Air Pollution Control Program: Proposed Changes Presented to the Air Pollution Control Board April 2009

Time for Updates… Federal PM 2.5 standard moved from 65 ug/m 3 daily average for the year to 35 ug/m 3. –Thats almost half what it was Health Implications were documented before this change was made. Health Department is charged with protecting public health by protecting the standard. Dont want to become non-attainment and we are already within one microgram for the daily standard!

Health Effects of PM 2.5 Premature death in people with heart or lung disease Decreased lung function Aggravate asthma Heart attacks Irregular heart beat Development of chronic bronchitis Wood smoke contains carcinogens. People with heart or lung diseases, children and older adults are most likely to be affected by PM 2.5.

Chapters in Revision Ch. 4 - Emergency Episode Avoidance Plan (EEAP) –3 Proposed Changes Ch. 6 – Industrial Sources –1 Proposed Substantive Change Ch. 9 – Solid Fuel Burning Devices (SFBD) –4 Proposed Changes Ch. 14 – Enforcement and Administrative Procedures –1 Proposed Change

Ch. 4 - EEAP Goal –Promulgate new PM 2.5 standard into Alerts and Warnings Three Proposed Changes –Alert/Warning Levels –Area for alerts –Special wildfire alerts

Ch. 4 EEAP Proposed Change #1 –Set Stage I Alerts and Stage II Warnings for various levels of PM 2.5 pollution –Alerts and Warnings have two major parts Health Advisories – How to protect yourself (which we can already give out now) Restrictions - Strategies to reduce the PM 2.5 levels being emitted. Trying to reduce sources of the problem.

Proposed PM2.5 Alert and Warning Levels Stage I Alert – May call alert - Optional PM hr average > 21 ug/m 3 Allows proactive measures if dispersion turning for the worse – Shall call alert - Required PM hr average > 28 ug/m 3 PM hr average > 28 ug/m 3 Or if PM 2.5 has the potential to exceed 35 ug/m 3 for 24-hr average. ~~~Predictive~~~ Or if PM 2.5 has the potential to exceed 35 ug/m 3 for 24-hr average. ~~~Predictive~~~

Proposed PM2.5 Alert and Warning Levels Stage II Warnings –Shall call warnings – PM2.5 meets or exceeds 35 ug/m3 for an 8-hour period of time.

Ch. 4 EEAP Proposed Change # 2: Increase area for potential Alerts and Warnings from Air Stagnation Zone to Zone M

Ch 4. EEAP Proposed Change #3 –Give provision for separate Wildfire Smoke Emergency Episode Avoidance Plan which can differ from rules put forth in Chapter 4 for Wintertime Alerts

Ch. 6 – Stationary Sources Permitting gap for small boilers exist. –Chapter 9 requires permits for units under 1 million Btu/hr and sets emission standards. –Chapter 6 requires air pollution sources that emit 25 tons or more of a pollutant to get an Air Quality Permit. –Small boilers, commonly found at fuels for schools projects, have heat inputs greater than 1 million Btu/hr and have pollutant emissions less than 25 tons per year. –Smaller boilers do not need a permit. Goals: –Address a permitting gap that exists for boilers of a medium size that have the potential to effect local PM 2.5

Ch. 6 – Stationary Sources Proposed Change: –Require all residential, institutional and commercial solid fuel burning devices with the heat input capacity to burn 1,000,000 BTU/hr or more to get an Air Quality Permit. –As part of the Air Quality Permit, require strict emission limits and testing to protect sensitive Airsheds found in Missoula County. Industrial boilers not affected by rule change - new rule would be for space heating uses.

Ch. 9 – Solid Fuel Burning Devices Sampling has shown that fine particulate matter from woodstoves is a concern throughout the county Goal: Address PM from wood smoke throughout the county

Ch. 9 – Solid Fuel Burning Device Four Proposed Changes: –#1: Require all new solid fuel burning devices throughout Missoula County to get a permit –#2: Adopt minimum emissions standards for solid fuel burning devices installed anywhere in the county EPA Certified devices and/or devices that meet minimum emissions requirements. EPA Certified devices and/or devices that meet minimum emissions requirements.

Ch. 9 – Solid Fuel Burning Devices Four Proposed Changes: –#3: Allow New Zone M sole source permits for people outside the Air Stagnation Zone If this was the sole sources of heat prior to XXXX date/year. Grandfathering time. only if the house is not served by electric utility. –#4: Expand restrictions and enforcement for solid fuel burning device curtailment to the Air Stagnation Zone for Stage I Alerts, and to Impact Zone M for Warnings.

Solid Fuel Burning Device Restrictions = ok to burn no = no visible emissions ASZ (expanded from high impact zone) ASZ ASZ Zone M ~NEW~ ~NEW~ General Stoves Alert Permits Sole Source Permits General Stoves Sole Source Permits Stage I Alert no Limit 10 % opacity Limit 10 % opacity Limit 20 % opacity Limit 20 % opacity Stage II Warning nono Limit 20 % opacity Limit 20 % opacityno

Ch. 14 – Enforcement & Admin. Procedures Goal: Clarify the rules regarding who can ask for an administrative review Proposed Change: –Make it clear that people adversely affected by a permitting action can request an administrative review