Transcript 2005 EPRI PowerPoint Template

316(b) Research
“We have found the results from the EPRI 316(b) research to be very helpful.
The EPRI report on strobe lights and acoustic systems, combined with existing
literature, convinced us that these technologies, in their current level of
development, were not the best fit for our facilities."
– Steve Summer, SCE&G
Regional Haze
"We Energies provided regional haze research results (1012575), including
recent analyses of international emission contributions to regional haze
impacting the four upper Midwest Class I areas (1015251), to the Midwest
Ozone Group as part of comments submitted to LADCO concerning the need
for additional (e.g., beyond "on the books") control measures for attaining
reasonable progress goals for this region."
– Dave Michaud and Terry Coughlin, We Energies
Industry Expertise
“An exclusive advantage provided by our EPRI Environment participation is to
bring together the prominent national and international expertise required to
develop, review, and implement complex research relevant to our industry. No
other organization is dedicated to such a mission.”
–Mark Boggs, Tennessee Valley Authority
Greenhouse Gas Inventory
“Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. contracted with EPRI for
assistance with performing a greenhouse gases (GHG) inventory and a plan to
manage future inventories. EPRI and their consultant, E-Source, provided the
expertise to help us better understand the elements of an inventory, the types of data
required, the issues and elements of reporting, and the level of effort required to
update an inventory over time. EPRI’s staff and consultant have performed
inventories for several EPRI members, understand the electric utility industry well, and
are familiar with the various GHG reporting protocols. This allows them to be efficient
and cost effective.”
–Martin Rehm, Tri-State G&T
316(b) Research
“The EPRI ORERP (Ohio River Ecological Research Program), which is
managed by Doug Dixon under Program 54, is a unique collaborative research
project that has recently addressed 316(b) issues at power plants up and down
the river. Most recently, EPRI developed a 316(b) sampling program that
required less sampling, yet provided more fish impingement information, than a
typical 316(b) study. The application of a model-based sampling program
allowed each company to save over $500,000 per tested facility, but provided
more information than a traditional study. The results of the work have allowed
participating companies to successfully negotiate 316(b) requirements for their
facilities.”
–Tim Lohner, American Electric Power
Groundwater Data Management
"We have been using the MANAGES data base since its inception and find it a
valuable tool for groundwater data management. Some of our remediation sites
have been monitored for over a decade and MANAGES makes it easy to store
and interpret data which would be voluminous in hard copy. The system also
helps us meet the regulatory requirement of electronic reporting.”
–Mark Collins, We Energies
316(b) Research
“Overall the results and support we have received from EPRI on 316(b) issues
has been fantastic! We have found the screening technology
reports very informative, and the easy access and quick response that we
receive from Dave Bailey has been most helpful in forming our 316(b)
compliance strategies."
– Ann Wearmouth, Mirant
Global Climate Change Webinars
"EPRI webinars on Global Climate Policy Design have been an excellent resource to
educate ourselves as climate change policy develops. The webinars regarding
allocation, auction, and cost containment measures for CO2 allocation schemes have
been extremely valuable. EPRI’s research and communication to membership in the
area of climate change has been extremely beneficial to Tri-State."
– Barbara A. Walz, Tri-State G&T
Ergonomic Handbooks
"The Ergonomic Handbooks served as a catalyst to educate the workforce on
the musculo-skeletal impact of routine job tasks on the body and to build
business cases for new interventions – validating ergonomics makes good
business sense."
–Karen G. Noe, Public Service Electric & Gas
Transmission Line Siting
“EPRI and Georgia Transmission Corp. (GTC) have shown leadership by
developing a standardized overhead transmission line siting methodology that
is open and transparent, helps utility professionals make more informed
decisions based on more comprehensive data, and addresses public and
regulatory concerns in measurable and meaningful ways.
The Kentucky Public service Commission applauded us for employing this
regimen and analytical tool to gather informed, proactive, and constructive input
from stakeholders and to apply it for transmission line siting.”
– Mary Jane Warner, East Kentucky Power Cooperative
316(b) Research
“We estimate EPRI efforts to assist us in development of compliance
alternatives for Phase II of the 316(b) rule at two of our facilities have saved us
on the order of $300,000 in initial study costs and likely well over $100,000
annually in O&M and compliance sampling costs. We have always believed
that EPRI efforts have been an important component in solving both our
environmental and operational challenges. The decision to utilize EPRI
services is about as easy as it gets.”
– Erik Silvola, Great River Energy
Use of 316(a) Variance Studies
“The Colorado Water Quality Control Commission recently amended their
temperature standards for the first time since their inception in the late 1970s.
During the course of the stakeholder process of reviewing and commenting on
the proposed standards, EPRI (Bob Goldstein) provided important technical
support and guidance to us (Tri-State) on the use of the Clean Water Act 316(a)
variance studies and the appropriateness of laboratory versus field studies in
the determination of potential impact on aquatic life. Bob Goldstein provided a
concise overview of the state of science in thermal discharge study.”
–Chantell Johnson, Tri-State G&T
Fish Protection
“Over the past decade, EPRI’s 316 Fish Protection Program has provided
expertise and extensive research, data compilation, and assessment results
regarding cooling water intakes and the effects of these intakes on fish
populations, all of which have been of tremendous value to both regulators and
the regulated community.”
–Jim Wright, Tennessee Valley Authority
Managing Dissolved Oxygen at Hydroelectric Plants
"We Energies' Environmental and Hydro Operation staff used EPRI Report
1005194, Maintaining and monitoring dissolved oxygen at hydroelectric
projects, to structure an analysis of options to correct low DO problems at
several of its hydroelectric plants. The stream-lined analysis saved both time
and effort during consultation with state and federal agencies; it eliminated the
need to consider the most costly alternatives from further consideration."
– Dave Michaud, We Energies
Groundwater Data Management
“Groundwater data management couldn’t get any easier from data import to
statistics and reporting; add in the user support and you have a one-stop
solution.”
–Chantell Johnson, Tri-State G&T
316(b) Research
“The 316(b) Synthesis Report (on-line) is clearly the best, a one-stop-shop
where all the technologies are listed. We did not have to hire a consultant to do
a thorough review of all available technologies; it was all right there. It saved
us time and money.”
– Dennis Dunning, New York Power Authority
Toxic Release Inventory Reporting
“Our organization has benefited greatly from use of the Pisces Database and LARKTRIPP software produced by EPRI in preparation of annual Toxic Release Inventory
(TRI) reports. In conjunction with the LARK-TRIPP program, EPRI has produced
several technical papers and procedures based on industry-wide data sets for
estimating emission factors and environmental releases from various coal sources,
boiler configurations, and emission controls. Utilization of the Pisces Database and
the LARK-TRIPP program allow the user to more accurately calculate estimated
environmental releases based on facility configuration, and significantly cut down on
the time required to prepare annual TRI reports.”
– Lisa A. Warren, Tri-State G&T
Mercury in Coal Combustion Byproducts
"We Energies has used results form EPRI's work on the environmental fate of
mercury in coal combustion byproducts (Report 1010061) in recent discussions
with state agencies in support of our application to allow land spreading of
WFGD-produced gypsum for agricultural soil beneficiation. Report 1010835
was also used to support this beneficial use assessment."
– Bruce Ramme and Robert Meidl, We Energies
Mercury Characterization and Control Interest Group
“The Mercury Characterization and Control Interest Group (MerCCIG) has been
an extremely valuable tool to help utilities burning coal better quantify and
understand mercury emissions from coal-fired plant because of the ability to
share data. To gather that same amount of data individually would be
extremely expensive. For example, the fact that numerous other utilities were
seeing significant co-benefit mercury emission reductions with the installation of
selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems
allowed us to have a "warm and fuzzy" feeling about our mercury emissions
after the installation our SCR and FGD systems.”
–Tom Burnett, Tennessee Valley Authority
Condensable Particulate Matter
“EPRI’s stakeholder participation in EPA’s Condensable Particulate Matter: EPRI is
currently evaluating alternative methods that could help to overcome the positive bias
seen in Method 202. These results, and ongoing EPRI efforts in this arena, will lead
to the development of a revised method that could ultimately lower Tri-State’s PM
emissions. Tri-State’s Craig Unit 3 will have a condensable limit with the new PSD
permit. This project is helping us prepare for better compliance certainty as the new
requirements for regulation of condensable particulates are developed and
implemented by state agencies.”
–Dana Stephens, Tri-State G&T
Global Climate Change Seminar
“Impressed with Global Climate Change Seminar; it had good balance of
science, economics, and policy. I learned a lot and it was good to have time
away from the office to focus on the issue.”
– Bob Teetz, KeySpan
316(b) Research
“After a thorough review of several contracting options, we chose EPRI to help
develop a comprehensive strategy for cooling system impact studies and
options associated with 316(b) compliance. Site visits by EPRI staff were
extremely helpful in explaining the new law and compliance alternatives to our
staff and serving as a basis for site specific options, biological sampling design
and strategic cost estimates that were extremely valuable to our management
for budgetary guidance.
Cost saving due to using our EPRI membership advantage was approximately
$400,000 in reduced consulting, engineering and outside contractor expenses.
Our management and environmental staff have been extremely pleased with
the comprehensive services provided by EPRI in helping us meet our cooling
water permit requirements.”
– John Thiel, Dairyland Power Cooperative
Clean Air Mercury Rule
"The process that resulted in the federal Clean Air Mercury Rule was as
politically and emotionally charged as any the utility industry has seen in recent
memory. Throughout this process EPRI was instrumental in providing
stakeholders and decision makers with the best available science concerning
our current understanding of how mercury behaves in the environment. During
the long and often contentious stakeholder process that we went through in
Georgia, EPRI, and Leonard Levin in particular, provided invaluable support
both in making sure that the positions our company took during the rulemaking
were grounded in the best science available, and in also trying to communicate
that information directly to our state regulatory agency. And while “sound
science” sometimes gets trumped by “political reality”, we at Oglethorpe
commend EPRI for its tireless efforts in trying to make sure that policy choices
are informed by the best available information."
–Boyd Vaughn, Oglethorpe Power Corp.
Mercury "State of the Science"
"We Energies has used the following EPRI communication briefs concerning
mercury in the environment to inform Wisconsin's Natural Resources Board
members on the "state of the science:”
1014438- Sources of mercury depositing in the U.S.
1014500- Integrated approaches to managing mercury
1014496- Health effects of mercury: New insights
1014451- Status of mercury controls: an update
1014428- Mercury "hot spots" Emissions and deposition patterns"
– Dave Michaud and Kathleen Standen, We Energies
Solving Environmental Challenges
"EPRI is a critical component to solving our environmental business challenges,
and the indispensable support received from the TAS staff over the years for
finding EPRI projects to support our needs like the WARMF project and
periodic customer follow-ups for application of research have been
invaluable. The EPRI technical staff is second to none in our industry, and we
would find it hard to do our jobs without EPRI.”
– Michalene Reilly, Hoosier Energy
EMF Seminar
"I want to express my sincere thanks to all of you for your efforts yesterday in
conducting the EMF Seminar for Con Edison and Orange & Rockland
personnel. I think you did a great job distilling 30 years of research and
communication issues into a 5 1/2 hour seminar. The participant feedback was
excellent; employees from various organizations learned a great deal about a
complex topic. The handout of all the slides will serve as a terrific reference
document for all involved."
–John Wilson, Consolidated Edison Co. of New York
Air Permit Applications- New Coal Plants
"We Energies has used results gained from PISCES program projects,
specifically measurements of mercury at existing power plants (Report
1000608) as well as evaluations of SCR/WFGD impacts on mercury speciation
and capture in our support materials for air permit applications for new coalfueled power plants (Report 1014450)."
– Dave Michaud and Terry Coughlin, We Energies
Industry Support on Water Issues
"Thank you so much for the continued interest and support of EPRI to the
Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI), a formal committee
established by the Secretary of the Interior under the Federal Advisory
Committee Act. Our very special and sincere thanks go to Dr. Robert Goldstein,
who has been a strong contributor to ACWI. Dr. Goldstein has provided a pillar
of support for ACWI's Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable, which has
made considerable progress over the past few years. We are delighted to have
him continue to represent EPRI on the Advisory Committee. Our sincere
appreciation to Dr. Goldstein and other EPRI staff who support our efforts to
improve the availability and use of Water Information for the Nation."
–Toni Johnson, Advisory Committee on Water Information
316(b) Research
“The EPRI-UWAG 316(b) Workshops have been most helpful; we compliment
EPRI for opening up the second workshop to include consultants and
contractors. The presentations at the workshop and the ability to network were
important to us.”
– Carla Logan, Constellation
Ambient Water Quality Criteria
“EPRI’s work was vital in informing the state’s decision to withdraw a
scientifically flawed arsenic standard, helping us avoid $12 million in
compliance costs at one ash pond site and similar challenges at other
facilities.”
–Jack Preston, SCANA
Air Permit Applications- New Coal Plants
"We Energies used mercury deposition modeling developed by AER among
other technical analyses to support the Air Permit Application for the then
proposed Elm Road Generating Station. The Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources subsequently approved the permit application."
– Dave Michaud and Terry Coughlin, We Energies
Manufactured Gas Plant Clean-up
"Our MGP clean-up site was located on a picturesque town harbor on
Maryland's Eastern Shore and was surrounded by new residential development
and busy recreational marinas. Our mission was to complete the clean-up in a
careful and responsible way -- mindful of the impact of odor and the footprint of
our harbor dredging activities. EPRI's technical direction -- especially the odor
control models and tools -- guided our progress every day -- and were critical to
our success."
–Wesley L. McNealy, Pepco Holdings, Inc.
Rights-of-Way Issues
“A key benefit of EPRI is its ability to bring companies together to research
common challenges and develop solutions that are viable, defensible, and truly
effective. We’ve applied EPRI products to improve system reliability, comply
with NERC requirements, reduce vegetation management costs, mitigate
environmental impacts and risks, ensure compliance with laws protecting
migratory birds, and partner with other stakeholders to identify compatible uses
for rights-of-way.
EPRI’s work also helps us bring new employees up to speed and establish a
common base of scientific knowledge, data, and field-proven solutions among
all staff as they work with property owners, agency representatives, and
others.”
– Terry Yakich, American Transmission Company
Manufactured Gas Plant Symposium
"In the MGP area, the national symposia which are held provide great
opportunities for networking with utility professionals, consultants, contractors
and experts in the field of MGP remediation."
–Mark Collins, We Energies
316(b) Research
“At the time of the court decision on the 316(b) Phase II Rules, we were
preparing to award the contract for CDS. Although this is on hold, EPRI has
provided us with excellent reviews of the decision and its possible impacts.
They have also provided several suggestions on how we could proceed in the
interim period. We have been very pleased with the assistance and support
which EPRI provided.
–Michalene Reilly, Hoosier Energy
Groundwater Data Management
“MANAGES 3.0 significantly reduces the amount of time I spend conducting groundwater
statistical analyses of data collected from our monitoring well networks in Virginia. This
time reduction is due to the data import feature as well as the general ease in using this
software. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality accepts the summary report
that MANAGES 3.0 provides making reporting less time consuming too. The software
also allows interface of data and graphs with Windows applications, which is convenient
when writing a report for which supporting data tables or graphical figures are necessary.”
– Aimee Toole, American Electric Power
Water Quality Criteria Development and Assessment
“EPRI’s Water Quality Criteria Development and Assessment Program provided
information regarding new and ongoing research on the effects of iron on
aquatic life. That information facilitated the issuance of a narrative iron criterion
as part of State 2007 Water Quality Standards, as opposed to a numerical
standard based on older information. The narrative iron criterion resulted in
TVA avoiding expensive compliance costs related to water discharge limits at
several fossil power plants.”
–Lindy Johnson, Tennessee Valley Authority
Watershed and Water Resource Management
“When faced with a request from one of our operating companies to understand
the effects of NOx and SO2 emissions controls from a coal-fired power plant on
nitrogen deposition to the nearby bay in order to explore potential offsets for
increased nitrogen discharge from a new sewage treatment plant, we quickly
turned to EPRI for guidance. While we had some atmospheric modeling that
we could leverage, using EPRI's CMAQ-MADRID-APT model, we realized that
we needed to also conduct watershed modeling. Because of our long-standing
relationship with EPRI around watershed and water resource management
issues, we trusted Eladio Knipping and Bob Goldstein from EPRI to help us
identify the right consultants and draft the scope of work. As the work
progressed, Eladio and Bob continued to offer their expertise and lend
credibility to the project results. Because TMDL's in mercury and nitrogen is an
emerging issue that EPRI wants to pursue, this project helped lay the
foundation for future EPRI research; in the end it was a win-win for EPRI and
for us.”
– John Jansen, Southern Company
316(b) Research
"We Energies has used many of the technical reports developed by EPRI that
address feasible fish protection strategies for both steam electric and
hydroelectric facilities in our consultations with state and federal agencies over
the past 15-years. Reports used included the following: TR-109483 Evaluation of
fish behavioral barriers; 1011786 Evaluation of an angled louver facility for
guiding sturgeon to a downstream passage; TR-1005339 Laboratory evaluation
of wedgewire screens for protecting early life stages at cooling water intakes;
1014934 and its predecessors, Fish Protection at cooling water intake structure,
a technical reference manual."
– Dave Michaud and David Lee, We Energies
Groundwater Data Management
"Tri-State manages all groundwater monitoring data in EPRI’s MANAGES
program. This program allows you to quickly run graphs and reports for
submittal to regulatory agencies. This enables the quarterly groundwater data
evaluation process reviewing 30+ groundwater wells and wastewater ponds to
occur in a matter of minutes rather than hours or days. EPRI’s support staff
(Ken Ladwig and contractor Bruce Hensel, NRT) also provide rapid response to
assist in questions on functionality and operation."
–Chantell Johnson, Tri-State G&T
Coal Combustion Products
“Duke Energy used the information in the Impact of Air Emission Controls on
Coal Combustions Products Report (1014943) to brief management on the
need to re-evaluate CCP management practices any time new emission
controls are retrofitted onto generating units. Minor changes such as the use
of additives in the boiler or injection into the flue gas down stream of the boiler
for emission control can results in significant change to the characteristics CCP.
The information in the report highlights the fact that these changes in
characteristics could drive change disposal or reuse practices when new
emission controls are installed.”
– Jim Meiers, Duke Energy
Ash Pond Management
“The Integrated Ash Pond Management work, which is managed by Rick
Carlton under Program 56, has investigated how the water chemistry in ash
ponds can be managed to maximize their treatment capabilities. For example,
EPRI helped with a TC project at the AEP Amos Plant, which determined how
best to manage the water quality in the pond to maximize the removal of
ammonia and still comply with effluent limits for metals such as arsenic, copper,
and selenium. With the help of EPRI and it's consultants, it was determined
that pond aeration, along with the addition of nutrients and caustic, would
facilitate ammonia removal in a very cost effective manner. These ash pond
management techniques have been applied to other AEP ash ponds with
similar success.”
–Tim Lohner, American Electric Power
State Mercury Rules
“As states developed mercury rules, EPRI research results were very valuable tools to
use with regulators. In Colorado, we retained Leonard Levin of EPRI to do Colorado
specific modeling and analysis. The research was shared with regulators and
environmental groups while negotiating a state mercury rule. Although the final
Colorado rule was much more stringent than the federal CAMR rule, the utilities had
solid research to provide credibility during negotiations and to address accusations of
mercury toxins impacting Colorado citizens.”
– Barbara A. Walz, Tri-State G&T
QuickSEM
“The round-robin and follow-on QuickSEMs project have been especially
beneficial to TVA in that we now feel very comfortable using the thermal
analysis technique (rather than the traditional wet chemistry method) along with
the QuickSEMs technology for the RATA testing to certify our mercury
continuous emission monitors.”
–Tom Burnett, Tennessee Valley Authority
MGP Symposium
"Within the last year, I assumed new job duties supervising We Energies'
Remediation Group. The EPRI MGP 2007 Symposium provided the best
means of quickly climbing the learning curve in the state-of-the-art
technologies, case studies and professional networks. I immediately used
these contacts and information in my job. It also allowed me to identify and
respond to some needs for research that we are now jointly funding through
EPRI."
– Thomas Jansen, We Energies
Clean Air Mercury Rule
"The Clean Air Mercury Rule was adopted in Indiana along the lines of the EPA
rule in large part due to the contributions of EPRI. The weeks leading up the
hearing were intense with a number of resolutions being proposed to make the
rule more stringent. Many thanks go to Leonard Levin, of EPRI, for his review
of the EPA report on Watershed Mercury. We used it to support our oral
comments and rebut statements by the environmental groups who did cite the
study in written and oral comments to the board. In addition to Leonard's
review of the report, we appreciate the other work that he, various EPRI staff
and the contractors did throughout the entire multi-year ordeal. I firmly believe
that the technical work that EPRI did on both the modeling and the pollution
control issues made a significant contribution to improving the understanding of
the issues and educating the decision makers so that we could come out with a
reasonable rule."
–Dan Weiss, Duke Energy
Air Permit Applications- New Coal Plants
"We Energies has used results gained from PISCES program projects,
specifically measurements of mercury at existing power plants (Report 1000608)
as well as evaluations of SCR/WFGD impacts on mercury speciation and capture
in our support materials for air permit applications for new coal-fueled power
plants (Report 1014450)."
– Dave Michaud and Terry Coughlin, We Energies
Watershed and Water Resource Management
“EPRI’s Watershed and Water Resource Management Program provides
unique technical resources for impending and strategic issues that have
recently intensified due to our region’s enduring drought and climatic
anomalies. The Program allows us to stay current with significant and
otherwise inaccessible research, developments, and guidelines on important
options for existing and future water environment challenges in the Tennessee
Valley.”
–Greg Brodie, Tennessee Valley Authority
Coal Combustion Products
“Recently, we have been in the process of permitting a new landfill to handle
coal combustion products (ash and FGD solids). Ken Ladwig assisted in
comparing existing groundwater concentrations to concentrations in the ash
product. He provided typical indicator parameter data ranges to put our data in
perspective. Tri-State also used EPRI’s risk analysis of coal combustion
products (CCPs) to respond to the EPA’s NODA request on the current state of
CCP disposal locations.”
–Chantell Johnson, Tri-State G&T
eTherm - A Repository of 316(a) Variance Studies
““The eTherm website has been very helpful as a one-stop site to locate
historic 316(a) variance studies and determine where on-going research is
headed.”
–Chantell Johnson, Tri-State G&T
Integrated Vegetation Management
“One of the greatest benefits we received from the EPRI assessment was our
increased understanding all around of the larger issues we face when we do
vegetation management. We continue to be excited about the whole process. I
think we got tremendous value out of it.”
–John Acklen, PNM Resources
Ambient Water Quality Criteria
“We emphasized findings from EPRI’s review of the federal ambient water
quality criteria in the successful effort to challenge the technical validity of the
state’s arsenic standard.”
–Allen Stowe, Duke Energy
Impacts of Thermal Shock and Fluctuation
“EPRI and its contractor, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have conducted
several studies over the last five years reviewing the cumulative impact of
thermal fluctuations, which had been purported to be higher by some
environmental stakeholders during the Colorado process. The implementation
of the new temperature standards is continuing in Colorado, however, the work
of EPRI to continue research on the issue of thermal shock and thermal
fluctuation provides scientific support for fact-based regulation.”
–Chantell Johnson, Tri-State G&T
Value of the Collaborative
“A key value of participating in EPRI Environment is the informal collaboration
gained from our annual meetings and other forums. Cooperative interaction
among members, which is sometimes constrained within larger, formal EPRI
efforts, allows us insight and discovery into what others have already done to
address similar challenges facing our company, thereby avoiding costly
projects, studies, contracts, and the long-term process of an investigation.”
–Greg Brodie, Tennessee Valley Authority