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Regional Air Quality Analysis: Four Corners. October 22, 2008 Rita Bates New Mexico Environment Department Air Quality Bureau. Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute, Southern Ute Indian Tribe Federal agencies: NPS, USFS, BLM
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Regional Air Quality Analysis: Four Corners October 22, 2008 Rita Bates New Mexico Environment Department Air Quality Bureau
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute, Southern Ute Indian Tribe Federal agencies: NPS, USFS, BLM San Juan Basin produces 4 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily (1.5 trillion ft3 annually) [2004 survey] 6 to 8% of U.S. Natural Gas production. California’s largest source of natural gas. 17.6 million TPY coal mined. Expansive untapped coal, oil and gas reserves. 7 Class I areas within 250 km Four Corners Overview
Began meeting November 2005 Approximately 250 members and interested parties Task Force Report final version released November 2007 Report includes mitigation options developed by task force members Over 500 pages http://www.4cornersair.org Four Corners Air Quality Task Force
Four Corners Class I Areas Utah Colorado Arizona New Mexico
3840 megawatts of existing coal fired power Proposed 1500 MW Desert Rock Energy Facility coal-fired power plant Economic pressure to develop resource Active environmental community Energy Generation
18,000 existing oil and gas wells in New Mexico part of San Juan Basin 10,000 projected for next 20 years in NM Many small unpermitted sources Multiple operators Changing field conditions Oil and Gas Production
Statutory stringency limitations on new regulations. Existing Engines: NM is evaluating the need for new regulations. Has worked with BLM to incorporate a limit in the Permit to Drill COA New Engines: EPA New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) Subpart JJJJ Summary San Juan VISTAS program 3 partners who have pledged to voluntarily reduce some emissions leading to ozone, haze, & climate change Continued inventory and modeling work NM Action on Oil & Gas Production
Federal Land Managers (BLM, FS, NPS), EPA and Tribes are working cooperatively to minimize impacts BMPs for Tanks Optimization, Centralization, Co-location Control of existing/new engines in permits to drill EPA working on rule/protocol for using Optical imaging for leak detection Continued inventory and modeling work to ensure region meets federal air quality standards Four Corners Agency ActionOil & Gas Production
Model air quality, visibility, deposition impacts of air emissions in the Four Corners region for 2005 & 2018 Evaluate impacts of alternative mitigation strategies Primary focus on impacts in Mesa Verde and Weminuche Class I areas and surrounding Class II areas. Four Corners Modeling Project Objectives
Modeling Information Distribution • All modeling work is now anticipated to be complete by Spring 2009 • Modeling results will be presented at a Four Corners Air Quality Group (4CAQG) update meeting scheduled for Spring/Early Summer 2009 in Durango, CO at Fort Lewis College • Modeling results will also be made available online, http://www.4cornersair.org
Northwestern New Mexico Air Quality Monitoring NH3(airport) NOx Ozone PM 2.5 NH3 Met Waterflow SO2 NOx Ozone Met PM10 PM2.5 SO2 NOx Ozone Met NMED Air Monitoring website real time data: http://air.nmenv.state.nm.us/*Also in process of installing mercury total deposition air monitor at Navajo Lake site 2008 *Four Corners Ammonia study recently published in Journal of Environmental Monitoring
Northwestern New Mexico Air Quality Monitoring *We have observed relatively high levels of ozone at Navajo Lake site this October 2008. & based on a few high days middle of October our 4th highest 8-hour average there this year increased to 77 ppb [Oct 18] (preliminary). 3-yr average exceeds 75 ppb NAAQS at Navajo Lake site.
Monitoring data for our 3 ozone monitors in San Juan County are available online (real time & archived) as well as in summary format showing the annual design values that are compared to the federal standard for attainment status The 3-year average design values for the NM San Juan County ozone monitors are currently 65, 71, and 77 ppb Passive ozone studies and other research has been done throughout the area Four Corners Monitoring Information
San Juan VISTAS • Voluntary Innovative Strategies for Today’s Air Standards • San Juan VISTAS is a voluntary emission control program administered by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) for the improvement of air quality. • VISTAS History • Began in 2005 as a result of EAC work • Modeled after EPA Gas STAR program
What’s The Purpose? • Prevent pollution • •The purpose of San Juan VISTAS is to identify, promote, and implement practices and technologies to reduce emissions that contribute to ozone, haze, and climate change.
New Mexico Environment Department Air Quality Bureau Farmington Office Santa Fe 3400 Messina Drive 1301 Siler Rd., Bldg. B Farmington, NM 87402 Santa Fe, NM 87507 (505) 566-9746 (505) 476-4300 Project Websites: Four Corners Air Quality Group: http://www.4cornersair.org Four Corners Modeling Project: http://www.4cornersair.org – go to modeling project link San Juan VISTAS: http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/aqb/projects/SJV/index.html Homepage: http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/aqb/ Questions?