Air Quality and Seney National Wildlife Refuge

Jill WebsterJune 14, 2007

Topics to be covered…Topics to be covered…

Why are we concerned about air quality at Why are we concerned about air quality at Seney NWR?Seney NWR?

What air pollutants are being monitored and What air pollutants are being monitored and why? What are the sources?why? What are the sources?

What does the data reveal?What does the data reveal? What is being done to protect air quality and What is being done to protect air quality and

visibility?visibility? Conclusions!Conclusions!

Air Quality Branch Mission

“…is to protect and enhance air quality in support of ecosystem management in the National Wildlife Refuge System.”

Air Pollution EffectsAir Pollution Effects

Visibility impairment by particlesVisibility impairment by particles Eutrophication of coastal areasEutrophication of coastal areas Bioaccumulation of mercuryBioaccumulation of mercury Ozone injury to plantsOzone injury to plants Acidification of lakes and streamsAcidification of lakes and streams

Congress set forth as the Congress set forth as the Nation’s visibility goalNation’s visibility goal

““the prevention of any future, and the the prevention of any future, and the remedying of any existing, impairment remedying of any existing, impairment of visibility in Class I areas which of visibility in Class I areas which impairment results from man made air impairment results from man made air pollutionpollution.”.”

Class I AreasClass I Areas

Special protection from air pollutionSpecial protection from air pollution National parks > 6,000 acresNational parks > 6,000 acres Wilderness areas > 5,000 acresWilderness areas > 5,000 acres In existence on August 7, 1977 In existence on August 7, 1977

Visibility, viewing the scenerythrough “clean, fresh air” is one of the most important attributes of national

parks and wilderness.

Visibility, viewing the scenerythrough “clean, fresh air” is one of the most important attributes of national

parks and wilderness.

Sources of Air Pollution

Power plants SOx, NOx, metals

Industry NOx, SOx, organics,

Incinerators NOx, organics, metals

Mobile sources NOx, organics

Air Quality MonitoringWhy?

• establish current conditions • determine trends over time• assess the impacts of air pollution on

natural resources• identify sources/source areas of air pollution

that affect natural resources in your refuge

What is Monitored at Seney?

• Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) Network

-Scene-Particles

• National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP)-Atmospheric Deposition-Mercury Deposition

• National Ambient Air Quality Standards (health-based standards)

-Ozone-PM 2.5

IMPROVE Network Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments

• Identify the types and amounts of particles responsible for visibility impairment

• IMPROVE began in 1988 and grew to approximately 30 sites.

• Cooperative effort between EPA, FLMs, and state air agencies.

• In 1999, the Regional Haze Rule called for an expansion of visibility monitoring to all Class I areas.

IMPROVE Particle Sampler

Light Extinction on 20% Haziest Days in 2002

NADP Sample Collection and Analysis

• Site Operators collect the precipitation sample every Tuesday, measure pH and conductivity and send the sample to the Central Analytical Laboratory (CAL).

• The CAL analyzes the samples for hydrogen ion (pH), sulfate, nitrate, chloride, ammonium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium.

• Data are posted to the NADP web site: http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu and in annual publications.

NADP Equipment

Sulfate Deposition

Mercury Deposition Network(NADP/MDN)

• The Mercury Deposition Network, was formed in 1995 to monitor mercury in precipitation on a regional basis.

• The Network grew from an original 13 sites to almost 70 sites in 2003.

• Samples of precipitation are collected every Tuesday and sent to Frontier Geosciences to be analyzed to for total mercury and sometimes methylmercury.

NADP/MDN EquipmentNADP/MDN Equipment

Geographic Distribution of EmissionsGeographic Distribution of Emissions

What are we doing to clean What are we doing to clean the air???the air???

Single Source Programs, ie Single Source Programs, ie permitting (1980)permitting (1980)

Regional Haze multi source Regional Haze multi source planning (1999)planning (1999)

Regional Haze Regulations requires States to:

• submit plans (SIPs) to improve visibility in Class I areas, including a 60 year glide path to natural conditions

• use IMPROVE monitoring network data to measure reasonable progress