MONITORING

Jrussell01@fs.fed.us 503.808.2956

Jim Russell Pacific Northwest Region and Washington/Oregon State Office BLM

Session Objective

To review what the Forest Service’s role and future responsibilities may be for smoke and air quality monitoring in support of the National Fire Plan and 10 Year Cohesive Strategy. Review examples of different monitoring approaches.

Definitions - Monitor

To watch, observe, or check for a special purpose………………….To keep track of…………One that warns…………. A device for observing a biological condition or function or change…….A heavily armed warship appointed to assist a teacher………………….

Monitoring Applications

Land Management Planning Context - Air Quality and Smoke Management

Implementation MonitoringEffectiveness MonitoringValidation Monitoring

Monitoring Applications(Continue)

Prescribed Fire Use (LMP and Fire Plans) – Air Quality and Smoke Management MonitoringEmission Inventory Fire Emission Tracking (All Fire Use)Attainment Reporting (FASTRACS+NFSPORS)Condition Class and/or Vegetative Condition

Monitoring Applications(Continue)

Forest Service’s Objective for Doing Ambient Air Quality Monitoring

Visibility Protection of Wilderness Class I Areas from off-site point source pollution

Evaluate wildland burning smoke impacts on State and Federal air quality laws and regulations

To assist Smoke Management Program Go/No Go Decisions To assess potential human health affects in neighboring communities

impacted by both Fire Use and Wildland Fire Smoke.

Visibility Protection of Class I Area

Interagency Monitoring of PROtected Visual Environments (IMPROVE)

Tracks the full range of air borne pollutants from both industrial and biomass burning sources.

Sites are located to represent the 156 Class I Areas Nation-wide

Currently there is no good filter sample signature to separate prescribed fire sources from industrial and mobile sources.

Evaluate wildland burning smoke impacts on State and Federal air quality laws and regulations

Characterizing Wildland and Prescribed Fires Contribution to PM 10/2.5 Non-attainment Areas

Prescribed Fire and Wildfires smoke contribution to total annual PM10.2.5 is not adequately reflected when only state networks are used in many rural areas.

Background data is lacking for prescribed fire’s contribution in most areas neighboring National Forests.

Smoke Management Plans are an effective mitigation tool for managing emissions from prescribed fire.

To Assist Smoke Management Program Go/No Go Decisions

Determination of pre-burn air shed conditions by using both fixed site and portable real-time monitors

Determination of Air Shed Capacity is difficult based on the potential amount of biomass burning (forestry, agriculture, and backyard) that goes unreported.

Multiple day burn opportunities are enhanced by real-time smoke monitoring of strategic sensitive receptor locations.

Monitor human health affects in neighboring communities

Selection of the appropriate monitoring strategy (i.e. site location, equipment, and monitoring frequency) is very difficult in a wildland setting.

Installation, maintenance, and QA&QC of field data is usually beyond the capability of Forest Service’s Technical Ability.

Cost of monitoring compared with fuel treatment investment has improved the cost to benefit ratio.

Smoke Monitoring Network - Example

Washington State Depart of Ecology and R6 Smoke Monitoring Contract

Purpose and Need. The network consists of 6 nephelometers. The purpose of this network is to provide real-time data to be used by smoke managers to track smoke and visibility conditions and issue smoke management instructions during the burn season. Real-time access to data will allow burning activity to be modified or terminated where smoke impacts are occurring.

Rationale

Need for increase smoke monitoring capacity in Eastern Washington based on planned increased in prescribed burning and the frequency of wildland fires that affect the area.

Lack of State Monitors in the project area. The need to be a good neighbor with our private

land residences.

Smoke Monitoring Work plan

Forest Service Agrees To: 1. Provide physical site to locate monitoring equipment,

including temperature controlled shelter, AC power, and telephone service for data retrieval.2. Provide site operator(s) that will be available, during and after monitoring equipment installation, for instruction and initial operation training. Time commitment for this phase is approximately 1 day per site per operator.3. Manage the day-to-day operation following Ecology’ Air Monitoring Quality Assurance Plan and Procedures.

Smoke Monitoring Work Plan

Washington State Department of Ecology(WDOE) Agrees to: 1. Test, calibrate, and configure equipment at Ecology’s HQ facility.2. Assist in the installation of equipment at various monitoring locations. 3. Train Forest Service operator(s) annually at Ecology’s HQ facility.4. Technical support for each site5. Routine editing and archiving of the data.6. Provide Forest Service with web site information and training. 7. Technical assistance with data retrieval problems associated with Ecology equipment

WDOE Cost byACTIVITY

HOURS LOADED RATE

COST

Repairs 20 33.00 660

Parts/Supplies 500

Calibration 4 33.00 132

Training 8 42.00 336

Data acquisition/Processing/Reporting 52 36.00 1872

QA/Validation 26 42.00 1092

Supervision 26 50.00 1300

TOTAL 5892

5 Year Contract CostApril 2002 to October 2002 (Partial Year) $20235 Oct 2002 to Sept 2003 $40650

Oct 2003 to Sept 2004 $41,868 Oct 2004 to Sept 2005 $41,868  Oct 2005 to Sept 2006 $43122

5-Year Total Contract Cost $187,743

Forest Service Supplied Equipment Equipment Cost_____________________ 1. Yokogawa strip chart recorder Model 437001/D2 Micro 1800 single pen $1,800.00 ea. _____________ 2. R-134A Refrigerant 30lb disposable container $140.00 ea.3. SR7B-165 Dual Gauge single stage regulators

with 2 inch CG 165 adapter $120.00 ea.4. CG-134A adapter, automotive fitting to CG-165

WES#CDA6893 $20.00 ea.___________

5. Thomas pump #905CA18 $230.00 ea. .___________

6. 63010-44 Tygon tubing 3/8 id x 5/8 od in 50 foot rolls $150.00 ea.7. 0252-953 Powder funnels (pack of 12) $20.00 ea. (package)

________________________________________8.Radiance Research Model M903 Nephelometer $5,4000.00 ea._______________________________________________________________________________

Total Estimated Cost per Station $7,880

Washington State Air Monitoring Network

Particulates

Ozone

Carbon Monoxide

Sulfur Dioxide

Nitrogen Dioxide

Washington State Air Monitoring Network

Particulates

Ozone

Carbon Monoxide

Sulfur Dioxide

Nitrogen Dioxide

FS Particulates

For Further Information

Handout - Task 1- Summary Report of Current USFS PM2.5 Monitoring Activities and Protocols

ReferencesWhen to Monitor Prescribed Fire Smoke: A Screening Procedure, prepared for the USFS Pacific Northwest Region by CH2M Hill, 9/1/1997.Guidance on Use of Continuous Monitors in PM 2.5 Monitoring Networks, EPA 454/R-98-012, Research Triangle Park, NC, June 1999.

Current Status – Equipment Development and Monitoring Network Development

R6/WAOR BLM Smoke Monitoring Network consisting of 19 real-time nephelometers and one lag-time filter sampler locating in eastern Washington and NE and SW Oregon. R5 Proposes the Use Event Monitoring for burns over 250 acres that may impact smoke sensitive areas.The use of the E-BAM, a portable beta attenuation monitor manufactured by Met One Instruments is being planned. The instrument requires additional field-testing and modification prior to acceptance as a smoke monitoring tool.

Current Status (Continued)

R3 is doing Event Monitoring in Tusayan and Grand Canyon Village cooperatively with the National Park Service and Arizona DEQ.

Research Programs and Special Studies

R1 is working with Missoula Technology Development Center in the comparison and use of real-time fixed and portable smoke monitoring stations.R8 is cooperatively researching the use of portable monitors with the Southern Research Station and the University of Georgia and others. Draft protocols are being developed for the use of the portable DataRams.

Work Group Break Out Opportunities

What are your Ambient Air Quality and Smoke Management Monitoring System and Data Requirements for your region?How will you continue to implement your prescribed fire program and meet your states air quality mandates. Can we afford not to coordinate future monitoring of our prescribed fire operations?