Transcript EPA’s Air Quality Programs

Designations for PM2.5 in North Carolina
Public Meeting to Receive
Comments on NC’s
Potential Recommendation
What are Designations?
• Federal Action under the Clean Air Act
• In Code of Federal Regulations, CFR
• Based on Measured Air Quality Levels;
Non-Attainment - Areas Exceeding
Federal Ambient Air Quality Standards
Which Air Pollutants are Involved?
• Ground Level Ozone, 8 - Hour Average
–Designation Recommendations Due
July 15, 2003
• Fine Particle, PM 2.5
–Designation Recommendations Due
February 15, 2004
• Today’s meeting is focused on PM2.5
Particulate Matter: What is It?
A complex mixture of extremely small
particles and liquid droplets
Hair cross section (70 mm)
Human Hair (70 µm diameter)
PM10
(10µm)
PM2.5
(2.5 µm)
M. Lipsett, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
Fine Particles: Why You Should Care
Public Health Risks Are Significant
Particles are linked to:
• Premature death from heart and lung disease
• Aggravation of heart and lung diseases
– Hospital admissions
– Doctor and ER visits
– Medication use
– School and work absences
• And possibly to
– Lung cancer deaths
– Infant mortality
– Developmental problems in children, such as low
birth weight
Particles Affect the Lungs and Heart
• Respiratory system effects
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Chronic bronchitis
Asthma attacks
Respiratory symptoms (cough, wheezing, etc.)
Decreased lung function
Airway inflammation
• Cardiovascular system effects
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Heart attacks
Cardiac arrhythmias
Changes in heart rate and heart rate variability
Blood component changes
Some Groups Are More at Risk
• People with heart or
lung disease
– Conditions make them
vulnerable
• Older adults
– Greater prevalence of heart
and lung disease
• Children
– More likely to be active
– Breathe more air per pound
– Bodies still developing
We Must Move Ahead
• Implementation of the fine particle
standards is estimated to prevent:
– Thousands of premature deaths from
heart and lung disease every year
– Tens of thousands of hospital admissions
and emergency room visits
– Millions of school and work absences
due to aggravated asthma and other lung
and heart diseases
PM 2.5 In Ambient Air: A Complex Mixture
Secondary Particles
(From Precursor Gases)
Primary Particles
(Directly Emitted)
VOC
Condensed
Organics
Secondary
Organics
Elemental
Carbon
SO2
Ammonium
Sulfate
Crustal
Ammonia
Ammonium
Nitrate
Crustal
Other
NOx
June 2000 / tgp
EPA’s Role: Protecting and
Improving Air Quality
• EPA set national air quality standards
for fine particles in 1997
– Annual std: 15 micrograms per cubic meter,
averaged over 3 years
– 24-hour std: 65 micrograms per cubic
meter, 98th percentile averaged over 3 years
• New standards withstood all legal
challenges
• Moving forward now to implement
standards
PM2.5 Standards Under Review
• Ongoing work to evaluate current
standards
• Potential lowering of both annual and 24
hour average standard
• Potential new PM coarse standard
• Not likely to be issued for two years
• Today’s meeting is to focus on current
standards
Average Annual PM2.5 Concentrations
July 2000 – June 2003
Hickory Area Design Values
Charlotte Area Design Values
Triad Area Design Values
Hickory
AIRS Code 370350004 POC 5 (ROUTINE)
Date(s): 1/3/2003 - 8/13/2003
Average Concentration (16.3µg/m³)
Ot he r
15 %
Nit r at e
8%
C r ust a l c ompone nt
3%
El e me nt a l c a r bon
4%
Or ga ni c c a r bon
29%
S ul f a t e
3 1%
A mmoni um
10 %
Millbrook
AIRS Code 371830014 POC 5 (ROUTINE)
Date(s): 1/3/2003 - 8/13/2003
Average Concentration (15.1µg/m³)
Ot he r
14 %
Nit r at e
7%
C r ust a l c ompone nt
5%
El e me nt a l c a r bon
4%
Or ga ni c c a r bon
32%
S ul f a t e
28%
A mmoni um
10 %
NORTH CAROLINA PM 2.5 SPECIATION
Statewide Avg. Concentration 17.3 ug/m3 (224 samples)
1/3/2003 - 8/13/2003
7%
19%
26%
7%
Nitrate
Sulfate
Ammonium
Organic carbon
Elemental carbon
3%
Crustal component
Other
9%
29%
What is EPA’s Guidance?
• Any county with a violating PM2.5 monitor
and nearby contributing areas need to be
designated as non-attainment
• EPA recommends the full Metropolitan
Statistical Area (MSA) or CMSA serve as
the presumptive boundary for PM2.5 nonattainment areas
• Whole counties
• Match 8-Hour Ozone Boundaries
Factors to be Considered for
Larger or Smaller than MSA
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Emissions and AQ in Adjacent Areas
Population Density
Monitoring Data
Location of Emissions Sources
Traffic and Commuting Patterns
Expected Growth
Meteorology
Factors to be Considered for Area
Larger or Smaller than MSA
• Geography/Topography
• Jurisdictional Boundaries
• Level of Control of Emission
Sources
• Regional Emission Reductions
Option E: Consideration of
Spatial Averaging
• EPA allows establishment of Community
Monitoring Zones (CMZ’s)
• NC has three CMZ’s – Buncombe County,
Forsyth County, Mecklenburg County
• NC can use a spatial averaging technique
in these CMZ’s
• If spatial averaging is used, then the
monitors in Forsyth and Mecklenburg
attain the PM2.5 annual NAAQS
Option E: Continued
• NC is taking comment on whether spatial
averaging should be used
• The monitors in Forsyth and Mecklenburg
Counties may attain by the end of the
fourth quarter of 2003 without spatial
averaging
• If they do not, however, spatial averaging
is allowed and could show compliance
with the standard
Reducing Fine Particles
• Approach must include national, regional
and local strategies
• National efforts under way:
– Existing programs such as Acid Rain program
and fuel sulfur limits
– Rules not yet in effect, such as rule to control
emissions from non-road vehicles &
equipment
• The Clear Skies Act
• NOx/SO2 Transport Rule
What is NC doing to solve the air
quality problems?
• Participation in the Southern Appalachian
Mountain Initiative
• Adoption of Clean Air Bill of 1999
• Adoption of NOx SIP Call Rule
• Adoption of Clean Smokestacks Act
– Encouraging neighboring States to adopt
similar legislation
• Participation in Southeast’s Regional Haze
Planning Organization (VISTAS)
Some Local Reduction Programs
• Opportunities to address PM-2.5
nonattainment
• Making vehicles cleaner
• Diesel engine retrofit programs
• Clean vehicle fleet programs
• Diesel idling, smoking cars reduction
programs
• Reducing the impact of burning
• Wood stove retrofit incentives
• Open burning impact reduction
Review: Next Steps
• Public Meetings – December 2-4, 2003
• Public Comment Period – December 31,
2003
• Consider Comments
• Consult with Other Departments
• Send Draft Recommendation to Governor
– January 23, 2004
• State Sends Recommendation to EPA –
February 15, 2004
How Do I Comment?
• E-mail:
– [email protected]
– Send e-mails by December 31, 2003
• Mail:
– Sheila Holman
– NC Division of Air Quality
– 1641 Mail Service Center
– Raleigh, NC 27699-1641
– Send comments so that they are
received by December 31, 2003
PM2.5 Implementation Timeline
2003:
• Dec.
2004:
• Feb.
• Spring
• Dec.
• Dec.
2005:
• Spring
2007:
• Dec.
plans
2009:
• Dec.
Propose implementation rule
States/Tribes submit nonattainment
area recommendations
Propose PM-2.5 transport rule
Finalize implementation rule
EPA designates nonattainment areas
EPA finalizes PM2.5 transport rule
States/Tribes submit implementation
Attain standards
For More Information:
• Visit our website:
– Division of Air Quality – www.ncair.org
• e-mail; phone:
– [email protected]; (919) 715-0587
– [email protected]; (919) 715-0971
– [email protected]; (704) 663-1699
– [email protected]; (828) 251-6208
– [email protected]; (336) 771-4600
– Don Willard, [email protected]; (704) 3365500
– Bob Fulp, [email protected]; (336) 727-8060