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Overview of Two Recent Interagency Air Quality Initiatives in the Pacific Northwest

Overview of Two Recent Interagency Air Quality Initiatives in the Pacific Northwest. Tonnie Cummings National Park Service, Pacific West Region Tonnie_Cummings@nps.gov National Tribal Forum on Air Quality May 14, 2014. Airborne Contaminants.

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Overview of Two Recent Interagency Air Quality Initiatives in the Pacific Northwest

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  1. Overview of Two Recent Interagency Air Quality Initiatives in the Pacific Northwest Tonnie Cummings National Park Service, Pacific West Region Tonnie_Cummings@nps.gov National Tribal Forum on Air Quality May 14, 2014

  2. Airborne Contaminants

  3. The Western Airborne Contaminants Assessment Project (WACAP) was conducted from 2002-2007 to determine the risk from airborne contaminants in western national parks. • It was designed as a screening study at a broad spatial and temporal scale. WACAP

  4. lichens lake sediment conifer needles air snow fish water

  5. Focus was on semi-volatile organic compounds and heavy metals: • Historic use pesticides • Current use pesticides • Industrial/urban use compounds • Combustion byproducts • Mercury WACAP

  6. Airborne contaminants were found in all WACAP parks. • Levels of mercury and other contaminants in some fish samples exceeded wildlife and human health thresholds. WACAP Results

  7. WACAP Results from Landers et al., 2008

  8. WACAP Results from Landers et al., 2008

  9. The National Park Service sponsored three regional interagency workshops to explore ways to continue to address air toxins in national parks and other protected areas. • Pacific Northwest (PNW) workshop: • 10 U.S. and Canadian university, state and federal organizations represented. • Attendees divided into three breakout groups to identify and prioritize data needs. • All three breakout groups determined the top priority was establishment of an interagency contaminants workgroup focused on issues in the PNW. Post-WACAP

  10. The Workgroup formed in 2011 and meets every other month via conference call. • Workgroup objectives: • Develop a data clearinghouse and a forum to facilitate collaboration and coordination of contaminant monitoring and research activities in the region. • Prioritize contaminant-related research and monitoring needs in the PNW, collaborate on funding, and conduct monitoring and research projects. • Coordinate outreach efforts and products related to contaminants issues in the region. PNW Contaminants Workgroup

  11. Developed a website that improves access to data. • Collaborative efforts have resulted in sharing of archived samples and data as well as low cost/no cost sample analyses at agency laboratories. • Greatest benefit has been improved understanding and building of relationships among agencies. Accomplishments

  12. Website http://wa.water.usgs.gov/projects/aircontamination/index.htm

  13. Website http://wa.water.usgs.gov/projects/aircontamination/index.htm

  14. Website http://wa.water.usgs.gov/projects/aircontamination/index.htm

  15. Website http://wa.water.usgs.gov/projects/aircontamination/index.htm

  16. Website http://wa.water.usgs.gov/projects/aircontamination/index.htm

  17. Website http://wa.water.usgs.gov/projects/aircontamination/index.htm

  18. Encourage other organizations to become members of the PNW Contaminants Workgroup. • Solicit data from others to add to the interactive map. • Continue and expand on collaboration. Next Steps

  19. Nitrogen Deposition

  20. Map of Federal/Tribal lands and air pollution sources in the PNW (produced by NPS 2014). Triangles indicate point sources greater than 100 tons/year of nitrogen oxides.

  21. Nitrogen (N) is a pollutant of particular interest in the PNW because: • While sulfur is the pollutant of most concern in the eastern U.S., there are many more sources of N than of sulfur in the west • We are concerned about both nutrient enrichment and acidification. Effects can include: • Changes in soil and water chemistry • Increase in invasive species • Decline in native species health, longevity and biodiversity • Negative effects on recreational • We have resources with known or suspected sensitivity to N including high elevation lakes, alpine and sub-alpine soils and vegetation, desert grasses and lichens. Why Focus on Nitrogen?

  22. A critical load is based on studies or modeling and is the amount of pollution below which harmful environmental effects are not expected to occur. • A target load identifies an acceptable amount of pollution and is based on policy, economic, temporal or other considerations. A target load may be higher or lower than a critical load. Critical Loads and Target Loads

  23. Potential adverse effects from atmospheric N deposition in the PNW (produced by USFS, 2013).

  24. Potential adverse effects from atmospheric N deposition in the PNW (produced by USFS, 2013).

  25. Critical Load Potential adverse effects from atmospheric N deposition in the PNW (produced by USFS, 2013).

  26. Target Load? Critical Load Potential adverse effects from atmospheric N deposition in the PNW (produced by USFS, 2013).

  27. Target Load? Critical Load Target Load? Potential adverse effects from atmospheric N deposition in the PNW (produced by USFS, 2013).

  28. The National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey are developing an approach to identify and use N critical loads and target loads to protect resources in the PNW. • Ideally, critical loads will be developed for several biological resources and ecological endpoints. • First step is publication of a report that: • Summarizes available information about critical loads in the PNW • Identifies current research efforts and prioritizes data needs • Data needs are prioritized regionwide and for each Level 1 ecoregion Strategy

  29. Ecoregions in North America From the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 1997

  30. Ecoregions in North America From the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 1997

  31. Ecoregions in North America From the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 1997

  32. Regionwide • Improve accuracy of N deposition estimates • Explore interactions of N deposition and climate change • Determine N sensitivity of biological soil crusts • Marine West Coast Forests and Northwestern Forested Mountains Ecoregions • Improve understanding of the sensitivity of high-elevation lakes and streams to N deposition • Determine the influence of natural lake, stream and soil N levels on critical loads • North American Deserts Ecoregion • Determine N sensitivity of several native and invasive plant species High Priority Data Needs in the PNW

  33. Encourage and support N critical loads research. • Develop a common rationale for determining N target loads. • Develop maps showing areas that exceed N critical loads and/or target loads. • Solicit input from U.S EPA, state air quality agencies and other stakeholders. • Implement use of N critical loads and target loads through agency planning and policy mechanisms. • Work with stakeholders to identify sources that contribute to N exceedances and achieve emission reductions. Strategy – Additional Steps

  34. Questions?

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