Elements of Air Quality Management
Scientific Understanding
Community Involvement
Cooperative Planning
Realistic Goal Setting
Long Term Commitment
Implementation and Monitoring
•1992 - PM10 monitoring starts atop City Hall
•1996 - Grand Forks City Council and Area D representative Basil Jmaiff form first Air Quality Committee
•1996 - First public complaint about Cantex Asphalt Plant Operation
•1997 Province’s portable air monitoring trailer installed at Councillor O’Doherty’s home for six months
•1998 - The Reid Report
•1999 - the pollution hotline
•2002 - Friends of the Granby appeal Roxul permit and are denied
•2002 - Ralph Adam’s report
•2005 - 2.5 PM monitor installed
The Reid Report 1998
Major Findingsi) That the downtown area is most affected by elevated levels of pm10.
ii) In the downtown, Industrial sources account for 45% of the particulate and Domestic sources account for 55% (open burning, wood stoves, roadway and other dust).
iii) Wind speeds are low; pollutants that should dissipate do not, resulting in high ambient pollutant concentrations.
iv) A ground based layered haze is visible approximately one third of the time, particularly early in the morning. This haze drifts to the East of town. The Nursery area is less affected by pm10 pollution than downtown.
RecommendationsI) 50 % voluntary reduction in industrial emissions
II) 50%voluntary reduction in woodstove emissions
III) Ban on all uncontrolled outdoor burning within the municipality
IV) City program to reduce fugitive dust from roadway emissions
Ralph Adam’s Report 2002
Conclusions and RecommendationsThe levels of inhalable particulate matter are among the highest in the southern interior and a concern to public health
With the measurements available we cannot distinguish between fugitive dust and smoke
The distribution of the particulate matter reading during the days of the week suggest that the problem is due to human activities
Respirable particulate matter monitoring should begin as soon as possible
Wind measurements should be made to investigate prevailing winds more thoroughly
Records from industry should be examined to see if there is an annual or weekly cycle to emissions
The city should summarize the methods used to clean-up fugitive road dust to look for improvement
The city should conduct a wood heating survey to allow an estimate of emissions from wood heaters
The Air Quality Committee be resurrected to address the issue of airshed planning
The following data is based on measurements taken at the points of release for the various industrial concerns mentioned. These are the preliminary and unreviewed results posted on The Environment Canada National Pollutants Release Inventory (NPRI) website for 2004.
Pope and Talbot
Canpar
Roxul
Installation of real time monitoring equipment
Warning system for poor air quality days
Improved airshed management by permitted users
Phase out of old wood heaters through buy back programs
Improved public education on outdoor burning
Airshed “room” for industrial expansion
Improvements to public transportation
Improved road maintenance
Improved health for vulnerable citizens
Improved air quality for all citizens