Transboundary Ozone Pollution Conference. U.S. EPA, Region 9 April 2, 2015

Transcription

1 Transbundary Ozne Pllutin Cnference U.S. EPA, Regin 9 April 2, 2015

2 Presentatin utline EPA cllabratins t imprve understanding f internatinal transprt. Sessin questin: Are there prmising technlgy and plicy ptins at the internatinal, bilateral, r reginal scales capable f reducing reginal TAO impacts caused by fssil fuel cmbustin in Asia? EPA cllabratin with China n imprving air quality and mitigating climate change. EPA analyses f backgrund zne TAO is a cmpnent f backgrund zne (see schematic). Plicy ptins fr addressing fr backgrund zne, including TAO. U.S. EPA (2013): Integrated Science Assessment fr Ozne 2

3 Imprving Our Understanding f Internatinal Transprt EPA has been a glbal leader in the effrt t imprve ur understanding f the intercntinental transprt f air pllutin since evidence f ptentially significant transprt began t emerge in the late 1990s. Fr the last 10 years, EPA has c-chaired the Task Frce n Hemispheric Transprt f Air Pllutin (TF HTAP) under the UNECE Cnventin n Lng-Range Transbundary Air Pllutin. This Task Frce has engaged experts frm arund the wrld t develp an imprved understanding f intercntinental transprt acrss the Nrthern Hemisphere and the ptential fr mitigatin actins. TF HTAP, the Western Reginal Air Partnership (WRAP), and the Natinal Center fr Atmspheric Research (NCAR) are hlding a series f wrkshps entitled Mdeling Air Quality frm the Glbal t Reginal Scale in Bulder May The meetings are pen t participatin in persn r thrugh web cnferencing. EPA, alng with NASA, NOAA, and NSF, spnsred the 2010 Natinal Academy f Sciences reprt Glbal Surces f Lcal Pllutin. EPA cntinues t wrk with its federal partners thrugh the interagency Air Quality Research Subcmmittee t identify pprtunities fr cperatin that will yield insights. EPA has incrprated the cnsideratin f backgrund levels f air pllutin in its assessments, linking GEOS-Chem and ther glbal mdels t CMAQ, and explicitly explring the influence f internatinal transprt in the NAAQS review prcess. EPA has develped new tls, such as hemispheric-scale CMAQ, t imprve the ability t quantify extrareginal influences n air quality in the United States. 3

4 Mitigating Surces f Internatinal Transprt EPA is wrking t strengthen air quality management effrts and mitigate surces f internatinal transprt thrugh bilateral agreements with Mexic, Canada, China, and ther cuntries, and multi-lateral institutins and partnerships, such as UNEP and the Climate and Clean Air Calitin (CCAC). One fcus f multi-lateral attentin is methane mitigatin, which is a significant cntributr t trpspheric zne n a glbal scale, as well as a ptent greenhuse gas. 4

5 Cllabratin with China n imprving air quality EPA cllabrates with China t share expertise and experience in the mnitring, assessment and reductin f air pllutants. This includes prmting the use f integrated air quality and reginal multi-pllutant air quality management strategies, and the develpment f framewrks and technical capacities t adpt effective emissins reductin strategies. EPA has cllabrated with China's Ministry f Envirnmental Prtectin (MEP) t develp SO 2 emissins cap and trading mechanisms and with MEP and Prvinces t prmte cleaner fuels and vehicles. EPA als cllabrated with the Shanghai Envirnmental Prtectin Bureau and Shanghai Envirnmental Mnitring Center t establish the AIRNw-Internatinal real-time air quality infrmatin system. EPA cntinues assisting with hsting study turs, training, and cperatin n multi-pllutant and mercury cntrls, pwer sectr emissins, mtr vehicle engine cmpliance, and helping China in cntrlling PM2.5 emissins. EPA c-spnsrs with MEP Reginal Air Quality Mnitring cnferences t address pririty air quality issues such as reginal crdinatin f PM2.5 cntrl and best practices fr air quality planning. EPA and MEP have undertaken a pilt prject in Jiangsu Prvince t develp a mdel air quality plan that adapts best practices frm the U.S. t China in cllabratin with the U.S. Trade and Develpment Agency. 5

6 Cllabratin with China n mitigating climate change With China, EPA participates in the U.S.-China Climate Change Wrking Grup t the Strategic and Ecnmic Dialgue. This wrking grup intends t: Supprt develpment f dmestic fuel and freight plicies Supprt develpment f methdlgies fr cllecting and managing greenhuse gas emissins data, Prvide technical assistance n the design and implementatin f multi-pllutant emissin cntrl prgrams that reduce cnventinal pllutants and greenhuse gases, and Engage in dialgues n energy efficiency in new and existing buildings. Climate mitigatin measures resulting frm the cllabratin are expected t have air quality c-benefits. 6

7 O 3 design values relative t prpsed NAAQS range Based n mnitring data: 358 cunties wuld vilate 70 ppb (darker blue) 200 additinal cunties wuld vilate 65 ppb. EPA prjects mst cunties wuld meet the prpsed range f standards by 2025 U.S. EPA (2014): 7

8 EPA estimates f mdel backgrund zne Backgrund O 3 refers t zne that is frmed by prcesses that cannt be impacted by lcal cntrls Transprt f O 3 frm the stratsphere Natural O 3 precursrs: bigenic VOC & NOx, wildfires, lightning Nn U.S. anthrpgenic emissins f O 3 precursrs (TAO) Glbal methane backgrund U.S. Backgrund (USB) O 3 is estimated using air quality mdel simulatins that remve all U.S. anthrpgenic emissins r therwise track the cntributin f surces ther than U.S. man-made surces. EPA assessed mdel perfrmance acrss the dmain and specifically n days/sites with high estimates f mdel backgrund and cncludes the mdel platfrm is suitable fr use in estimating USB cntributins. 8

9 EPA estimates f western U.S. backgrund fractins n high zne days Mst vilatins f the zne NAAQS are driven by U.S. man-made emissins. In sme lcatins f the cuntry, there may be days fr which natural and/r TAO surces are a significant prprtin f lcal zne cncentratins. Backgrund cntributins are prprtinally highest in rural, high-elevatin areas acrss the western U.S. EPA des nt expect this t be a widespread issue at the higher end f the prpsed NAAQS range. (Dlwick et al., 2015, Fig 9b) There are a number f CAA mechanisms and natinal prgrams that can help ensure states are nt required t develp unreasnable lcal cntrl measures fr attainment. 9

10 Plicy ptins fr addressing backgrund O 3 : Exceptinal Events An exceptinal event generally refers t either a natural event, r an event caused by human activity unlikely t recur, which is als nt reasnably cntrllable r preventable. A state can request and EPA may exclude air mnitring data influenced by exceptinal events frm use in making regulatry decisins, prvided states prepare dcumentatin that meets certain regulatry criteria. Example natural exceptinal events that culd impact O 3 : stratspheric intrusins, wildfires. EPA recently apprved a demnstratin frm Wyming fr a June 2012 stratspheric O 3 intrusin event. EPA anticipates prpsing revisins t Exceptinal Events Rule in the near-future: Intent: simplify prcess fr making exceptinal event demnstratins Als develping guidance t help air agencies in addressing the Exceptinal Events Rule criteria fr wildfires. 10

11 Plicy ptins fr addressing backgrund O 3 : Rural Transprt Areas and Interstate Transprt The Clean Air Act allws a nnattainment area t be treated as rural transprt areas if it can be demnstrated that the area meets these criteria: The area des nt cntain emissins surces that make significant cntributins t zne in the area, r ther dwnwind areas. The area des nt include and is nt adjacent t a Metrplitan Statistical Area. A rural transprt area is cnsidered t have met its CAA bligatins if it satisfies the Marginal classificatin requirements Includes nnattainment NSR (including ffsets) N attainment demnstratin required As part f the CAA prcess, each state is required t submit a plan that prevents emissins frm within the state frm cntributing t nnattainment r interfering with maintenance in dwnwind states (aka Gd Neighbr prvisin). 11

12 Plicy ptins fr addressing backgrund O 3 : Transbundary anthrpgenic zne The Clean Air Act (sectin 179B) allws the EPA Administratr t determine whether an area wuld meet the zne NAAQS by the attainment date but fr emissins cntributing t the areas frm utside the U.S. If such a plan is apprved, an area wuld be exempt frm reclassificatin, FIPs, and ptential sanctins. Prvides relief frm adpting mre than reasnable cntrls t demnstrate attainment. EPA has used sectin 179B authrity in the past t apprve attainment plans fr Mexican brder areas in El Pas (including 1-hur zne), Ngales (PM), and the Imperial Valley f CA (PM). 12

13 Summary EPA is wrking n a number f frnts t better understand ptential internatinal surces f zne and identify pprtunities fr reducing lng-range transprt f this harmful pllutant and its precursrs. On the science frnt, EPA is wrking with ther federal agencies and thrugh the TF HTAP. On the plicy frnt, EPA is wrking with air quality fficials in China and ther cuntries t imprve their air quality management capabilities. In additin, glbal effrts t reduce methane emissins, such as the Glbal Methane Initiative, will cntribute t decreases in zne cncentratins. While mst exceedances f the zne NAAQS in the U.S. are caused by man-made emissins within the U.S., there may be cases in which backgrund zne is a significant prprtin f lcal zne cncentratins. These events are mst frequent in rural, high-elevatin sites in the western U.S. This backgrund zne can result frm a cmbinatin f surces, including internatinal anthrpgenic emissins. The relative prprtin f varius backgrund terms can be highly variable and is cntingent n meterlgical cnditins. 13

14 Summary (cntinued) Under the Clean Air Act, states are nt respnsible fr reducing emissins that are nt in their cntrl. Existing and upcming EPA regulatins and guidance will assist states in ensuring backgrund zne (including TAO) des nt create unnecessary cntrl bligatins as they cntinue their wrk t imprve air quality. This was nted in the utreach materials prvided with EPA s prpsal t update the zne NAAQS. EPA has a lng histry f wrking with states as they develp State Implementatin Plans (SIPs) t reduce emissins f zne precursrs within individual jurisdictins. The agency will cntinue these cllabrative effrts fr any revised zne Natinal Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), including wrking with stakehlders t identify implementatin slutins fr treatment f zne frmed utside an area s jurisdictin. 14

15 Extra Slides 15

16 EPA estimates f mdel seasnal mean U.S. backgrund fractins (EPA, 2014, Ozne Plicy Assessment: Fig 2-13) 16