1. 1 NC-DAQ Educational Opportunities Series 18 March 2015 Regional Haze Discussions and Issues in North Carolina

2. Overview Regional Haze Background Regional Haze Rule Regional Haze Progression at NC Class I Areas. Regional Haze Pollutant Makeup Rules & Regulations 2

3. Why focus on Regional Haze? Haze impacts visibility at the most pristine (Class I) locations in the United States. –Wilderness Areas, National Wildlife Parks, etc. Much of this haze is man-made and some comes from sources that are a long ways away. 3

4. What makes up haze? SO2 is the primary pollutant –Electric Generating Units –Industrial Point Sources –Lesser contributions: Area, onroad. NO2, Particulate Organic Matter, Coarse Mass all lesser contributors. 4

5. USEPA Regional Haze Rule To combat haze issues at these areas, the USEPA developed the Regional Haze rule in 1999. –Designated 156 “Class I” areas that comprised National Parks, Wildlife Refuges and other pristine locations across all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. –Identified two subsets of visibility data. 20% best days 20% worst days –Calculated what the natural levels of visibility for both data sets should be at each Class I area. Visibility impairment represented by the Haze Index, units in deciviews. 5-year rolling average (Haze Index calculation – HI=10*In(b ext /10), where b ext is the extinction Coefficient.) 5

6. USEPA Regional Haze Rule The Regional Haze rule orders states to reduce haze- related pollution that contributes to visibility impairment. Haze Index values to return to natural levels by 2064. Progression towards natural levels called the “glidepath.” 6

7. North Carolina Class I sites 7

8. IMPROVE Monitoring Network Interagency Monitoring of Protected Environments –Collaboration between Federal Land Managers and USEPA to monitor aerosol pollution at Class I areas. 110 Monitors at Class I areas across the U.S. and U.S. Virgin Islands. Critical to assessing progress of Regional Haze program. 8 Map Source: USEPA (URL:http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/files/ambient/visible/imprvqmp.pdf)

9. IMPROVE Monitoring Network Four IMPROVE Monitors for NC Class I sites. –Great Smoky Mountains NP (TN) Joyce Kilmer – Slickrock –Linville Gorge –Shining Rock –Swanquarter 9 Map Source: USEPA (URL:http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/files/ambient/visible/imprvqmp.pdf)

10. NCDAQ Regional Haze Plans 2007 – Regional Haze Implementation Plan –Goals Through 2018 Period –Link: http://www.ncair.org/planning/haze/RH_SIP_Imp_Plan_12-17-2007.pdfhttp://www.ncair.org/planning/haze/RH_SIP_Imp_Plan_12-17-2007.pdf 2013 – Periodic Review SIP –Examined 2006-2010 results –Link: http://www.ncair.org/planning/haze/RH_Periodic_Review_SIP_narrative_05312013.pdf http://www.ncair.org/planning/haze/RH_Periodic_Review_SIP_narrative_05312013.pdf 2018 – Regional Haze Plan –Under development 10

11. Regional Haze Progression 11

12. Regional Haze Progression 12

13. Regional Haze Progression 13

14. Regional Haze Progression 14

15. Regional Haze Progression 15

16. Regional Haze Progression 16

17. Regional Haze Progression 17

18. Regional Haze Progression 18

19. Regional Haze Progression 19

20. Regional Haze Progression 20

21. Regional Haze Progression 21

22. Regional Haze Progression 22

23. Regional Haze Progression- Summary All NC Class I areas at or ahead of glidepath goals especially for 20% worst days. Generally steady progression on 20% best days as well, though Swanquarter has been problematic at times. –2008 Evans Road fire –Incomplete measurements data 23

24. Regional Haze Pollutant Makeup Great Smoky Mountains 24

25. Regional Haze Pollutant Makeup Linville Gorge 25

26. Regional Haze Pollutant Makeup Shining Rock 26

27. Regional Haze Pollutant Makeup Swanquarter 27

28. Regional Haze Pollutants and Rules What rules are helping with haze abatement? –NC Clean Smokestacks Act –USEPA Consent Decree with the Tennessee Valley Authority –USEPA Transport Rule Future rules that may help with haze abatement –USEPA MATS Rule –Tier III fuel regulations 28

29. Conclusions Regional Haze Rule designed to improve visibility at national parks, wilderness refuges and other naturally pristine locations around the United States. 5 Class I areas in North Carolina, all showing improvement consistent with their respective glidepaths. Many state and Federal rules helping to reduce haze- causing pollutants, especially ammonium sulfates. Rule revisions being considered because emissions from non-manmade sources (wildfires) and international transport are much greater than previously thought. 29