Ozone –Environmental ImpactsFederal Land Manager’s Perspective

Sierra Ozone SummitGrass Valley, CA

Suraj Ahuja, U. S. Forest Service June 04, 2008

National Park Service

U. S. Forest Service

Bureau of Land Management

U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Decades of research and monitoring results confirm natural resources on federally managed lands in California are being adversely impacted by ozone air pollution.

Problem Statement Problem Statement Problem Statement

Ozone injury to ponderosa and Jeffrey pines has been extensively documented in national parks and forests in California, including:

• 100% of pines sampled in the San Bernadino Mts. • 93% of pines in some areas of Sequoia National Park• 88% of pines in some areas of Yosemite National Park

Problem Statement Problem Statement Problem Statement

• Chlorosis - bleaching or yellowing of pigment

• Stipple - accumulations of pigment; often small dots; visible on upper leaf surface

• Fleck - cell death in palisade layer; visible only on upper surface

• Bi-facial necrosis - cell death in palisade and spongy mesophyll; visible on both surfaces

Visible Ozone Injury Symptoms

Red Alder

Blue Elderberry

Ponderosa Pine

Quaking Aspen

Ozone damage on giant sequoia seedling

Healthy ponderosa

pine (right)

vs.

Ozone damaged ponderosa pine (left)

Reductions in photosynthetic rate

Early needle loss

Diminished annual ring growth

Decreases in radial growth

Changes in stand composition

More vulnerable to mortality from insects and diseases

Plants are more sensitive than humans to ozone.Air quality standards are not protective of vegetation.

Physiological Effects of Ozone

Injury vs. Exposure

0

1020

30

40

50

60

percent of plots

Ozone injury trends from 1977 to 2000

1977

2000

None Slight Moderate Severe Very Severe

Sierra and Sequoia NF FPM Plots

Primary Causes of Tree Death Sierra and Sequoia National Forests (1977 – 2000)

Primary Cause of Death Percent of Dead Trees

Ozone 36.5

Bark beetles, wood borers 27.9

Fire damage 15.4

Broken top 9.6

Dwarf mistletoe 5.8

FPM Ozone Trend Plots

The extent and severity of ozone damage to federal natural resources in California is in conflict with Congressional direction to FLMs to sustain healthy ecosystems.

Problem Statement Problem Statement Problem Statement

FLM ResponsibilitiesFLM Responsibilities

• Clean Air Act– FLM has “an affirmative

responsibility” to protect resources that may be adversely affected by a change in air quality

• Wilderness Act– Directs FLMs to administer wilderness

areas “in such a manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness”

FLM ResponsibilitiesFLM Responsibilities

• Organic Acts– NPS Organic Act: ... manage parks to “leave

them unimpaired for…future generations”

– National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act: ... maintain “the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the [Refuge] System… for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.”

FLM ResponsibilitiesFLM Responsibilities

– National Forest Management Act:

“National Forests are ecosystems and their management for goods and services requires an awareness and consideration of the interrelationships among plants, animals, soil, water, air, and other environmental factors within such ecosystems.”

State ResponsibilitiesState Responsibilities

• SIPs for Nonattainment Areas– New non-attainment area State Implementation

Plans are being developed for:• Ozone

• PM2.5

• Regional Haze

• Control measures will result in lower Ozone concentrations and hopefully a sigh of relief for vegetaton

FLMs ResponsibilitiesFLMs Responsibilities

Conformity Determination

NEPA Documentation process

PSD Permit Review

New Tools

Collaboration with Research and Regulatory Agencies

FIA Ozone Bio-

monitoring sites

in California –

2002

(Red dots are positive for ozone)

• Questions?

Interagency ParticipationInteragency Participation

The FLM agencies have been working to develop nationally consistent criteria and guidance to evaluate air pollution impacts to natural resources on all Federal lands. Initial criteria and guidance is published in the FLAG Phase I Report:

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/air/Permits/flag/

We hope to build off of the FLAG effort by working together to inform regulators and the public of the serious threat of ozone pollution to our Federal natural resources in California.

Current 1 hr ozone standardnon-attainment areas in CA

Proposed new 8 hr ozone non-attainment areas in CA(State and EPA)