division of air quality -- ambient monitoring -- emc member continuing education session donnie...

Division of Air Quality-- Ambient Monitoring --

EMC Member Continuing Education Session

Donnie RedmondSection ChiefMarch 7, 2012

BRUNSWICK

NEW HANOVER

COLUMBUS

PENDERBLADEN

RO BESON

CARTERETONSLOWSCOTLAND

DUPLIN

CU

MB

ERLA

ND

ANSONHO KERICHMOND

SAMPSONUNION

CLAY JONESPAMLICO

CHEROKEE MACONTRANSYLVANIA

CLEVELANDLENOIRLENOIRMECKLENBU RG

MONTGOM

ERY

CA

BA

RR

US

CRAVENGASTON

JACKSON MOOREPOLK STANLY

GRAHAM HARNETTHENDERSONRUTHERFORD

GREENELEELINCOLN

PITT

SWAIN

HAYWOODHYDEJOHNSTON

WAYNE

BEAUFORTBUNCOMBE

CATAWBACHATHAM

MCDOWELLRANDOLPH

ROWAN

BURKEDAREIR

EDEL

L

MARTIN WASHINGTON

WILSON

DAVIDSON TYRRELLWAKE

ALAMANCE

DAVIE EDGECOMBEMADISON YANCEY

ALEXA NDERCALDWELL

GUILFORD

MITC

HELL

BERTIENASH

AVERY

CH

OW

ANFORSYTH

FRANKLIN

PERQUIMANS

GR

AN

VIL

LE

ORANGE

WATAUGAWILKES

YADKIN

HALIFAX

CA

MD

EN

HERTFORD

SURRY WARREN

CURRITUCK

ASHECASWELL

GATESPERSONROCKINGHAMSTOKES

VANCE

ALLEGHANYNORTHAMPTON

DURHAM

PASQUOTANK

Topics to be Covered

Ambient Monitoring Why do we do it? Who determines how many to operate? How do we decide where to put them? What do monitors look like? (Pictures!)

Improvements and Challenges

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Toxics monitoring

The Division does some Toxics monitoring

That’s another group You’ll see them another time

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Ambient Monitoring: Why?

EPA requirements Highest concentrations Population exposure Background

Research Public health effects re pollutant levels To better understand control strategies Public interest

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Ambient Monitoring: What?

EPA regulations lay out minimum requirements Number of monitors Where to locate them How long to operate them

Different rules for each pollutant

Same standards apply across the nation

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Example: Ozone requirements

Any metro area (MSA) with 350,000 people Must have at least one ozone monitor If >85% of the standard, must have two

Any MSA with at least 50,000 people Must have a monitor if >85% of standard

At least one monitor in each area must be for maximum concentration

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Ozone monitoring req’ts (cont.)

Nine NC metro areas have >350,000 people Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-

Salem, Asheville, Hickory, Fayetteville, Wilmington Each must have at least one monitor Second monitor required if near ozone standard

Five other MSAs with <350,000 people Greenville, Rocky Mount, Jacksonville, Goldsboro,

Burlington One monitor required if >85% of standard

85% of the standard (75ppb) is ~64 ppb7

Ozone monitoring req’ts (cont.)

Other considerations Additional monitors may help reduce the size

of a nonattainment area How do you know if you’re >85% if you don’t

have a monitor?!

Number of required ozone monitors can add up quickly!

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Example: Fine particles (PM2.5)

Population and concentration standards 2 or 3 monitors if >1 million people 1 or 2 monitors if >0.5 million people 0 or 1 monitor if > 50,000 people At least one monitor must be in population-oriented

area of expected maximum concentration Co-located continuous monitors also required

At least one site for background

Another for regional transport

Speciation monitors also required9

Fine particles (PM2.5)

Federal Reference Method or “FRM” Traditionally/historically, this is the monitor to

determine attainment or not 24-hour sample, usually every 3 days Filters returned to lab for analysis Results are not known for weeks or months

Continuous monitors (new technology) 1-hour samples, runs continuously Results available immediately on website

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Other pollutants

NO2 Population and traffic volume

SO2 Population and emissions weighted index

Lead Emissions-based

CO No population-based requirements

Additional background monitors in support of PSD permitting

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Ambient Monitoring: Where?

http://ncair.org/monitor/data/monitorsites2011.pdf 12

Ambient Monitoring: Who?

Statewide network Regional office staff operates the monitors Electronics calibration/repair shop in Raleigh Two labs in Raleigh Central office does QA, SOPs, and reporting

Local programs Mecklenburg, Forsyth, Western NC

Cherokee tribe

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Ambient Monitoring:

http://xapps.enr.state.nc.us/aq/ambient/AmbtPollutant.jsp 14

Particulate monitor at Spruce Pine

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Particulate at Goldsboro

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Ozone at Mocksville

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Whole bunch of ‘em at Raleigh

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Gaseous monitors

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Continuous particulate monitor

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Hydrocarbon sampler

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SO2 at Bayview (my favorite!)

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Ozone at Purchase Knob

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Site Characteristics

Must meet EPA requirements, including Distance from trees, buildings, roads Nearby emissions sources Prevailing wind direction Height of sample probe above ground

Other considerations Safety of technicians (traffic, terrain) Access to power and phone Cost to use site (free is good!) Co-located with other instruments

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Miscellaneous Notes

Not all monitors run all the time Some are seasonal, some year-round Some continuous, some every six days Some operate every third year

Meteorological sites

Pollen monitor Not required, but people like the daily tweet

Network plan public review every June

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Quality Assurance requirements

Chemists/statisticians review, validate, and report all the data Calibrations Power failures “Exceptional events”, i.e., fires Monitor performance issues

Temperature, humidity, leaks Insects Completeness

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Challenges

It’s expensive! Every pollutant uses different box

Must undergo EPA certification Each box typically costs $10k-20k

Special materials that don’t react with sample Stuff breaks, need inventory of parts and spares Field operations, travel, phone, utilities, critters

Ever changing EPA requirements Standards getting closer to background levels Accuracy becomes more important

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Improvements

Reviewing long-time way of doing things Automating some functions, revising others

Public demand for instant accurate info Looking into wireless web-based polling

Newer technology analyzers Less manpower intensive

Cooperative agreements with other agencies

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Questions?

Donnie RedmondAmbient Monitoring Section Chief919-707-8468donnie.redmond@ncdenr.gov

References 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix D

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2010/julqtr/pdf/40cfr58AppD.pdf DAQ website

http://www.ncair.org/

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