National Ambient Air and Emissions Monitoring

Strategy

Presentation for WESTAR

San Diego, CA

September 2005

Peter TsirigotisDirector

Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis Division;

U.S. EPA Office of Air Quality, Planning and Standards

National Monitoring Strategy

• National Ambient Air Monitoring Strategy (NAAMS)– Better ambient monitoring network to:

• Transition from a layered, single pollutant approach to a true multi-pollutant monitoring framework

• Emphasizes rapid, near real-time data delivery

• National Emissions Monitoring Strategy (NEMS)– Better emissions monitoring to:

• Effect timely and cost effective control of emissions• Assess attainment of program goals and enhance program

design• Verify and assure compliance

National Ambient Air Monitoring Strategy

• Timeline for NAAMS changes– NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making) in

December 2005– Final Rule in September 2006– Start up of new types of monitoring already underway

in some interested states• e.g., High sensitivity CO, SO2, and NOy

– Shut down about 50 PM2.5 speciation SLAMS sites once FY2005 funding runs out

– First opportunity for vendors to seek approval under new performance standards for continuous PM2.5 monitors as equivalent during 2007

• Upgrade CASTNET sites in 2007 to support multi-pollutant rural monitoring objectives

Ambient Monitoring Steering Committee

• Monitoring program decisions will be made• Want to find mutually satisfying approaches

where possible• Some practical issues are on the table for

discussion– Implementation of the NAAMS and pace-of-change issues– Funding changes– Multiple purpose monitoring and network optimization– Technology issues– Quality Assurance and performance evaluations– Rulemaking schedule and substance

• We will be collaborating on these and other issues primarily through a new Ambient Air Monitoring Steering Committee (AAMSC)

Ambient Monitoring Steering Committee

• George Allen (NESCAUM)• Mary Stewart Douglas

(Secretariat)• Dirk Felton (NY)• Mike Gilroy (Puget Sound)• Mike Koerber (LADCO/MRPO)• Bruce Louks (ID)• Charles Pietarinen (NJ)• Steve Spaw (TX)

• Eric Stevenson * (SF Bay Area)• Tom Taminini and Jerry

Campbell (Hillsborough Co., FL)• Dick Valentinetti * (VT)• Mel Zeldon (consultant)• NPS representative – TBD• Tribal representative – TBD

EPA Members:

•Jerry Kurtzweg, OAR

•Doug Neeley, Region 4

•Peter Tsirigotis (OAQPS)

•Others according to topic, at appropriate level

*Steering Committee Co-chair

S/L Representatives:

National Emissions Monitoring Strategy (NEMS)

• Better Emissions Monitoring – Achieve and verify greater air quality benefits– Improve accountability for

• Measuring program effectiveness• Enhancing program design• Mitigating local health risks • Assessing and improving compliance

– Target most cost-effective actions• Cost effectiveness - rigorous assessment to analyze and

account for:– Monitoring costs separate from reporting and recordkeeping– Benefits for environment and health as well as equipment and

operating costs – Effects of uncertainty

• Recognize that there may be no bright line• Be more protective as uncertainty increases

NEMS Strategic Plan Development

Develop roadmap or blueprint with:• Costs balanced with supportable benefits

– Move from ‘costs only’ to assessing environmental, health, and program benefits along with costs

– Incorporate monitoring into control strategies– Consider emissions significance relative to monitoring selection

• Preference towards improving (program and source) accountability• Emphasize monitoring of significant pollutants• Accommodate uncertainty with flexibility

– Provide opportunities and incentives for better monitoring (and disincentives for less certain monitoring)

– Make available entire monitoring tool-box including traditionally ambient monitoring tools

• Give preference towards improved compliance certainty over enforceability– Prioritize technology based on knowledge of certainty of compliance and

emissions reductions

• Coordination with OECA (Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance)– Enforcement-related incentives

• PM2.5 implementation– Assess monitoring costs and benefits

• Flexible permitting– Monitoring to allow operational changes

• Regulatory actions – New Source Performance Standards for utilities – Maximum Achievable Control Technology for

municipal waste combustion– Residual risk assessment

NEMS Activities Underway