Transcript Slide 1

Florida Department of
Environmental Protection
National Ambient Air Quality
Standards being Strengthened
--Implications for Northeast Florida-2010 Jacksonville Environmental Symposium:
Green City Gateway to Florida
Larry George
Division of Air Resource Management
July 16, 2010
What are National Ambient Air Quality Standards?
• Part of federal Clean Air Act since 1970.
• EPA establishes and periodically revises national ambient
air quality standards (NAAQS) for six common air
pollutants based on public health-related criteria.
• Pollutants are ground-level ozone (O3), fine particulate
matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide
(NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and lead (Pb).
• State/local governments monitor air pollutant levels.
• If violation of NAAQS is measured, state must develop
corrective plan (State Implementation Plan, or SIP)
consisting of enforceable emission control measures, and
submit plan to EPA for approval.
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What Happens when EPA Revises a NAAQS?
• Nothing immediate; 2 years (usually) after promulgation of
a revised standard, areas that violate the standard are
designated “nonattainment” by EPA.
• Most NAAQS require 3 years of data to determine
compliance or non-compliance; so, if standard is revised in
2010, EPA designates nonattainment areas in 2012 based on
data for the 3-year period 2009-2011 (the “design value”).
• SIP “demonstrating attainment” is due 3 years (usually) after
nonattainment designation (2015 in above example).
• For most pollutants, attainment deadline is 5 years after
nonattainment designation (2017 in above case). For ozone,
attainment deadline is 3, 6, or more years after designation,
depending on severity of the area’s design value.
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Status of NAAQS in N.E. Florida – Ozone & PM2.5
• Ozone is pollutant of primary concern for Florida. NAAQS
for ozone will be strengthened Aug. 2010 (EPA is proposing
8-hr. standard in range of 60-70 ppb, compared to current 75
ppb). N.E. Florida, and many other areas of the state and
country, could find themselves no longer in compliance.
(2007-2009 design value for Jacksonville area = 70 ppb)
• NAAQS for PM2.5 will be strengthened Oct. 2011 (annual
standard in range of 11-13 ug/m3 and 24-hr. standard of 30
ug/m3 may be proposed, compared to current 15 and 35
standards, respectively). N.E. Florida may remain attainment.
(2007-2009 annual and 24-hr. PM2.5 design values = 9.0 and
21 ug/m3, respectively, excluding wildfire impacts. While
wildfire smoke is a health concern and included in Air Quality
Index, it does not affect NAAQS status.)
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Status of NAAQS in N.E. Florida – SO2
• NAAQS for SO2 was strengthened in June 2010; EPA
replaced annual and 24-hr. standards of 30 and 140 ppb,
respectively, with new 1-hr. standard of 75 ppb.
• Nassau Co. monitor has violation of new SO2 standard for
2007-2009, likely due to just one or two sources.
• Air quality status for new SO2 standard will not be based on
monitoring alone; by June 2013, states must demonstrate
through refined air quality modeling that strong point
sources of SO2 emissions do not cause or contribute to
violations of the standard.
• Implications of the modeling requirement are unclear at this
time but could affect a number of areas beyond those
currently showing monitored violations.
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Areas in red indicate the CBSAs
above various ozone standards
(between 60-70 ppb proposed,
currently 75 ppb) based on 2007-2009
data.
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What is EPA Doing to Help Reduce O3, PM2.5 & SO2?
• Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) & proposed Transport
Rule will produce substantial NOX and SO2 emission
reductions from power plants throughout the eastern U.S.,
reducing ambient concentrations of all three pollutants.
(In the East, NOX is the primary “precursor” pollutant for
ozone, and SO2 is the primary precursor for PM2.5)
• National diesel and gasoline fuel standards, and numerous
EPA rules for stationary and mobile internal combustion
engines will produce significant VOC and NOX emission
reductions over time. (VOC is also a precursor for ozone)
• Proposed “boiler MACT” rule will produce significant SO2
emission reductions from industrial facilities as a co-benefit
of reducing toxic acid gases such as HCl. (This may help
solve the Nassau County SO2 problem)
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Focusing on Ozone
• Ground-level ozone is formed when emissions of volatile
organic compounds (VOC) react with emissions of nitrogen
oxides (NOX) in the presence of strong sunlight.
(Should not to be confused with naturally occurring “good”
ozone in the stratosphere that blocks UV radiation)
• NOX is primarily emitted from power plants, motor
vehicles, other internal combustion (IC) engines and various
industrial combustion sources.
• VOC is primarily emitted from natural sources (vegetation
and soils); man-made sources include motor vehicles, other
IC engines, gasoline evaporation, and use of solvents.
• Emission controls are generally aimed at both NOX and
VOC, and at both stationary and mobile sources.
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Timeline of Actions under Revised Ozone Standard
• Aug. 2010 – EPA finalizes revised standard.
• Jan. 2011 – States recommend areas to be designated
“nonattainment” based on 2008-2010 data (usually core based
statistical areas (CBSAs) with one or more violating monitors).
• Aug. 2011 – EPA makes nonattainment designations.
• Aug. 2011 – More stringent permitting rules for major VOC and
NOx sources take effect (DEP rulemaking now underway).
• Aug. 2012 – Transportation conformity process begins.
• Dec. 2013 – SIPs due to EPA (modeling analysis now underway,
rule development to begin next year).
• Dec. 2013, 2016, or later – Attainment deadline, depending on
severity of design value.
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If N.E. Florida Becomes Nonattainment for Ozone…
• EPA regulations (transport rule, mobile source standards, etc.)
will be of primary importance in bringing area into attainment.
• Stricter permitting requirements for new major sources of
VOC/NOX emissions will apply until area is redesignated as
attainment. (Could slow some types of industrial growth)
• “Reasonably available control technology” for existing sources
of VOC and NOX will apply. (Already in place in Duval
County; would be expanded to other counties)
• Cleaner gasoline will be required during summer. (Already in
use in Duval County; would be expanded to other counties)
• MPO and DOT must demonstrate that transportation plans &
transportation improvement programs “conform” to SIP.
(Formerly done in Duval County; would apply to all counties)
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Redesignation to Attainment
• All monitors in the nonattainment area must show
attainment over most recent three-year period.
• State must develop an “air quality maintenance plan,”
demonstrating that area will remain in attainment over
the next 10 years with continuation of selected control
measures and transportation emissions budgets.
• EPA must approve maintenance plan before
redesignating area to attainment.
• After redesignation, permitting requirements for new
major sources revert to prevention of significant
deterioration (PSD) program; transportation
conformity process continues.
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Myths about Being Nonattainment for Ozone
• Air pollution is getting worse. Fact: Ozone levels in N.E.
Florida have come down a bit over past 20 years, but further
improvement may be needed under revised NAAQS.
• It’s dangerous to go outside and breathe. Fact: High ozone
levels occur only a few days per year; the Air Quality Index
(AQI) alerts sensitive persons to limit prolonged, moderate
exertion outdoors on those days. (The AQI also alerts
persons to smoke from wildfires.)
• Nonattainment will hurt the local economy. Fact: Some
industries may have to reduce emissions, but Florida cities
have thrived during nonattainment periods in the past; e.g.,
S.E. Florida, Tampa Bay, and Jacksonville from 1978
through the mid-1990s
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Other NAAQS Issues –NO2 and CO
• NAAQS for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) strengthened in Jan.
2010 with adoption of new, 100 ppb 1-hr. standard;
Florida has no nonattainment areas based on current
urban-scale monitoring network.
• EPA will designate most of the country “unclassifiable”
for NO2 pending collection of data from new roadside
monitors required to begin operation by Jan. 2013;
implications of roadside monitoring are unclear at this
time, but modeling against new standard is proving tough
for some stationary sources.
• NAAQS for carbon monoxide (CO) will be revised May
2011. EPA may require new roadside monitoring for this
pollutant as well.
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Other NAAQS Issues – Lead (Pb)
• NAAQS for lead (Pb) was strengthened in Oct. 2008
from 1.5 ug/m3, quarterly avg., to 0.15 ug/m3, 3-mo. avg.
• EPA will designate small area of Tampa nonattainment;
the problem there should be corrected by a project now
underway to rebuild and modernize a secondary lead
smelter in the area.
• EPA is concerned about the air quality impacts of leaded
gasoline being used in piston engine aircraft and may
propose a phase-out of leaded aviation gas.
• In the meantime, EPA is requiring placement of new
ambient monitors for Pb near high-volume general
aviation airports (e.g., Daytona Beach).
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Need Further Information?
• Information on the NAAQS, including the health
effects of ozone, PM2.5, SO2 and other criteria
pollutants, is available at the EPA website:
www.epa.gov/air/criteria.html. For each pollutant,
drill down to Regulatory Actions for the latest
information.
• Air quality monitoring data and related information is
available at the DEP Division of Air Resource
Management website: www.dep.state.fl.us/air.
• Feel free to contact me at: [email protected]
or 850-921-9555.
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