Developing an Environmental Monitoring Program -- a Work in Progress

Transcription

1 Background Developing an Environmental Monitoring Program -- a Work in Progress The United States Antarctic Program (USAP) is developing an environmental monitoring program to measure the impacts from science and operations at it research stations in Antarctica. The monitoring program is being built on the recommendations of the SCAR/COMNAP workshops (Monitoring of Environmental Impacts from Science and Operations in Antarctica, SCAR, 1996) and seeks to implement them in a cost effective, scientifically sound manner. Recognizing that scientific research and related logistic support can have effects on the Antarctic environment, the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties adopted Recommendation XV-5 on environmental monitoring in Antarctica. In addition to encouraging national programs to establish monitoring programs to verify predicted effects and detect unforeseen effects, the Parties also recommended that a meeting of experts be convened to provide advice on monitoring programs in the Antarctic. In June, 1992, the first Meeting of Experts on Environmental Monitoring was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The meeting participants considered many aspects and issues related to environmental monitoring. Among their conclusions was that: "The first steps in environmental impact monitoring are defining the programme objectives, identifying the variables of concern, determining the natural variations therein, and establishing baselines against which the nature, magnitude, and significance of future changes can be evaluated." They also pointed out that environmental monitoring should be focused on questions of how activities cause or may cause environmental impacts and that the monitoring results should provide the feedback operators need to improve their activities through prevention or mitigation of impacts. Furthermore, the meeting recommended that a group of technical experts on monitoring be convened to address in greater detail issues of: design of monitoring programs scientific protocols for monitoring standardization and quality assurance applicable technology data management The scope and complexity of these issues necessitated conducting two workshops. The first, held in October 1995, was tasked with developing options for monitoring human impacts associated with research activities and logistic operations. The second workshop, held in March 1996, considered methodologies, technologies, study designs, and data management needed to implement a successful and meaningful monitoring program.

2 The results and recommendations from these workshops are providing the framework within which the USAP environmental monitoring program is being developed. The approach being taken is to develop a hypothesis driven monitoring program precisely targeted on a few key indicators, carefully selected on the basis of sound scientific criteria. Those indicators must be related to specific activities or operations. Furthermore, the environmental monitoring program must be tied to an environmental management strategy in order to be useful. Development of a Monitoring Program for the United States Antarctic Program The primary purpose for developing a monitoring program is to provide the basis for sound environmental management decisions and improvements in management activities. Data obtained from the monitoring program will be used to document baseline conditions, detect and monitor changes from that baseline, verify operational impact, and monitor recovery from accidental impacts to the environment. At a minimum, the program must provide an early warning of deterioration in key values or resources and identify the activities responsible for such deterioration. The program must be cost effective and be useful for management decision making. In developing the USAP monitoring plan, we are focusing first on McMurdo Station. McMurdo is the largest U.S. station and presumably has the most extensive impact. McMurdo Station is a year round coastal station built on the bare volcanic rock of Hut Point Peninsula on Ross Island. It is the logistics hub of the U.S. Antarctic Program and has a harbor where research and resupply vessels dock, landing strips on sea ice and shelf ice for fixed wing aircraft, and a helicopter pad. Its 85 or so buildings range in size from a small radio shack to large, three-story structures. The buildings include a modern laboratory with state-of-the-art instrumentation to facilitate research, repair facilities, dormitories, administrative buildings, a firehouse, power plant, water plant, wharf, and warehouses. They are linked by above-ground water, sewer, telephone, and power lines. Research is performed at and near McMurdo in marine and terrestrial biology, biomedicine, geology and geophysics, glaciology and glacial geology, meteorology, aeronomy, and upper atmosphere physics. The complexity of the station, with a wide range of station support activities, the ongoing research in the immediate vicinity of the station, and a substantial data base concerning air, water, benthic and soil sampling are the primary reasons that the USAP decided to use McMurdo as the starting point for developing an environmental monitoring plan. It is anticipated that all potentially affected media and all types of potential sources of impact from station operations will be represented. Lessons learned from development of a site specific monitoring program here will be applicable to other areas in Antarctica where similar operations are occurring. Components of the Monitoring Program

3 The monitoring program being developed will have two components. The first component will be a simple, practical, cost effective plan that will: define the boundary/extent of the "footprint" of anthropogenic impacts resulting from station operations (e.g. air emissions from the power plant); document that boundary and develop a baseline assessment of current conditions within the boundary; and develop a monitoring program that will detect changes in the "footprint" directly related to station operations. Monitoring the footprint of station operations will provide background information for future planning as well as data needed for status and trend analysis. It should also be noted that the definition of "footprint" will be very much related to the media under consideration. For example, air borne particulates might be the indicator of choice for detecting the extent of a station footprint on land while some other constituent might be the indicator of choice for a marine area adjacent to a coastal station. Use of such an indicator might yield a different "footprint" than use of carbon soot from power plant operations. The footprint, then, would be related to what indicator is chosen and how that indicator is transported. The second component will be a similar plan for the more heavily impacted areas at and surrounding the station. This second component will: define the boundary/extent of heavily impacted areas; document that boundary and develop a baseline assessment of current conditions within the boundary, and; develop a monitoring program that will detect changes from baseline conditions that can be directly related to station operations. Specific Approach to Development Following the recommendation that any monitoring program should be hypothesis driven, the following hypotheses form an integral part of the USAP approach to developing a station are monitoring plan: Hypothesis 1. The areal extent the impact from the presence of a station as an operational facility is bounded and the boundary limits can be determined. Hypothesis 2. Changes in operations and activities will be reflected in changes in the selected indicators. A phased approach is being used to develop the monitoring program. The first phase will: 1. compile and summarize existing data on station emissions, discharges, and impacts to the local environment; 2. identify and evaluate possible models for defining the probable extent of the station s "footprint";

4 3. develop an approach for defining the boundaries of heavily impacted areas; 4. select appropriate indicator parameters to monitor emissions from specific activities in different media such as air, water, and soil (indicators will be justified based on their ability to unambiguously record the impact area of an activity. To accomplish this, existing sampling and analysis data is being gathered and relevant literature is being reviewed. This review will also assist in identifying relevant, meaningful, cost effective parameters that can be monitored to detect change. The literature review will assist in identifying valid predictive models for defining boundaries. An important consideration in developing or using predictive models is that of spatial and temporal scales that are appropriate for various types of disturbance. Once the historical data on heavily impacted areas is summarized, models can be used to estimate a sphere of influence that might be expected. This in turn will be used in designing the spatial distribution of a pilot sampling project. To assist in this process, a Scientific Advisory Board is being created to advise on the development of the environmental monitoring program. The advisory board will consist of three to five well known experts with a combination of experience in developing large, multidisciplinary monitoring programs, and nationally recognized expertise in an appropriate scientific field with an emphasis on polar experience. Based on the model chosen during the first phase, the second phase will include the development and implementation of a statistically valid study plan, including a pilot sampling design, to verify the predicted footprint area and heavily impacted area. Using existing data to the greatest extent possible, any necessary studies and/or sampling will be conducted to verify the prediction. The results will be used to determine if the anticipated sphere of influence is as predicted. The information obtained will be used to refine the sampling design and provide input into the final long term monitoring design. It is anticipated that the pilot phase may require as much as three years to adequately determine temporal issues and effects. Expected results Using the information gathered, a long term environmental monitoring program plan will be designed and implemented. Assessment of the monitoring data will provide an early warning of deterioration of values or resources while identifying those activities most likely to be responsible for any observed deterioration. The program should also be capable of detecting improvements in environmental conditions that can be directly linked to modification of operating procedures. As noted earlier, the initial plan will be developed for McMurdo Station. The conceptual approach to plan development can then be applied at the other two U.S. research stations, Palmer Station, on the Antarctic Peninsula, and the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, an inland location. The detailed plan for McMurdo Station will include the indicators (parameters) to be used, the location, frequency and analytical methods to be used in sampling and analysis, and a database with currently available baseline information for comparison purposes. The plan will also include

5 recommendations on more focused investigations of selected areas or media to fill in gaps in the baseline information or to provide answers to questions that may relate to future monitoring needs. The process of developing a monitoring program will then be applied to the other U.S., research stations, with site specific plans being developed for Palmer Station and the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Another anticipated product of this process is a guidebook that will document the process used in developing the monitoring plan for McMurdo Station and provide recommendations for applying the process at any research station. It will also contain lessons learned in developing an implementable, cost effective monitoring program and questions to be considered before starting to develop a monitoring program. The questions could include how to decide whether and when to seek external assistance in developing a program and how to factor in funding considerations in developing a reasonable and effective monitoring program.