Great Plains Air Zone Annual Report

Transcription

1 Great Plains Air Zone Annual Report January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017

2 Prepared by: Air & Climate Business Unit - Environment Division Saskatchewan Research Council Innovation Blvd. Saskatoon, SK S7N 2X8 Tel: Fax: For more information, please contact: Stephen Weiss Executive Director Great Plains Air Zone Phone: (306) gpazair@sasktel.net Photo Credit: Virginia Wittrock

3 MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR As I sit down to write this is message, I am proud to report that it has been a very busy and productive year for the Great Plains Air Zone (GPAZ). GPAZ is a non-profit organization with members from industry, municipal government, environmental groups and the general public, all of whom work and live in our geographic area. This report is a testament to our purpose of collecting and sharing credible air quality data. Since its establishment in 2013 GPAZ has developed a strong foundation of air monitoring in the region and now operates three continuous monitoring stations: East Regina (since fall 2015), Pense (since February 2017), and Yorkton (since May 2017). The air quality from these stations is reported hourly on our website at historical data is available by request, and monthly reports and summaries are also available for download on our website and include comparisons to air quality standards. This annual report contains the details and interpretation of our air quality monitoring activities. The success of GPAZ in its first five years is due to the support of our members; in addition to paying fees, individual and corporate GPAZ members provide ongoing guidance and planning and their time necessary to do both. In addition, members host and attend meetings to ensure a strong democratic organization. The Science Committee is our oldest and most established table. They meet every second month to assess the current state of air quality in GPAZ, make future plans, stay up to date on developments in air quality monitoring, including remote sensing, and check the air quality data supplied by our contractor. We now have a communications committee that meets regularly to plan and implement public relations work to boost the profile of the organization so that the public is aware of our work to provide credible, third party, air quality data in real time. In addition to our regular air monitoring, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment once again provided temporary air monitoring over the summer of 2017 in the City of Yorkton through their Saskatchewan Air Monitoring Lab (SAML). This allowed us to run two continuous monitors in Yorkton for 3 months to undertake a detailed analysis of H 2S in the area. This report contains the data and analysis for the three continuous air monitors and for the SAML. Thank you to our contractor, the Saskatchewan Research Council, for analyzing the data and preparing this report. Thank you to the staff at the Ministry of Environment, Air Quality section, for analyzing the data for the SAML, and for your continued effort to ensure that the data and reporting are as accurate as possible. None of our accomplishments would be possible without the dedicated membership and the work of the GPAZ board of directors and committee members. I extend my thanks for your active engagement, and to all GPAZ members for your continuing financial support through membership fees. Sincerely, Stephen Weiss, MA Executive Director Great Plains Air Zone i

4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Great Plains Air Zone (GPAZ) was formed in 2013 and is the third active air management association in Saskatchewan. GPAZ is a non-profit group of public, industry, government, and non-government members formed following a directive from the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment under the Canada-wide Air Quality Management System (AQMS). The association is designed to get a better understanding of air quality in the region and address any serious air quality issues that may exist. This is done by collecting credible, continuous realtime air quality information through collaborative efforts of its members and stakeholders. In 2017, GPAZ added two air monitoring trailers to the air monitoring network. The continuous air monitoring network now consists of one airpointer at East Regina and two air monitoring trailers at Pense and Yorkton. The Pense station was established in February 2017, and the Yorkton station was established in May The three stations measure real-time data for one or more of ozone (O3), fine particulates (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), oxides of nitrogen (NOX), precipitation, ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction. The data may be viewed on the GPAZ website ( Quarterly calibrations and routine maintenance were performed in accordance with a Quality Assurance Plan provided to GPAZ by contractors responsible for the maintenance, calibration and data management for the airshed. Calibrations were performed in March, June, September and December Due to operational issues with the NOX analyzers, Pense has NOX data only from February 3 to March 16 and September 21 to December 12, and Yorkton has NOX data only from December 12 to December 31. A related issue affected PM2.5 data at Pense prior to September 21. ii

5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from the Executive Director... i Executive Summary... ii List of Tables... iv List of Figures... vi List of Terms and Definitions... vii Units of Measurement... vii Introduction History GPAZ Purpose and Objectives GPAZ Air Monitoring Network... 3 Air quality monitoring Exceedances above the SAAQS Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards Continuous Air Quality Data Sulphur Dioxide (SO 2) Hydrogen Sulphide (H 2S) Oxides of Nitrogen Ozone (O3) Fine Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) Wind Speed and Direction References APPENDIX A. SASKATCHEWAN AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS APPENDIX B. EAST REGINA STATION: CONTINUOUS MONITORING DATA APPENDIX C. Pense STATION: CONTINUOUS MONITORING DATA APPENDIX D. YORKTON STATION: CONTINUOUS MONITORING DATA APPENDIX E. GPAZ EXCEEDANCE SUMMARY APPENDIX F. GPAZ BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPENDIX G. GPAZ MEMBER Organizations iii

6 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 GPAZ Air Monitoring Station Measurement Parameters... 3 Table 2 Summary of Exceedances in Table 3 Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS)... 5 Table 4 Summary of Statistics for SO 2 Measurement Results for Table 5 Summary statistics for H 2S in Table 6 Number of exceedance events for H 2S in Table 7 Summary of Statistics for NO 2 Measurement Results for Table 8 Summary of Statistics for O 3 Measurement Results for Table 9 Summary of Statistics for PM 2.5 Measurement Results for Table 10 Number of Exceedance Events for PM 2.5 in Table 11 Health Risk Classification for Air Quality Health Index (Environment Canada) Table 12 Summary of Occurrence Statistics for AQHI Rating Table A-1 Saskatchewan Ambient Air Quality Standards Table B-1 East Regina Station: Summary Statistics for Continuous Air Monitoring Results for Table B-2 East Regina Station: Summary of Airpointer SO 2 Monitoring Results for the Year Table B-3 East Regina Station: Summary of Airpointer NO Monitoring Results for the Year Table B-4 East Regina Station: Summary of Airpointer NO 2 Monitoring Results for the Year Table B-5 East Regina Station: Summary of Airpointer NO X Monitoring Results for the Year Table B-6 East Regina Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer O 3 Monitoring Results for the Year Table B-7 East Regina Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer PM 2.5 Monitoring Results for the Year Table B-8 East Regina Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer Precipitation Monitoring Results for the Year Table B-9 East Regina Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer Ambient Temperature Monitoring Results for the Year Table B-10 East Regina Station: Summary of Airpointer Relative Humidity Monitoring Results for the Year Table B-11 East Regina Station: Airpointer Wind Frequency Table for the Year Table C-1 Pense Station: Summary Statistics for Continuous Air Monitoring Results for Table C-2 Pense Station: Summary of Airpointer SO 2 Monitoring Results for the Year Table C-3 Pense Station: Summary of Airpointer NO Monitoring Results for the Year Table C-4 Pense Station: Summary of Airpointer NO 2 Monitoring Results for the Year Table C-5 Pense Station: Summary of Airpointer NO X Monitoring Results for the Year iv

7 Table C-6 Pense Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer O 3 Monitoring Results for the Year Table C-7 Pense Station: Summary of Airpointer H 2S Monitoring Results for the Year Table C-8 Pense Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer PM 2.5 Monitoring Results for the Year Table C-9 Pense Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer Precipitation Monitoring Results for the Year Table C-10 Pense Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer Ambient Temperature Monitoring Results for the Year Table C-11 Pense Station: Summary of Airpointer Relative Humidity Monitoring Results for the Year Table C-12 Pense Station: Airpointer Wind Frequency Table for the Year Table D-1 Yorkton Station: Summary Statistics for Continuous Air Monitoring Results for Table D-2 Yorkton Station: Summary of Airpointer SO 2 Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-3 Yorkton Station: Summary of Airpointer NO Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-4 Yorkton Station: Summary of Airpointer NO 2 Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-5 Yorkton Station: Summary of Airpointer NO X Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-6 Yorkton Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer O 3 Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-7 Yorkton Station: Summary of Airpointer H 2S Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-8 Yorkton Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer PM 2.5 Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-9 Yorkton Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer Precipitation Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-10 Yorkton Station: Summary of Hourly Airpointer Ambient Temperature Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-11 Yorkton Station: Summary of Airpointer Relative Humidity Monitoring Results for the Year Table D-12 Yorkton Station: Airpointer Wind Frequency Table for the Year Table E-1 East Regina Station: Summary of 24-hour SAAQS Exceedances in Table E-2 Pense Station: Summary of 24-hour SAAQS Exceedances in Table E-3 Yorkton Station: Summary of 1-hour SAAQS Exceedances in Table E-4 Yorkton Station: Summary of 24-hour SAAQS Exceedances in v

8 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Ambient air monitoring site of GPAZ... 2 Figure 2 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average SO 2 Data at East Regina Station (ppb)... 7 Figure 3 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average SO 2 Data at the Pense Station (ppb)... 8 Figure 4 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average SO 2 Data at the Yorkton Station (ppb)... 8 Figure 5 Pollutant rose for 1-hour average H 2S data at the Pense Station (ppb) Figure 6 Pollutant rose for 1-hour average H 2S data at the Yorkton Station (ppb) Figure 7 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average NO 2 Data at East Regina Station (ppb) Figure 8 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average NO 2 Data at the Pense Station (ppb) Figure 9 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average NO 2 Data at the Yorkton Station (ppb) Figure 10 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average O 3 Data at East Regina Station (ppb) Figure 11 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average O 3 Data at the Pense Station (ppb) Figure 12 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average O 3 Data at the Yorkton Station (ppb) Figure 13 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average PM 2.5 Data at East Regina Station (μg/m 3 ) Figure 14 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average PM 2.5 Data at the Pense Station (μg/m 3 ) Figure 15 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average PM 2.5 Data at the Yorkton Station (μg/m 3 ) Figure 16 Wind Rose for 1-Hour Average Wind Data for East Regina vi

9 LIST OF TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 24-hour 8-hour AQHI AQMS CAAQS Calm CCME CO H2S NO2 NO NOX O3 PM2.5 RH SAAQS SO2 WD WS A calendar day, average is calculated midnight-to-midnight 8-hour running average for O3 Canada-Wide Standards Air Quality Health Index Air Quality Management System Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards 1-hour average wind speed lower than 1 km/hour Canadian Council of Ministers for the Environment Carbon monoxide Hydrogen sulphide Nitrogen dioxide Nitric oxide Oxides of nitrogen Ozone Particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm, referred to as fine or respirable particles Relative humidity Saskatchewan Ambient Air Quality Standard Sulphur dioxide Wind direction Wind speed UNITS OF MEASUREMENT m/s meter per second km/hr kilometer per hour μg/m 3 microgram per cubic meter ppb part per billion by volume C degree Celsius % percent (e.g., relative humidity, instrument uptime) Deg angle of wind direction from true north vii

10 INTRODUCTION 1.1 History The Great Plains Air Zone (GPAZ) and its Board of Directors were established in the fall of 2013 in accordance with a directive of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) under the Canada-wide Air Quality Management System (AQMS). It was the third official air management zone in Saskatchewan. GPAZ was formed to establish a regional organization in air monitoring network, and to collect credible, air quality information through collaborative efforts of its members and other stakeholders. Figure 1 illustrates the GPAZ zone, which covers approximately 40,000 square kilometers in the east central region of Saskatchewan. The air management zone encompasses an area from about 107 degrees longitude (just southwest of Saskatoon) to the Manitoba border, and from about 52 degrees latitude north to about 50 km south of downtown Regina. Major urban areas within GPAZ include the cities of Regina, Moose Jaw, and Yorkton. Major economic activities in the region include agriculture, manufacturing, oil & gas refining, mining, and transportation. Membership in GPAZ is currently voluntary. The current membership includes organizations and individuals from the agriculture, chemical, oil & gas, and mining sectors, as well as the public. The Government of Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, representatives of the City of Regina, and community organizations, also participate on the Board of Directors. GPAZ s income is derived from membership fees and emissions-based fees assessed to facilities operating within the air management zone. All sampling locations within GPAZ meet the requirements of the Ministry of Environment s Air Monitoring Guidelines for Saskatchewan (Reference 1). Data is collected via a data acquisition system and remotely polled on an hourly basis to a central server. Data from the instruments are reported in one-minute and one-hour averages. 1

11 Figure 1 Ambient air monitoring site of GPAZ 2

12 1.2 GPAZ Purpose and Objectives The purpose of the Airshed Association is to: collect and share air quality data and information for the area called the airshed zone. provide a forum for the discussion and management of air quality issues at the local level. The objectives of the Airshed Association are to: measure ambient air quality within the airshed zone; assess short term incidents and long term trends; communicate data and information to stakeholders and the public; provide ambient air monitoring services and data to select members to assist in meeting the member s regulatory requirements; discuss air quality issues and management solutions; and complete research or special projects as deemed necessary. 1.3 GPAZ Air Monitoring Network The GPAZ region and the locations of the air monitoring stations are shown in Figure 1, and the parameters measured at each station are shown in Table 1. The Pense station was established in February 2017, and the Yorkton station was established in May The GPAZ continuous air monitoring network measures sulphur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2, NOX), ozone (O3), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ambient temperature, relative humidity (RH), precipitation, wind speed (WS) and wind direction (WD). Real-time data for each station is available through the GPAZ website ( and historical data is available through the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. Table 1 GPAZ Air Monitoring Station Measurement Parameters Monitoring Parameter Continuous Air Quality Parameters East Regina Pense Yorkton SO 2 H 2S NO NO 2 NO X O 3 PM 2.5 Precipitation Ambient Temperature Relative Humidity Wind Speed Wind Direction 3

13 AIR QUALITY MONITORING 2.1 Exceedances above the SAAQS The GPAZ ambient air monitoring network measures air pollutant concentrations to determine the acceptability of air quality in that region. Comparing measured air quality data with the Saskatchewan Ambient Air Quality Standards (SAAQS) (Reference 2) and federal guidelines provides information about environmental health. Air quality data may be used to evaluate the trends in air quality resulting from emissions from anthropogenic sources (industry, motor vehicles, etc.) and natural processes (such as forest fires, decomposition of organic matter, etc.). Table 2 summarizes the SAAQS and the number of exceedances recorded in A total of 58 exceedance events over 22 days for 1-hour average H2S, 14 exceedance events over 14 days for 24-hour average H2S, and 23 PM2.5 exceedance events over 17 days were recorded by the GPAZ air monitoring network. The detailed exceedance summaries are presented in Appendix E. Table 2 Summary of Exceedances in 2017 Parameter SO2 H2S NO2 O3 No. of Stations SAAQS No. of Average Type Showing Exceedances (ppb) Exceedances Value 0 1-hour hour hour hour hour hour hour hour a PM hour 28 μg/m a This event does not necessarily constitute an exceedance because the standard applies to 3-year average of the annual 4 th -highest daily maximum 8-hour average concentration 4

14 2.1.1 Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards In 2012 the Canadian Council of Ministers for the Environment agreed to implement the new AQMS to guide work on air emissions across Canada. AQMS includes Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS), base-level industrial emissions requirements (BLIERs) and the management of air quality through provincial air zones. CAAQS are objectives intended to drive improvement in air quality across the country. Management Levels are specific for each pollutant and objective. There are four colour-coded Management Levels associated with a suite of monitoring, reporting and air management actions that become increasingly rigorous as air pollutant concentrations approach or exceed a CAAQS. As a part of the continuing implementation of the AQMS, in 2017 the CCME announced new CAAQS that will drive the improvement of air quality across the country. Updated standards for SO2 were published in the Canada Gazette in October of 2017 (Reference 3), while new standards for NO2 were published in December of 2017 (Reference 4). Table 3 summarizes the current CAAQS and future changes to the standards planned for 2020 and 2025 (Reference 5). Table 3 Pollutants Fine Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) Ozone (O 3) Sulphur Dioxide (SO 2) Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2) Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) Averaging Numerical Value Statistical Form Time hour 28 µg/m 3 27 µg/m 3 The 3-year average of the 98 th percentile of the daily 24-hour average concentrations. Annual 10.0 µg/m µg/m 3 The 3-year average of the annual average of all 1-hour concentrations 8-hour 63 ppb 62 ppb The 3-year average of the annual 4 th highest daily 8-hour average concentrations 1-hour - 70 ppb 65 ppb The 3-year average of the annual 99 th percentile of the SO 2 daily maximum 1-hour average concentrations Annual ppb 4.0 ppb The average over a single calendar year of all 1-hour average concentrations 1-hour - 60 ppb 42 ppb The 3-year average of the annual 98 th percentile of the daily maximum 1-hour average concentrations Annual ppb 12.0 ppb The average over a single calendar year of all 1-hour average concentrations 5

15 2.2 Continuous Air Quality Data Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) SO2 is a colourless gas with a pungent irritating odour at high concentrations. At concentrations above 300 ppb, it can be detected by taste and odour. Short-term exposures to SO2 can harm the respiratory system and make breathing difficult (Reference 6). SO2 affects sensitive individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma. SO2, along with nitrogen oxides, are the main precursors of acid rain, which contributes to the acidification of lakes and streams, accelerated corrosion of buildings, and reduced visibility. SO2 in the air may deposit to surfaces (water bodies, vegetation, buildings) quickly or may react during atmospheric transport to form larger particles that can be harmful to human health (Reference 7). Anthropogenic SO2 emission sources are primarily from combustion of sulphur containing fuels (e.g. gasoline, natural gas and coal) and processing of sulphur containing ores. The major emission sources for SO2 include large industrial sources (e.g., power plants, petroleum refineries, iron and steel mills, fertilizer plants, pulp and paper mills, smelters) as well as small industries (e.g., small oil and gas plants, battery and well flares). Table 4 presents the summary statistics for SO2 measurement results. The annual average concentration range was from 0.4 ppb to 0.9 ppb among the three stations. The maximum 1- hour average concentration of 32.1 ppb and the maximum 24-hour average of 7.2 were detected at the East Regina station. There was no exceedance of the SAAQS for 1-hour, 24- hour, or annual average concentrations. Figures 2 to 4 present the pollutant rose for 1-hour average SO2 concentrations. The SO2 concentration was less than or equal to 1 ppb (blue petals) greater than 72% of the time at all three stations. The East Regina station had concentrations above 5 ppb for 1.8% of the time and above 10 ppb for 0.7% of the time, with these higher concentrations generally occurring when the wind was blowing from the north-northwest. The detailed frequency distribution tables for the pollutant rose are presented in the Appendix Tables B-2, C-2 and D-2. 6

16 Table 4 Summary of Statistics for SO2 Measurement Results for 2017 Annual Instrument Monitoring SO2 Conc. and Occurrence Time Average Uptime Station ppb % 1-Hr Max 24-Hr Max East Regina /28/2017 7: /28/2017 Pense a /10/ : /13/2017 Yorkton b /19/2017 8: /31/2017 a Station established in February b Station established in May N NW NE W E 172 C 57 C < C < 57 5 C < 10 1 C < 5 SW SE 0 C < 1 S Figure 2 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average SO2 Data at East Regina Station (ppb) 7

17 N NW NE W E 172 C 57 C < C < 57 5 C < 10 1 C < 5 SW SE 0 C < 1 S Figure 3 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average SO2 Data at the Pense Station (ppb) N NW NE 172 C 57 C < 172 W E 10 C < 57 SW SE 5 C < 10 1 C < 5 0 C < 1 S Figure 4 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average SO2 Data at the Yorkton Station (ppb) 8

18 2.2.2 Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) H2S is a colourless gas with a characteristic rotten egg odour. It is produced both naturally and through anthropogenic emission sources. H2S occurs naturally in coal, crude oil, natural gas, oil, sulphur hot springs, volcanic gases, sloughs, swamps and lakes. The major anthropogenic emission sources include natural gas and petroleum production, wastewater treatment, pulp and paper mills, rayon textile manufacturing, and tar and asphalt manufacturing. Decomposition of organic matter by bacteria under anaerobic conditions releases H2S as well, forming the characteristic odour commonly associated with sewers, sewage lagoons, and swamps. H2S is highly toxic and flammable at high concentrations. It is heavier than air and tends to accumulate at the bottom of poorly ventilated spaces and in low-lying topography. Exposure to H2S can have serious health impacts at various concentrations. Although very pungent at first, it quickly deadens the sense of smell at concentrations of 100, ,000 ppb (Reference 8). Potential victims of H2S poisoning may be unaware of its presence until it is too late. Table 5 presents summary statistics for H2S. The annual average concentration was 0.6 ppb at the Pense station and 1.5 at the Yorkton station. The maximum 1-hour concentration of 59.8 ppb and the maximum 24-hour concentration of 8.6 ppb were detected at the Yorkton station. Although H2S concentration was generally low at all stations in comparison with the SAAQS for the majority of the time, there were occasional spikes causing exceedances of the 1-hour and 24-hour SAAQS at the Yorkton station. Table 6 summarizes the number of exceedance events for H2S. The complete lists of exceedances can be found in Appendix E. Figures 5 to 6 present the pollutant roses for 1-hour average concentration of H2S. The measured concentration was low for the majority of the time at the Pense station; all of the data was less than 3 ppb (the blue and green petals). The Yorkton station showed higher levels of H2S; almost 12% of the data was greater than 3 ppb (the orange, red and purple petals). Roughly half (48.3%) of the high concentration events (>5 ppb) were associated with Light Air wind conditions ( 1.4 m/s or 5.0 km/hr). The detailed frequency distribution tables for the pollutant rose are presented in the Appendix Tables C-7 and D-7. 9

19 Table 5 Summary statistics for H2S in 2016 Annual Instrument Monitoring H2S Conc. and Occurrence Time Average Uptime Station ppb % 1-Hr Max 24-Hr Max Pense a /5/2017 3: /9/2017 Yorkton b /30/2017 5: /30/2017 a Station established in February b Station established in May Table 6 Number of exceedance events for H2S in 2016 Number of Exceedance Events for Saskatchewan H2S Ambient Monitoring Station Air Quality Standard (SAAQS) 1-hr SAAQS 24-hr SAAQS (11 ppb) (3.6 ppb) Pense a 0 0 Yorkton b a Station established in February b Station established in May N NW NE 11 C 8 C < 11 W E 5 C < 8 3 C < 5 1 C < 3 SW SE 0 C < 1 S Figure 5 Pollutant rose for 1-hour average H2S data at the Pense Station (ppb) 10

20 N NW NE 11 C 8 C < 11 W E 5 C < 8 3 C < 5 1 C < 3 SW SE 0 C < 1 S Figure 6 Pollutant rose for 1-hour average H2S data at the Yorkton Station (ppb) Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX) Nitrogen oxides (NOX), also known as oxides of nitrogen, is a collective term for NO and NO2. NO is a colorless gas with a slight odour. NO2 is a reddish brown, non-flammable gas with a pungent irritating odour. NO2 is of more interest than NO from both a health and acid rain perspective. Both NO2 in its untransformed state, and the acid and nitrate transformation products of NO2, can have adverse effects on human health or the environment. NO2 itself can cause adverse effects on respiratory systems of humans and animals, and damage to vegetation. When NO2 is transformed into nitrate particles that are subsequently deposited on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, acidification can result. NO2 is one of the primary contributing pollutants to the formation of ground-level ozone (Reference 9). NOX emissions are mainly produced by fossil fuel combustion. High temperature conditions during combustion result in the formation of NOX as a by-product. NO emitted during combustion quickly oxidizes to NO2 in the atmosphere. The major anthropogenic emission sources for NOX are associated with fuel combustion, including both stationary (e.g., power plants, oil & gas operations, incinerators) and mobile (e.g., automobiles and trains) sources and 11

21 residential heating. Non-combustion sources (e.g., nitric acid manufacture, welding processes, and use of explosives) comprise the smaller emission sources. In large cities, motor vehicle emissions are the major source of NOX, as well as space heating emissions in the winter. The Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment regulates ambient air concentrations for nitrogen dioxide but not nitric oxide. Due to operational issues with the NOX analyzers, periods of data had to be invalidated at both the Pense and Yorkton stations. At the Pense station, the NOX analyzer operated well from initial installation in February until its first scheduled calibration on March 16. Between March 16 and next scheduled calibration June 14, which passed, data appeared to be good although the analyzer began experiencing erratic internal span checks. From June 14 to the next calibration, data became extremely erratic and internal span checks showed signs of degradation, leading to a failed calibration on September 21. As a result, data from March 16 to September 21 was invalidated. Internal zeroes and spans became more consistent after the September 21 calibration, and improved significantly after modifications to the stations were made in November. The calibration on December 12 passed, validating data from September 21 to December 12. After December 12 the analyzer began to display signs of degradation, and the data from December 12 to December 31 has been invalidated. The NOX analyzer was subsequently removed and sent away for repair. At the Yorkton station, during the first month of operation NOX analyzer data and internal zero and span checks were extremely erratic, invalidating data from May 19 to June 13. Between June 13 and September 18 the internal zero and span checks were stable, and a passed calibration appeared to validate data throughout that timespan; however, erratic data throughout the timespan and low confidence in data validity given the invalid data in time periods both before and after led to data being invalidated. From June 13 to October 22, data and internal zero and span checks were extremely erratic, resulting in this data being invalidated. The analyzer operated well from December 12 to December 31. Table 7 presents the summary statistics for NO2 measurement results. The annual average concentration range was from 2.6 ppb to 4.0 among the three stations. The maximum 1-hour average concentration of 39.1 ppb and the maximum 24-hour average of 17.7 were detected at the East Regina station. There were no exceedances of the 1-hour, 24-hour, or annual SAAQS. Figures 7 through 9 presents the pollutant rose for 1-hour average concentrations for NO2. For more than 75% of the time at the East Regina station, the NO2 concentration was less than or equal to 5 ppb (blue and green petals); approximately 22% of the data indicates NO2 concentrations between 5 and 15 ppb (yellow petals); the concentration seldom exceeded 15 12

22 ppb. No obvious pattern exists that indicates a stronger contribution of NO2 from a particular direction. The detailed frequency distribution tables for NO, NO2 and NOX are presented in the Appendix Tables B-3 to B-5, C-3 to C-5 and D-3 to D-5. Table 7 Summary of Statistics for NO2 Measurement Results for 2017 Annual Instrument Monitoring NO2 Conc. and Occurrence Time Average Uptime Station ppb % 1-Hr Max 24-Hr Max East Regina /11/ : /14/2017 Pense a /11/ : /8/2017 Yorkton b /28/ : /20/2017 a Station established in February; data from March 16 to September 21 and from December 12 to December 31 invalidated b Station established in May; data prior to December 12 invalidated N NW NE 159 C 75 C < 159 W E 15 C < 75 5 C < 15 2 C < 5 SW SE 0 C < 2 S Figure 7 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average NO2 Data at East Regina Station (ppb) 13

23 N NW NE 159 C 75 C < 159 W E 15 C < 75 5 C < 15 2 C < 5 SW SE 0 C < 2 S Figure 8 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average NO2 Data at the Pense Station (ppb) N NW NE 159 C 75 C < 159 W E 15 C < 75 5 C < 15 2 C < 5 SW SE 0 C < 2 S Figure 9 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average NO2 Data at the Yorkton Station (ppb) 14

24 2.2.4 Ozone (O3) O3 in the upper atmosphere (10 to 50 kilometres above the earth s surface) protects the earth from the sun s harmful ultraviolet radiation. In the lower atmosphere and at ground level, O3 is harmful to human health as it can cause breathing problems, reduce lung function and aggravate asthma and other lung diseases (Reference 10). Ground-level O3 is a colourless, odourless gas at ambient concentrations and is one of two major components of summertime smog. Ozone can significantly impact vegetation and decrease the productivity of some crops. It damages cotton, acetate, nylon, polyester and other textile materials. Ozone can also damage other synthetic materials, cause cracks in rubber, accelerate fading of dyes, and speed deterioration of some paints and coatings. In the ambient air, O3 is a secondary pollutant, meaning it is not directly emitted from a source. Instead, ozone is produced from photochemical reactions of NOX and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight. Ground-level ozone could be from intrusion of ozone from the stratosphere, mixing from the upper troposphere, local photochemistry and/or the medium and long-range transport. There is no scientific consensus on the relative importance of these mechanisms. O3 can be formed by electrical discharges and high-energy electromagnetic radiation. In indoor environments, ozone can be present because of electronic equipment such as ionic air purifiers, laser printers, photocopiers, and arc welders. Table 8 presents the summary statistics for O3 measurement results. The annual average concentration range was from 25.6 ppb to 29.4 among the three stations. The maximum 1-hour average concentration of 64.9 ppb and the maximum 24-hour average of 46.6 were detected at the East Regina station. During this period, no exceedances of the SAAQS 8-hour limit of 63 ppb were observed as this is based on the 3-year average of the annual 4 th -highest daily maximum 8-hour concentrations. Figures 10 to 12 present the pollutant rose for the 1-hour average concentration of O3. The measured concentration was within 10 ppb to 50 ppb range (green, yellow and orange petals) close to 92% of the time at all three stations. No correlation of wind direction and O3 concentration is apparent. The detailed frequency distribution table for the pollutant rose is presented in Tables B-6, C-6 and D-6. 15

25 Table 8 Summary of Statistics for O3 Measurement Results for 2017 Annual Instrument O3 Conc. and Occurrence Time Monitoring Average Uptime Station ppb % 1-Hr Max 8-Hr Max 24-Hr Max East Regina /4/ : /4/ : /9/2017 Pense a /9/ : /4/ : /14/2017 Yorkton b /1/ : /1/ : /1/2017 a Station established in February b Station established in May N NW NE W E 82 C 50 C < C < C < C < 20 0 C < 10 SW SE S Figure 10 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average O3 Data at East Regina Station (ppb) 16

26 N NW NE W E 82 C 50 C < C < C < C < 20 0 C < 10 SW SE S Figure 11 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average O3 Data at the Pense Station (ppb) N NW NE W E 82 C 50 C < C < C < C < 20 0 C < 10 SW SE S Figure 12 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average O3 Data at the Yorkton Station (ppb) 17

27 2.2.5 Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Particulate matter is unique among air pollutants, as it is identified by its size rather than by its composition. The primary particulate contaminants of concern are fine particles with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres referred to as PM2.5. Fine particles are generally emitted from activities such as industrial and residential combustion, and from vehicle exhaust. Fine particles are also formed in the atmosphere when gases such as SO2, NO2, and VOCs are transformed by chemical and photochemical reactions in the air. The largest natural contribution of PM2.5 comes from forest fires. When inhaled deeply into the lungs, even small amounts of PM2.5 can cause serious health problems such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Along with ground-level ozone, PM2.5 is one of the two major components of smog. Fine particulate matter can damage vegetation and structures, contribute to haze which reduces visibility (Reference 11). Table 9 presents the summary statistics for PM2.5 measurement results. The annual average concentration range was from 7.9 μg/m 3 to 17.5 μg/m 3 among the three stations. The maximum 1-hour average concentration of μg/m 3 and the maximum 24-hour average of 62.0 μg/m 3 were detected at the East Regina station. Twenty-three exceedances of the SAAQS 24-hour limit of 28 μg/m 3 were observed. The East Regina station showed nine exceedances, all in July to September. Pense had one exceedance which occurred in October. Yorkton had 13 exceedances occurring mostly in August-October. The exceedances during the fall coincide with harvest time. Yorkton and Regina also have significant construction projects nearby which may be contributing to the elevated levels. Details of the exceedance events are provided in Appendix E. Due to an operational issue with the particulate monitor at Pense causing noisy readings, data prior to September 21 was invalidated. The issue was corrected to prevent future recurrence. Figures 13 to 15 present the pollutant rose for the PM2.5 measurement results. The measured concentrations were mostly less than the annual SAAQS standard of 10 μg/m 3 (91.4%). The detailed frequency distribution table for the pollutant rose is presented in Appendix tables B-7, C-8 and D-8. 18

28 Table 9 Summary of Statistics for PM2.5 Measurement Results for 2017 Annual Instrument Monitoring PM2.5 Conc. and Occurrence Time Average Uptime Station μg/m 3 % 1-Hr Max 24-Hr Max East Regina /7/ : /7/2017 Pense a c /20/ : /20/2017 Yorkton b /20/ : /20/2017 a Station established in February b Station established in May c Low instrument uptime due to data being invalidated prior to September 21 Table 10 Number of Exceedance Events for PM2.5 in 2017 Number of Exceedance Events for Saskatchewan PM2.5 Monitoring Station Ambient Air Quality Standard (SAAQS) 24-hr SAAQS a Annual SAAQS (28 μg/m 3 ) (10 μg/m 3 ) East Regina 9 0 Pense b 1 0 Yorkton c 13 0 a SAAQS applies to 3-year average of the annual 98 th percentile of the daily 24-hour average concentrations b Station established in February c Station established in May N NW NE 30 C 20 C < 30 W E 10 C < 20 4 C < 10 2 C < 4 SW SE 0 C < 2 S Figure 13 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average PM2.5 Data at East Regina Station (μg/m 3 ) 19

29 N NW NE 30 C 20 C < 30 W E 10 C < 20 4 C < 10 2 C < 4 SW SE 0 C < 2 S Figure 14 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average PM2.5 Data at the Pense Station (μg/m 3 ) N NW NE 30 C 20 C < 30 W E 10 C < 20 4 C < 10 2 C < 4 SW SE 0 C < 2 S Figure 15 Pollutant Rose for 1-Hour Average PM2.5 Data at the Yorkton Station (μg/m 3 ) 20

30 2.3 Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a health protection tool that is designed to help the public make decisions to protect their health by limiting short-term exposure to air pollution, and adjusting their activity levels during increased levels of air pollution. The AQHI uses readings from PM2.5, NO2, and O3 to calculate a single numerical value to evaluate the health risk associated with air pollution. All three pollutants are required to calculate AQHI according to the following equation (Reference 12): AAAAAAAA = [(ee OO 3 1) + (ee NNNN 2 1) + (ee PPPP 2.5 1)] Table 11 summarizes the AQHI rating and the health messages for the at-risk population and the general population. The health risk is classified in categories by AQHI: Low Risk (1 to 3), Moderate Risk (4 to 6), High Risk (7 to 10), and Very High Risk (above 10). Table 12 summarizes the occurrence statistics for AQHI by the health risk categories. Generally, the air quality was good from a health risk perspective; more than 95% of time the AQHI was rated in the Low Risk category at all three stations. The frequency of Moderate Risk category was 4.0% at the East Regina station, 0.8% at the Pense station and 0.0% at the Yorkton station. The frequency of High Risk category was 0.3% and 0.1% for the East Regina and Pense stations respectively. Very High Risk was detected only at the East Regina station 0.1% of the time (four hours). High Risk and Very High Risk air quality were not detected at the Yorkton station. Table 11 Health Risk Health Risk Classification for Air Quality Health Index (Environment Canada) Air Quality Heath Index Low 1-3 Moderate 4-6 High 7-10 Very High Above 10 Health Messages At Risk Population General Population Enjoy your usual outdoor Ideal air quality for outdoor activities. activities. Consider reducing or No need to modify your usual rescheduling strenuous outdoor activities unless you activities outdoors if you are experience symptoms such as experiencing symptoms. coughing and throat irritation. Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also avoid outdoor physical exertion. Avoid strenuous activities outdoors. Children and the elderly should also avoid outdoor physical exertion. Consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities outdoors if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation. Reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors, especially if you experience symptoms such as coughing and throat irritation. 21

31 Table 12 Monitoring Station Summary of Occurrence Statistics for AQHI Rating Occurrence Hours and Frequency by AQHI Risk Rating Occurrence Statistics Low Risk Moderate Risk High Risk Very High Risk East Regina Pense a Yorkton b a Station established in February b Station established in May Occurrence Hours Occurrence Frequency 95.7% 4.0% 0.3% 0.1% Occurrence Hours Occurrence Frequency 99.1% 0.8% 0.1% 0.0% Occurrence Hours Occurrence Frequency 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 2.4 Wind Speed and Direction Wind speed and wind direction, as well as other meteorological parameters, are important factors that influence regional air quality. The diffusion and dispersion of air pollutant emissions are greatly impacted by variations in wind speed and corresponding air turbulence. Figure 16 shows wind speed and direction at the three stations for The height of the meteorological towers at the Pense and Yorkton stations are 10 m, while the East Regina airpointer wind sensor is 2.6 m in height. This means the East Regina airpointer will show significantly lower wind speeds than the other two stations. Prevailing winds at East Regina were from the northwest (34.2%) and southeast (34.1%) quadrants. Pense had a similar pattern, with prevailing winds from the northwest (34.8%) and southeast (31.0%). Yorkton showed winds from the northwest (37.4%), while southwest and southeast winds were approximately equal (24.5 and 24.3%, respectively). The prevailing wind primarily consisted of Light Air (<1.4 m/s or 5.0 km/hr), Light Breeze (<3.1 m/s or 11.2 km/hr), and Gentle to Moderate breeze (<7.8 m/s or 28.1 km/hr) according to the Beaufort Wind Scale (Reference 13). Fresh to Strong Breezes (>7.8 m/s or 28.1 km/hr) were recorded 0.8% of time at East Regina, 18.3% of the time at Pense, and 5.7% of the time at Yorkton. The detailed frequency distribution tables and wind roses are presented in Appendix Tables B-11, C-12 and D

32 Figure 16 Wind Rose for 1-Hour Average Wind Data for East Regina

33 REFERENCES 1. Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. (2012). Air Monitoring Guideline for Saskatchewan. Retrieved from: 2. Table 20: Saskatchewan Ambient Air Quality Standards. Retrieved April 21, 2017 from: 3. Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999: Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards for sulphur dioxide. (2017). Canada Gazette Part I, 151(43). Retrieved from the Canada Gazette website: 4. Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999: Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards for nitrogen dioxide. (2017). Canada Gazette Part I, 151(49). Retrieved from the Canada Gazette website: 5. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Air Quality. Retrieved May 24, 2018 from: 6. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. Resources. Sulphur Dioxide. Retrieved April 21, 2017 from: 7. United States Environmental Protection Agency. What is Acid Rain? Retrieved April 21, 2017 from: 8. Government of Saskatchewan website. Retrieved May 7, 2018 from: 9. Environment and Climate Change Canada. Nitrogen Oxides NOX. Retrieved April 21, 2017 from: Environment and Climate Change Canada. Ambient Levels of Ozone. Retrieved April 21, 2017 from: Environment and Climate Change Canada. Ambient Levels of Fine Particulate Matter. Retrieved April 21, 2017 from: indicators/default.asp?lang=en&n=029bb Stieb, David M.; Burnett, Richard T.; Smith-Doiron, Marc; Brion, Orly; Shin, Hwashin Hyun; Economou, Vanita (24 Jan 2012). "A New Multipollutant, No-Threshold Air Quality Health Index Based on Short-Term Associations Observed in Daily Time-Series Analyses". Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association. 58: Beaufort Wind Scale Table. Retrieved April 21, 2017 from: 24

34 APPENDIX A. SASKATCHEWAN AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS Table A-1 Saskatchewan Ambient Air Quality Standards 25

35 APPENDIX B. EAST REGINA STATION: CONTINUOUS MONITORING DATA Table B-1 East Regina Station: Summary Statistics for Continuous Air Monitoring Results for 2017 Parameter Unit Hours of Annual Calibration Summary Statistics for 1-Hour Data Valid Percent Hours Data Uptime Average Minimum SO2 ppb % 0.8 < NO ppb % 1.0 < NO2 ppb % 3.8 < NOX ppb % 4.8 < O3 ppb % PM2.5 μg/m % Precipitation mm % (total) < Ambient Temperature C % Relative Humidity % % Wind Speed km/hr % 10.2 Calm 43.4 Table B-2 East Regina Station: Summary of Airpointer SO2 Monitoring Results for the Year 2017 Valid 1-Hr Operational Average 1-Hour 24-Hour Month data Time Conc. 1-Hr Conc. Exceedance 24-Hr Conc. Exceedance Percent of Data in each Concentration Range (no.) (%) (ppb) (ppb) (no.) (ppb) (no.) 0 C < 1 1 C < 5 5 C < C < C < C January % % 23.5% 2.3% 3.1% 0.0% 0.0% February % % 16.3% 1.5% 2.3% 0.0% 0.0% March % % 23.0% 1.6% 1.4% 0.0% 0.0% April % % 6.8% 1.9% 0.4% 0.0% 0.0% May % % 8.5% 2.0% 1.0% 0.0% 0.0% June % % 9.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% July % % 8.0% 0.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% August % % 7.5% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% September % % 8.9% 1.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% October % % 9.2% 0.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% November % % 10.3% 0.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% December % % 12.9% 1.1% 0.4% 0.0% 0.0% Annual % % 11.9% 1.1% 0.7% 0.0% 0.0% 26

36 Table B-3 East Regina Station: Summary of Airpointer NO Monitoring Results for the Year 2017 Valid 1-Hr data Operational Time Average Conc. 1-Hr Conc. 24-Hr Conc. Percent of Data in each Concentration Range Month (no.) (%) (ppb) (ppb) (ppb) 0 C < 2 2 C < 5 5 C < C < C < C January % % 12.3% 6.0% 0.6% 0.0% 0.0% February % % 12.4% 7.7% 2.2% 0.0% 0.0% March % % 1.8% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% April % % 2.0% 0.7% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% May % % 3.7% 1.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% June % % 3.4% 0.9% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% July % % 2.7% 0.3% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% August % % 4.0% 3.4% 1.1% 0.0% 0.0% September % % 4.3% 2.5% 0.4% 0.0% 0.0% October % % 7.6% 2.8% 0.8% 0.0% 0.0% November % % 13.9% 6.7% 0.9% 0.0% 0.0% December % % 11.1% 2.7% 0.8% 0.0% 0.0% Annual % % 6.7% 3.0% 0.6% 0.0% 0.0% Table B-4 East Regina Station: Summary of Airpointer NO2 Monitoring Results for the Year 2017 Valid 1-Hr Operational Average 1-Hour 24-Hour Month data Time Conc. 1-Hr Conc. Exceedance 24-Hr Conc. Exceedance Percent of Data in each Concentration Range (no.) (%) (ppb) (ppb) (no.) (ppb) (no.) 0 C < 2 2 C < 5 5 C < C < C < C January % % 40.7% 42.6% 8.0% 0.0% 0.0% February % % 28.7% 33.0% 10.3% 0.0% 0.0% March % % 34.1% 6.4% 0.3% 0.0% 0.0% April % % 24.7% 5.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% May % % 30.9% 11.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% June % % 40.4% 19.6% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% July % % 26.4% 6.9% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% August % % 37.1% 14.8% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% September % % 41.1% 19.9% 1.0% 0.0% 0.0% October % % 38.5% 23.6% 2.4% 0.0% 0.0% November % % 35.8% 36.6% 5.1% 0.0% 0.0% December % % 37.5% 39.3% 4.4% 0.0% 0.0% Annual % % 34.8% 22.0% 2.6% 0.0% 0.0% 27