Christine Wiedinmyer National Center for Atmospheric Research christin@ucar

1. Air Quality and the Clean Air Act Christine Wiedinmyer National Center for Atmospheric Research christin@ucar.edu February 28, 2014

2. http://energyfrontiers.cuenergy.org/schedule/

3. Today Air pollutants— NOX, particulate matter, acid rain, ozone.... The big ones –lead and sulfur—Monday. The huge one—CO2—later, after setting the context. All power point images are only for the exclusive use of Phys3070/Envs3070 Spring term 2014

4. A little history…

5. Donora, PA in 1948 Twenty people died and approximately 7,000 or 50% of the population, experienced acute illness during the week of Oct. 25, 1948, when temperature inversion and air stagnation occurred. Persons of all ages became ill, but those over 55 were more severely affected. Those with previous heart or respiratory disease, particularly bronchial asthma, suffered most.

6. Several episodes in London Worst was a 5-day pall in 1952 4,000 excess deaths Visibility 1-5 meters

7. When the smoke ran like water, Devra Davis, Basic Books, 2002 Haagen-Smit & ozone LA begins to regulate Los Angeles Several episodes in London Worst was a 5-day pall in 1952 4,000 excess deaths Visibility 1-5 meters LA eye-stinging episodes Donora, PA (pop. 14,000) [PM]~5000 μg/m3 18 excess deaths in 4 days

8. The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 First federal air pollution legislation Funded research on scope and sources of air pollution

9. Clean Air Act of 1963 Authorized a national program to address air pollution Authorized research into techniques to minimize air pollution

10. Air Quality Act of 1967 Authorized enforcement procedures involving interstate transport of pollutants Expanded research activities

11. Clean Air Act of 1970 Established National Ambient Air Quality Standards Established requirements for State Implementation Plans to achieve them Establishment of New Source Performance Standards for new and modified stationary sources Establishment of National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants Increased enforcement authority Authorized control of motor vehicle emissions

12. 1977 Amendments to the Clean Air Act of 1970 Authorized provisions related to prevention of significant deterioration Authorized provisions relating to non-attainment areas

13. 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act of 1970 Authorized programs for acid deposition control Authorized controls for 189 toxic pollutants, including those previously regulated by the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants Established permit program requirements Expanded and modified provisions concerning National Ambient Air Quality Standards Expanded and modified enforcement authority

14. Some things to remember… • Air Pollution is not one thing! • Different pollutants have different origins and cause different problems.

15. Acceptable levels (mg=10-3 gram/kg(103 gram)=ppm, by weight)(in soil/dust) • Mercury 2 • Cadmium 3 • Selenium 3 • Arsenic 20 • Boron 25 • Copper 50 • Lead 100 • Titanium 500 (1 ppm=1 gram in one tonne)

16. In air (over 8 hour day) • Lead 50 mg/m3 (Table 9.3  1.5 mg/m3 over a quarter) • Arsenic 10 mg/m3 • Mercury 0.1 mg/m3 = 100 mg/m3 OSHA for the workplace, EPA for the public

17. NAAQS: Criteria Air Pollutants • Carbon monoxide (CO) • Sulfur dioxide (SO2) • Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) • Lead • Ozone • Particulate Matter All have bad health effects Regulated by Clean Air Act States are required to adopt enforceable plans to achieve and maintain air quality meeting the air quality standards.   State plans also must control emissions that drift across state lines and harm air quality in downwind states.

18. Typical fossil fuel emissions Gas Oil Coal CO2 117,000 164,000 208,000 CO 40 33 208 NOx 92 448 457 SO2 1 1122 2591 Particulates 7 84 2744 Mercury 0.000 0.007 0.016 (in pounds per billion Btu)

19. National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) – Set by EPA • Different standards for different pollutants • Multiple standards for one pollutant – chronic or acute exposure • Continually evolving – constant negotiation between health science, legal rulings, industry pressure

20. Particulate Matter (PM)

22. Regulated • Health effects

23. Regional Haze

24. Criteria Pollutant Concentrations are regulated by the Clean Air Act National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) O3 < 120 ppbv (1-hour average) O3 < 75 ppbv (8-hour average) Why is it regulated? unhealthy to breath harmful to materials destroys plants (agriculture) OZONE (O3)

26. Ozone Health Impacts “We did, however, demonstrate a significant increase in the risk of death from respiratory causes in association with an increase in ozone concentration.” “… the risk of dying from a respiratory cause is more than three times as great in the metropolitan areas with the highest ozone concentrations as in those with the lowest ozone concentrations.” Jerret et al., The New England Journal of Medicine, 2009

27. So how are we doing?

29. Example: Carbon Monoxide

30. SO, we have another problem. Origin: primarily automobiles Source Fix: Catalytic Converters. Denver violates (federal health-based) CO standard 70 times.

31. Example: Ozone

32. Oops! Ozone standard violated.

33. Fail Ozone Standards Come up with a plan to fix it: State Implementation Plan (SIP) Put Plan into Action

34. How do we come up with solutions? Computer Models Simulate the emissions, chemistry, and transport Understand the chemistry Identify pollution control strategies

35. O2 O3 O3 O3 NO2 VOCs NO NO3 O2 O3 HO2 OH H2O2 H2O CO CO NOx VOCs VOCs Ozone Chemistry & Emissions

36. 3D Chemical Transport Models Meteorological Data Photooxidation Boundary Conditions Chemical Reactions Advection Boundary Conditions Aerosol Formation Deposition Emissions Boundary Conditions Initial Conditions Emission Data H Y X

37. Example: Simulation of Concentrations

38. Emissions

42. Next week Monday: HW #4 is due, posted Lead and sulfur—the success stories Wednesday: The logic behind climate change Friday: Paleoclimate, what we can learn from the past.

43. Extra Slides

44. American Lung Association – State of the Air http://www.stateoftheair.org/2013/

45. Some things you can do • Limit driving • In Summer, fill up gas tanks in evenings, mow in evenings • Limit exercise on poor air quality days!- In summer, don’t run outside in afternoons • Listen to warnings

46. Air Quality Forecast

47. Air quality index

48. Exceptional Events