An Overview of Air Pollution Issues Richard Valentinetti Vermont Agency Natural Resources 18 October 2007
Air Pollution Control In Vermont: Three Problems -- 1. Criteria Air Pollutants 2. Air Toxics 3. Climate Change/ Greenhouse Gases
APCD Website www.anr.state.vt.us/air
Air Quality Monitoring Network http://www.anr.state.vt.us/air/
National Ambient Air Quality Standards 109 CAA: to protect human health.. six air contaminants: Carbon Monoxide (CO) Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) Lead (Pb) Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ) Particulate Matter (PM) Ozone (O 3 )
What makes Ozone (smog)? VOC + NOx Heat + Sunlight
NAAQS -- Ozone 0.100 Unrounded Ozone Three-Year Averages of Annual Fourth Maximum Daily Maximum 8-Hour Averages 0.090 Concentration, parts per million 0.080 0.070 0.060 0.050 0.040 0.030 0.020 National standard of 0.08 parts per million To show trend, data was not rounded from three to two decimal places as required to determine compliance. Bennington Unrounded 3-Year Average of Annual 4th Maximum Underhill Unrounded 3-Year Average of Annual 4th Maximum World Health Organization Guideline 0.010 0.000 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Year
NAAQS PM2.5
NAAQS PM 2.5 Primary and Secondary Forms of PM2.5 Examples of Primary PM - Diesel soot - Boiler Fly Ash - Mechanical abrasion processes Examples of Secondary PM - Sulfur Dioxide (gas) Sulfate - Nitrogen Oxides (gas) Nitrate
PM 2.5 -- Visibility/Haze:
NAAQS Particulate Matter (PM) Compliance Graph, PM2.5 Annual Standard Concentration, micrograms per actual cubic meter 20.0 19.0 18.0 17.0 16.0 15.0 14.0 13.0 12.0 11.0 10.0 9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 2001 2002 2003 2004 Last Year of Running Three-Year Averaging Period Data points are running three-year averages of annual average data. Compliance with the annual average standard is assessed relative to these running averages. As of 2005, the PM2.5 annual average standard is 15 micrograms per actual cubic meter. Barre Bennington Burlington Rutland
NAAQS Particulate Matter (PM) Compliance Graph, PM2.5 24-Hour Standard 65 Concentration, micrograms per actual cubic meter 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 Last Year of Running Three-Year Averaging Period Data points are the running three year average of annual 98th percentile sample data. Compliance is assessed relative to these running averages. Barre Bennington Burlington Rutland Underhill
Air Toxics: Levels of certain Toxic Air Pollutants do exceed state standards and recognized risk levels.
12/10/02 10/06/03 02/13/02 Air Toxics: 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Benzene Concentrations in Vermont 1993 to 2003 05/15/96 03/11/97 01/05/98 11/01/98 08/28/99 06/23/00 04/19/01 Date Brattleboro Burlington Rutland Underhill ug/m3 01/31/93 11/27/93 09/23/94 07/20/95
Climate Change:
Motor Vehicle Air Pollution and Fuel Consumption
Motor Vehicle Contribution to Air Pollution in Vermont Largest source of Carbon Monoxide (61%) More than 120,000 tons of Carbon Monoxide are emitted annually from motor vehicles in Vermont Motor Vehicles Resident. Combust.
Motor Vehicle Contribution to Air Pollution in Vermont Largest source of hydrocarbons (48%) More than 10,000 tons of hydrocarbons are emitted annually from motor vehicles in Vermont Motor Vehicles Area Sources Gasoline Distrib. Point Sources
Motor Vehicle Contribution to Air Pollution in Vermont Largest Source of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) (79%) More than 15,000 tons of NOx are emitted annually from motor vehicles in Vermont Motor Vehicles Resident. Combust. Area Sources Point Sources
Climate Change:
Vermont Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Source Landfills 4% Livestock, manure, fertilizer 9% Residential Fossil Fuel Combustion 18% Biomass Combustion 10% Commercial Fossil Fuel Combustion 7% Electric Utility Fossil Fuel Combustion 0.8% Industrial Fossil Fuel Combustion 7% Photo courtesy of SEAWIFS Transportation Fossil Fuel Combustion 44%
Greenhouse Gases:
Greenhouse Gases:
Gasoline Consumption & VMTs Vermont 7,000,000,000 350,000,000.00 6,000,000,000 300,000,000.00 Vehicle Miles Traveled 5,000,000,000 4,000,000,000 3,000,000,000 2,000,000,000 250,000,000.00 200,000,000.00 150,000,000.00 100,000,000.00 Gasoline Consumed, Gallons VMT Gallons 1,000,000,000 50,000,000.00 0 0.00 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 Calendar Year
Improving Air Quality Therefore if the Public Policy of Vermont is to: Remain in Attainment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards Reduce levels of Airborne Toxins Manage Greenhouse Gases Need a Four Part Strategy: Improved Air Quality = Clean Cars + Good Maintenance + Clean Fuels + Wise Use
John German American Honda Motor Co. NAMVECC, April 3, 2001 PZEV ATPZEV ZEV
Air Pollution Control In Vermont: Good Maintenance OBDII
Air Pollution Control In Vermont: Clean Fuels Unleaded Gasoline Oxygenated Gasoline Reformulated Gasoline/Low Sulfur Reformulated Diesel/Low Sulfur Alternative Fuels
Air Pollution Control In Vermont: Clean Fuels Alternative Fuels Natural Gas Propane Ethanol Bio Diesel Electricity Hydrogen Cleaner, but not Renewable Renewable, but not necessarily Cleaner May be Cleaner and may be Renewable
Air Pollution Control In Vermont: Thank you for this opportunity to talk with you about air quality in Vermont. Richard Valentinetti Vermont Agency of Natural Resources 103 South Main Street, Bldg. 3 South Waterbury, VT 05671-0402 Tel: 802-241-3860 dick.valentinetti@state.vt.us