1. Proposed New Provincial Air Quality Criteria for PM2.5 Prepared for Meeting of BC Lung Clean Air Network February 12, 2008

2. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 2 Purpose Clarify purpose and application Summarize ministry’s intentions Discuss implications Address questions

3. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 3 What are Air Quality Criteria? Limits on the presence of contaminants in the atmosphere (not at the source) Established to protect human health and the environment Various terms used, but Air Quality Objectives (AQO’s) are primary management tools in B.C.

4. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 4 How are They Used? Gauge current/historical air quality Guide decisions around assessments and approvals Calculate the Air Quality Index (AQI) Guide decisions around advisories Guide airshed planning efforts Guide regulatory development

5. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 5 Need for Provincial AQO’s Presently no PM 2.5 objective to guide day-to-day air management in B.C. Ongoing reliance on: −PM 10 objective −Canada-wide Standards for PM 2.5 Provincial AQO’s needed to support approvals, advisories and airshed planning

6. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 6 Process to Establish AQO’s Review of science and regulatory approaches elsewhere Early consultations Ministry intentions paper Consultation Implementation

7. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 7 Proposed Framework 24-hour average objective −To address day-to-day management issues (e.g. burn bans) and guide approvals Annual average objective −To support overall reduction in exposure −To facilitate reporting and guide approvals Planning goal −Voluntary long-term goal to support continuous improvement and airshed planning

8. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 8 Proposed Criteria 24-hour AQO25 ug/m 3 Annual AQO8 ug/m 3 Planning Goal6 ug/m 3

9. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 9 Implications of Proposed Air Quality Objectives Most areas well below proposed AQO’s Between 2004-2006, areas exceeding proposed objectives included: −Prince George- Vanderhoof −Quesnel- Williams Lake −100 Mile House- Valemount −Revelstoke- Kamloops (wildfires)

10. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 10 Implications of Proposed Air Quality Objectives [2] Frequency of advisories may increase in woodsmoke impacted areas May trigger more frequent bans on burning Additional factors to consider in decisions on assessments and approvals

13. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 13 Implications of Proposed Planning Goal Approx. 50% of sites equal or exceed planning goal Encourage communities to maintain good air quality and improve where possible

14. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 14 Initiatives to Reduce PM 2.5 Emissions Provincial air initiative: −Cleaner buses and diesel vehicles −Beehive burner phase-out −Cleaner woodstoves −Cleaner industry Review of Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation Airshed planning

15. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 15 Monitoring Challenges TEOMs known to under-measure Will be upgraded or changed out over time & reference samplers added May result in higher measurements at some sites Other provinces have same challenge Province will use best available data

16. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 16 Summary 24-hour and annual AQO’s proposed to support day-to-day air management Planning goal proposed to support continuous improvement and airshed planning Supported by provincial air initiative and community efforts in airshed planning

17. Jared Hobbs Ian Routley Paul Saso 17 Comments? Intentions paper and response form available online at: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/air/airqual ity/ http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/air/airqual ity/ Please send comments to cindybertram@shaw.ca by Feb. 29, 2008 cindybertram@shaw.ca