Air Quality Planning, Metro. Washington, DC-MD-VA

1. Air Quality Planning,Metro. Washington, DC-MD-VA Joan Rohlfs, Chief, Air Quality Planning Metropolitan Washington COG October 27, 2005

2. Overview • Background: Clean Air Act, Definitions • Health effects, Causes of Pollution • Plan to Improve the Air (“SIP”) • Air Quality and Transportation Conformity • Planning for New Ozone Standard

3. Clean Air Act Amendments 1990 EPA set federal health standards for ambient pollutants CO SO2 NOx Ozone ParticulateMatter Lead

4. Clean Air Act Amendments 1990 • CAAA classifies areas that do not meet the federal health standard as nonattainment areas-In 1991 Washington,D.C. region was designated a “serious” ozone nonattainment area; 2003 reclassified as “severe”. • 2004 Washington region designated moderate nonattainment for 8-hr ozone • 2005 Washington region designated nonattainment for fine particles

5. Washington Region Designations

6. AIR QUALITY INDEX

7. Health Effects & Causes

9. How is Ground-Level Ozone Formed?

10. Plan to Improve the Air

11. Metropolitan Washington DC-MD-VA Region 8-Hour Ozone Moderate Nonattainment Area District of Columbia Suburban Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Frederick, Charles, Calvert Counties) Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William Counties, City of Alexandria)

12. Metropolitan Washington DC-MD-VA Region Fine Particle Nonattainment Area District of Columbia Suburban Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Frederick, Charles Counties) Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William Counties, City of Alexandria

13. Challenge: New Ozone Standard 2010 • 19 exceedances in 2005 (Code Orange) • EPA modeling for the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) shows the Washington region not meeting the 2010 deadline for ozone. • New control measures are needed to meet the new standard.

14. Requirements for NAA • Develop State Implementation Plan (SIP) containing measures to reduce emissions • Federal, state and local reductions measures • Conduct transportation conformity analysis whenever new TIP is proposed

15. Air Quality Plan (“SIP”) • A plan containing an emissions goal to improve air quality by a deadline established by the Clean Air Act • The plan contains federal, state, and local measures to reduce air pollution

16. DC-MD-VA Air Quality Plan (“SIP”) Scope • Commits to meet the ozone standard by the year 2009 • Identifies control measures to be taken to reduce pollution created locally • Identifies measures to reduce air pollution transported from our region into other states • Sets a mobile emissions budget

17. CAAA Required Measures to Clean the Air • Enhanced automobile inspection and maintenance testing program (I/M) • Gasoline vapor recovery systems at gas stations • Reasonably available control technology on major sources of NOx and VOCs • New source permitting with lowest achievable emission rate and offsets for new and expanded sources

18. Attainment Demonstration • New Photochemical Attainment Modeling2002 Base Year • All control measures by 2009 ozone season • Rate of Progress Demonstrations • OPTION 1: • 15% VOC reduction from 2002 baseline by 2008 • OPTION 2: • Areas with approved 1-hour 15% Plans do not need to show a second 15% VOC reduction. • Demonstrate annual incremental reductions instead • RACM Analysis • Identifies Reasonably Available Control Measures for SIP • Explains why other measures are not reasonably available • Contingency Measures • Measures to be implemented if region fails to attain in 2010 or does not demonstrate required progress • Conformity/Mobile Budget SIP Components

19. Control Measures in SIP Mandatory Measures (Regulations) Voluntary Measures: • Reformulated paints and solvents • Gas can replacement programs • AFV purchases, wind energy purchase, green roofs, tree canopy

20. Voluntary Bundle • Reductions Credited • Low-VOC Consumer Products • Wind Power Purchase • Gas Can Replacement • Use of Low-VOC Paint • Reduce Locomotive Idling • Included, But No Credit Taken • Alternative Fueled Vehicle Purchase • Remote Sensing Device • Diesel Retrofits (School and Transit Buses)

21. EPA Voluntary Measure Guidance Enables states to place non-regulatory pollution control strategies in a SIP • States take credit for voluntary programs reducing future emissions. • Local programs rely on the actions of individuals, businesses, governments, agencies • States must backfill shortfalls in a timely manner (allows for program substitution) • Measures are enforced against the states.

22. Non-Episodic Measures Reduce emissions every ozone season day Types of Voluntary Measures Episodic Measures Reduce emissions on Ozone Action Days

23. Examples of Voluntary Measures Non-Episodic Measures Episodic Measures • Replace gas cans • Buy low-VOC paint • Retrofit diesel vehicles • Lock Fuel Pumps • Telework • No lawn mowing

24. Program Effectiveness Report Program DetailsEstimate of Benefits Signed Letter Commitment Requirements Agree to monitor program and provide annual reports on program participation/effectiveness

25. Control Measure Process • Master List of measures (200+) • Priority List of measures • Voluntary Bundle (local measures) • Analysis (benefit, cost effectiveness, timeliness) • Public Meetings on control strategies – (Jan-March)

26. Washington Region SIP Deadlines Jan 04 Apr 05 Sept 06 June 07 Apr 08 2010 Attainment Date CAIR SIP DUE PM2.5 NAA Designation Ozone SIP DUE 8-Hr Ozone NAA Designation PM 2.5 SIP DUE

27. Next Steps • Complete Attainment Modeling Winter 2005 • Introduce New Legislation and Regulations Winter/Spring 2006 • Complete SIP Fall/Winter 2006

28. For Further Information • http://mwcog.org/environment/air • http://www.deq.state.va.us/ • http://www.mde.state.md.us/ • http://www.airquality.dc.gov • AIRNOW.ORG • AIR-WATCH.ORG