Air Quality and Seney National Wildlife Refuge Jill Webster June 14, 2007

Topics to be covered…  Why are we concerned about air quality at Seney NWR?  What air pollutants are being monitored and why? What are the sources?  What does the data reveal?  What is being done to protect air quality and visibility?  Conclusions!

Air Pollution Effects  Visibility impairment by particles  Eutrophication of coastal areas  Bioaccumulation of mercury  Ozone injury to plants  Acidification of lakes and streams

Congress set forth as the Nation’s visibility goal “the prevention of any future, and the remedying of any existing, impairment of visibility in Class I areas which impairment results from man made air pollution.”

Class I Areas  Special protection from air pollution  National parks > 6,000 acres  Wilderness areas > 5,000 acres  In existence on August 7, 1977

Visibility, viewing the scenery through “clean, fresh air” is one of the most important attributes of national parks and wilderness.

Sources of Air Pollution Power plantsSOx, NOx, metals IndustryNOx, SOx, organics, IncineratorsNOx, organics, metals Mobile sourcesNOx, organics

Air Quality Monitoring Why? establish current conditions determine trends over time assess the impacts of air pollution on natural resources identify sources/source areas of air pollution that affect natural resources in your refuge

What is Monitored at Seney? Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) Network -Scene -Particles National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) -Atmospheric Deposition -Mercury Deposition National Ambient Air Quality Standards (health- based standards) -Ozone -PM 2.5

IMPROVE Network Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments Identify the types and amounts of particles responsible for visibility impairment IMPROVE began in 1988 and grew to approximately 30 sites. Cooperative effort between EPA, FLMs, and state air agencies. In 1999, the Regional Haze Rule called for an expansion of visibility monitoring to all Class I areas.

IMPROVE Particle Sampler

Light Extinction on 20% Haziest Days in 2002

NADP Sample Collection and Analysis Site Operators collect the precipitation sample every Tuesday, measure pH and conductivity and send the sample to the Central Analytical Laboratory (CAL). The CAL analyzes the samples for hydrogen ion (pH), sulfate, nitrate, chloride, ammonium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Data are posted to the NADP web site: and in annual publications.

NADP Equipment

Sulfate Deposition

Mercury Deposition Network (NADP/MDN) The Mercury Deposition Network, was formed in 1995 to monitor mercury in precipitation on a regional basis. The Network grew from an original 13 sites to almost 70 sites in Samples of precipitation are collected every Tuesday and sent to Frontier Geosciences to be analyzed to for total mercury and sometimes methylmercury.

NADP/MDN Equipment

Geographic Distribution of Emissions

What are we doing to clean the air???  Single Source Programs, ie permitting (1980)  Regional Haze multi source planning (1999)

Regional Haze Regulations requires States to: submit plans (SIPs) to improve visibility in Class I areas, including a 60 year glide path to natural conditions use IMPROVE monitoring network data to measure reasonable progress