Agriculture Improving Air Quality Asian Pacific Islander Organization 2009 Annual Training Conference, Sacramento August 21, 2009 Ted Strauss Resource Conservationist Air Quality, Climate Change, Energy

Welcome to California US Most Air Polluted Cities #1 Los Angeles #2 Bakersfield #3 Visalia #4 Fresno #5 Houston #6 Sacramento #7 Dallas-Fort Worth #8 Charlotte #9 Phoenix #10 El Centro #11 Hanford #12 Las Vegas #13 San Diego (Ozone) 2009 Rankings - American Lung Association

California has a serious air pollution program… Annual health impacts from California air pollution 8,800 premature deaths 8,800 premature deaths 7,700 7,700 hospitalizations 210,000 respiratory illnesses – –Including asthma 1,400,000 lost workdays 4,700,000 lost school days 2007 California Air Resources Board & American Lung Association

Impacts on agriculture Estimate $300 million annual crop losses in California Estimate $300 million annual crop losses in California –($270 million in San Joaquin Valley) Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 39% of Jeffery and ponderosa pines show some visible ozone damage Photo Source: National Park Service

Air Quality is Improving!

What Contributes to Air Pollution? Geography Geography –Mountains and valleys Meteorology Meteorology –Thermal inversions –Atmospheric pressure –Transport winds Social/Land Use Social/Land Use –Population growth –Many emission sources –7 th largest economy in the world Modis Rapid Response System December 12, 2005 December 12, 2005

Combustion Combustion Engines, boilers, heaters, open burning Evaporative Evaporative Paints and coatings, solvents, gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers, lagoons, vegetation, etc. Fugitive Dust Fugitive Dust Unpaved roads and traffic areas, earthmoving, material handling, open areas, wind events, etc. Monolith Portland Cement Co, circa 1968 Sources of Air Pollution

Criteria Air Pollutants Ozone (O 3 ) Ozone (O 3 ) Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5) Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5) Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) Carbon monoxide (CO) Carbon monoxide (CO) Oxides of Sulfur (SOx) Oxides of Sulfur (SOx) Lead (Pb) Lead (Pb) 60 years ago - Donora, Pennsylvania

Kyoto Greenhouse Gases Methane (NH 4 ) Methane (NH 4 ) Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) Sulfur hexafloride (SF 6 ) Sulfur hexafloride (SF 6 ) Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) Perflourocarbons (PFC) Perflourocarbons (PFC)

NRCS Recognized Pollutants Ozone & its precursors Ozone & its precursors –Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) –Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Particulate Matter Particulate Matter –Respirable Particulate Matter (PM10) –Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Odors Odors Greenhouse Gases Greenhouse Gases –Methane (NH 4 ) –Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) –Nitrous oxide (N 2 O)

Agricultural practices that emit pollutants Combustion – Engines, boilers, dehydrators Combustion – Engines, boilers, dehydrators Livestock and livestock wastes Livestock and livestock wastes Fertilizers and pesticides Fertilizers and pesticides Gasoline storage and dispensing Gasoline storage and dispensing Unpaved roads and traffic areas Unpaved roads and traffic areas Open areas Open areas Earthmoving Earthmoving Solvents Solvents Open burning Open burning

How much air pollution is from Agriculture? California Emissions Inventory (CARB 2006) Estimated Annual Average Emissions (Tons/Day) (Excludes Biogenic Sources) CaliforniaNOxROGPM10PM2.5 Ag Sources All Sources 3,5582,3212, Contribution5%10%19%16%

How much GHG contribution is from Agriculture? California GHG Inventory (CARB 2008) Annual Average – (Excludes Biogenic Sources) (Million Tons CO 2 Equivalent: MMTCO 2 E) CaliforniaLivestockCropsFuelTotal Ag Sources All Sources Contribution1.2%5.9%

How is air quality to improve? By reducing emissions at the source through Education Education –Conferences, brochures, face-to-face Deploying innovative technologies and conservation practices Deploying innovative technologies and conservation practices Voluntary incentives Voluntary incentives –2008 Farm Bill –EQIP, CIG (b) Rules and Regulations Rules and Regulations

Energy efficiency and renewable energy Biomass Biomass Solar Energy Solar Energy Wind Energy Wind Energy Better energy efficiency Better energy efficiency Other technologies Other technologies Find and encourage alternative energy use that is economical and does not result in negative impacts to other resources Find and encourage alternative energy use that is economical and does not result in negative impacts to other resources

Agricultural Improvements NRCS offers conservation assistance Conservation planning Conservation planning Financial assistance for implementing conservation practices Financial assistance for implementing conservation practices –Environmental Quality Incentive Program “It’s about conservation on the land.” “It’s about conservation on the land.” –Soil, Water, Air, Plants, Animals, and Human Life

Conservation Management Practices SJVAPCD Rule 4550 SJVAPCD Rule 4550 Over 6,000 plans Over 6,000 plans 32 million acres 32 million acres 35.2 tons/day PM10 reductions 35.2 tons/day PM10 reductions National recognition National recognition –EPA Region IX “2005 Environmental Award for Outstanding Achievement” SJV achieved attainment status for PM10 SJV achieved attainment status for PM10

CMP Categories Reduce soil and manure disturbances Reduce soil and manure disturbances Soil protection from wind erosion Soil protection from wind erosion Equipment modifications to physically reduce PM10 emissions Equipment modifications to physically reduce PM10 emissions Treat unpaved roads and surfaces Treat unpaved roads and surfaces

2008 Farm Bill EQIP CIG (b) Air Quality Initiative Sets aside $37.5 million for air quality Sets aside $37.5 million for air quality –For 2009, $16.9 million for California NAAQS nonattainment counties NAAQS nonattainment counties –36 California counties Implement accepted Implement accepted Air Quality Practices

CIB (b) Air Quality Practices Conservation Tillage Residue Management Conservation Tillage Residue Management Dust Reduction from Unpaved Roads Dust Reduction from Unpaved Roads Chipping Almond & Walnut Pruning, and Chipping Orchards & Vineyards Chipping Almond & Walnut Pruning, and Chipping Orchards & Vineyards Manure Injection Manure Injection Integrated Pest Management Integrated Pest Management Precision Pest Control Application Precision Pest Control Application Treated Wood Stake Disposal Treated Wood Stake Disposal Combustion System Air Emissions Management Combustion System Air Emissions Management

Fact Sheets Eligible conservation programs Eligible conservation programs Summarizes requirements & specifications Summarizes requirements & specifications Payment schedules Payment schedules Contract terms Contract terms

Some Challenges Finding and using the best technologies and practices that reduce emissions to the benefit of our natural resources Cost effectiveness Cost effectiveness Emissions inventory Emissions inventory Regulations and deadlines Regulations and deadlines Economic and social conditions Economic and social conditions Balance between air quality pollutants and greenhouse gases Balance between air quality pollutants and greenhouse gases

Questions Ted Strauss State Air Quality, Climate Change, and Energy Coordinator x110