Clearing the Skies: Airshed Management in Prince George Mellissa Winfield-Lesk, M.Sc., B.ES Environmental Quality Section Head, BC Ministry of Environment President, Prince George Air Improvement Roundtable (PG AIR) June 15, 2009 ~ Coast Inn of the North

Ambient Data Trends & Criteria Committee Structure Funding Integrated planning Science-based decision making Goals Targets Indicators Strategy Milestones Progress Reports 5 year review

 MOE (Permitting & Air Quality)  City of Prince George  RDFFG  Industry: Pulpmill Railway Oil and Gas Wood Products Asphalt/Cement/Gravel Bioenergy  Northern Health Authority  MOTI  UNBC  Chamber of Commerce  District Medical Society  Environmental organization (PACHA)  Fraser Basin Council  First Nations  Public Members Step 2: Identify Stakeholders – PG AIR

Step 4: Identify Priorities - Pollutants - Odour (Total reduced sulphurs) - Fine particulate matter (PM 10 / PM 2.5 ) - Sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide - Planning - Reviews/Referrals between regulatory authorities - Gaps - Key emission sources? - What about sources with no regulatory authority?

Emission Sources

Step 5: Developing the Airshed Plan - Odour reduction – sulphur stripping from settling ponds - Hard surfacing of roads in BCR site - Elimination of beehive burners - ESP on Pulp Mill Stack - Research: o Emission Inventory o Dispersion Model o Chemical Speciation Phase I

Anti-Idling Woodstove Exchange Clean Air Bylaw Review Phase II

Air Quality Warning Light Phase II

- 24% reduction in PM 10 since % reduction in PM 2.5 since % reduction in TRS since Industrial air permit amendments & inspections - Policy development: BAT, Offsets vehicles tested; tailpipe failure rate for pre-1998 vehicles double than that in LFV – Air Care Program? woodstoves exchanged = ~ 7 tonnes PM reduction - Phase II recommendations: 71% implemented and on-going 17% completed 12% not implemented Progress Report

PG AIR Emission Reduction Target “PGAIR to work with all particulate matter emission sources to voluntarily reduce fine particulate emissions (PM10 & PM2.5) that are shown (by modeling and other studies) to have a significant impact on ambient air quality. Two- and five-year voluntary emission reduction targets will be set for significant sources. Priority to be given to those significant emission sources that do not use Best Achievable Control Technology. Targets should achieve the proposed provincial PM2.5 objectives by December 31, 2013, as follows: - 24 hr average not to exceed 25 µg/m 3 ; and - continuous improvement target of 6 µg/m 3 (annual average). If ambient targets are not met by December 31, 2013, PGAIR will recommend other strategies to reduce significant emission sources. By December 31, 2016, the following should be achieved: an aspirational target of a 40% reduction on all significant emission sources; and an annual average PM2.5 ambient target of 5 µg/m 3.”

Prioritizing significant emission sources for reduction - Single or multi-pollutant reduction strategy? - Phase III Framework: what criteria should be considered when making decisions to prioritize sources for reduction? o Human Health Risks? o Best Achievable Technology? o $$$$ to reduce emissions? o Environmental Performance? o Nuisance Risks? Phase III 2010 – 2016?