity Generator (SQG) and Large Quantity Generator (LQG). Hazardous Waste Generators displayed on this layer include hospitals, laboratories, aerospace manufacturers, pharmacies, copper mines, chrome platers and other registered generators of hazardous waste.
Illegal Dump Sites
The Illegal Dump Sites layer displays density data (heat map) for illegal dumpsites per square mile for areas in unincorporated Pima County. The data displayed is static data from September 2015 through March 2020. Since 1989 Pima County has worked to combat illegal dumping by responding to complaints regarding illegal dumping, and inspecting areas known for illegal dumping. For information regarding illegal dumping please visit the Illegal Dumping tab on the PDEQ Waste Programs page. This layer does not include information for illegal dumping within municipalities which monitor and enforce illegal dumping within their respective boundaries (for example: City of Tucson, Town of Marana, Town of Oro Valley, etc.).
Landfills
The Landfills layer displays the location of all landfills located within Pima County, including landfills which are no longer operating. This data was gathered from the Pima County Geographic Information Systems. The Landfills tab on the
PDEQ Waste Programs page contains information on landfills owned by Pima County. For information for landfills which are currently operating and are not owned by Pima County please see the respective website for that landfill.
Superfund Sites
The Superfund sites layer displays data obtained from the
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality regarding sites which fall under the federal
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund. Superfund sites that pose the greatest potential threat to public health and the environment are put on the National Priorities List (NPL).
ADEQ manages NPL sites within the State of Arizona. NPL sites may have soil, surface water or groundwater contaminated with hazardous substances. The purpose of the program is to ensure protection of human health and the environment through appropriate characterization and cleanup of high priority sites.