Air Quality Planning,Metro. Washington, DC-MD-VA

Joan Rohlfs, Chief, Air Quality Planning

Metropolitan Washington COGOctober 27, 2005

Overview

• Background: Clean Air Act, Definitions

• Health effects, Causes of Pollution• Plan to Improve the Air (“SIP”)• Air Quality and Transportation

Conformity• Planning for New Ozone Standard

Clean Air Act Amendments 1990

EPA set federal health standards for ambient pollutants

NOx

SO2

Lead

Ozone

CO

ParticulateMatter

Clean Air Act Amendments 1990

• CAAA classifies areas that do not meet the federal health standard as nonattainment areas-In 1991 Washington,D.C. region was designated a “serious” ozone nonattainment area; 2003 reclassified as “severe”.

• 2004 Washington region designated moderate nonattainment for 8-hr ozone

• 2005 Washington region designated nonattainment for fine particles

Washington Region Designations

Pollutant Designation

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Attainment

Nitrous Oxides (NO2) Attainment

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Attainment

Ozone

1-Hour standard Nonattainment

8-hour standard Nonattainment

Particulates

10 micrg./m3 Attainment

2.5 micrg/m3 Nonattainment

Lead Attainment

AQI Range

AQI Color

8-Hr O3 Range (ppb)

24-Hr PM2.5 Range (µg/m3)

201-300

Purple 125-374 150.5-250.4

151-200

Red 105-124 65.5-150.4

101-150

Orange 85-104 40.5-65.4

51-100 Yellow 65-84 15.5-40.4

0-50 Green 0-64 0-15.4

AIR QUALITY INDEX

Health Effects & Causes

4

Ozone - Good Up High, Bad NearbyOzone - Good Up High, Bad Nearby

How is Ground-Level Ozone Formed?

Plan to Improve the Air

Metropolitan Washington DC-MD-VA Region

8-Hour Ozone Moderate Nonattainment Area

District of Columbia

Suburban Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Frederick, Charles, Calvert Counties)

Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William Counties, City of Alexandria)

Metropolitan Washington DC-MD-VA Region

Fine Particle Nonattainment Area

District of Columbia

Suburban Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Frederick, Charles Counties)

Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William Counties, City of Alexandria

Challenge: New Ozone Standard

• 19 exceedances in 2005 (Code Orange)• EPA modeling for the Clean Air

Interstate Rule (CAIR) shows the Washington region not meeting the 2010 deadline for ozone.

• New control measures are needed to meet the new standard.

2010

Requirements for NAA

• Develop State Implementation Plan (SIP) containing measures to reduce emissions– Federal, state and local reductions

measures

• Conduct transportation conformity analysis whenever new TIP is proposed

Air Quality Plan (“SIP”)

• A plan containing an emissions goal to improve air quality by a deadline established by the Clean Air Act

• The plan contains federal, state, and local measures to reduce air pollution

DC-MD-VA Air Quality Plan (“SIP”) Scope

• Commits to meet the ozone standard by the year 2009

• Identifies control measures to be taken to reduce pollution created locally

• Identifies measures to reduce air pollution transported from our region into other states

• Sets a mobile emissions budget

CAAA Required Measures to Clean the Air

• Enhanced automobile inspection and maintenance testing program (I/M)

• Gasoline vapor recovery systems at gas stations

• Reasonably available control technology on major sources of NOx and VOCs

• New source permitting with lowest achievable emission rate and offsets for new and expanded sources

Attainment Demonstration• New Photochemical Attainment Modeling

2002 Base Year

• All control measures by 2009 ozone season

SIP Components

Rate of Progress DemonstrationsOPTION 1:• 15% VOC reduction from 2002 baseline by 2008

OPTION 2:• Areas with approved 1-hour 15% Plans do not need to

show a second 15% VOC reduction.• Demonstrate annual incremental reductions instead

RACM Analysis

• Identifies Reasonably Available Control Measures for SIP

• Explains why other measures are not reasonably available

Contingency Measures

• Measures to be implemented if region fails to attain in 2010 or does not demonstrate required progress

Conformity/Mobile Budget

Control Measures in SIP

Mandatory Measures (Regulations)

Voluntary Measures:Reformulated paints and solventsGas can replacement programsAFV purchases, wind energy purchase,

green roofs, tree canopy

Reductions Credited

•Low-VOC Consumer Products

•Wind Power Purchase

•Gas Can Replacement

• Use of Low-VOC Paint

• Reduce Locomotive Idling

Included, But No Credit Taken

• Alternative Fueled Vehicle Purchase

• Remote Sensing Device

• Diesel Retrofits (School and Transit Buses)

Voluntary Bundle

• States take credit for voluntary programs reducing future emissions.

EPA Voluntary Measure Guidance

Enables states to place non-regulatory pollution control strategies in a SIP

• Local programs rely on the actions of individuals, businesses, governments, agencies

• States must backfill shortfalls in a timely manner (allows for program substitution)

• Measures are enforced against the states.

Types of Voluntary Measures

Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat1 2 3 4 5 6 755 55 55 42 68 79 688 9 10 11 12 13 1468 67 82 85 79 66 8615 16 17 18 19 20 2158 63 40 52 79 43 4322 23 24 25 26 27 2854 80 119 141 137 94 8529 3095 119

JUNE

Non-Episodic Measures

Reduce emissions every ozone season day

Episodic Measures

Reduce emissions on Ozone Action Days

Examples of Voluntary Measures

Episodic Measures

• Lock Fuel Pumps

• Telework

• No lawn mowing

Non-Episodic Measures

• Replace gas cans

• Buy low-VOC paint

• Retrofit diesel vehicles

Commitment Requirements

Agree to monitor program and provide annual reports on program participation/effectiveness

Signed Letter Program DetailsEstimate of Benefits

Program Effectiveness Report

Control Measure Process

• Master List of measures (200+)• Priority List of measures• Voluntary Bundle (local measures)

• Analysis (benefit, cost effectiveness, timeliness)

• Public Meetings on control strategies – (Jan-March)

Washington Region SIP Deadlines

Apr 08

Apr 08 20102010Jan 04Jan 04 Apr

05

Apr 05 June 07June 07Sept

06

Sept 06

PM2.5 NAA Designation

8-Hr Ozone NAA Designation

Attainment DateCAIR SIP

DUE

Ozone SIP DUE

PM 2.5 SIP DUE

Next Steps

• Complete Attainment Modeling Winter 2005

• Introduce New Legislation and Regulations Winter/Spring 2006

• Complete SIP Fall/Winter 2006

For Further Information

• http://mwcog.org/environment/air• http://www.deq.state.va.us/• http://www.mde.state.md.us/• http://www.airquality.dc.gov

• AIRNOW.ORG• AIR-WATCH.ORG