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Air Quality National Environmental Standards. - Implementation. Kevin Mahon Auckland Regional Council. RC’s responsibilities under RMA1991. Regional Policy Statements Plans & Rules (eg RLTS & PRP:ALW) Monitoring and Reporting (s35. SoR) AQNES (Prohibitions, Monitoring & Reporting)
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Air Quality National Environmental Standards - Implementation Kevin Mahon Auckland Regional Council
RC’s responsibilities under RMA1991 • Regional Policy Statements • Plans & Rules (eg RLTS & PRP:ALW) • Monitoring and Reporting (s35. SoR) • AQNES (Prohibitions, Monitoring & Reporting) • AQNES (projections & consent considerations)
HEALTH EFFECTS in Ak REGION • > 400 premature deaths per year • >750,000 reduced activity days per year • Sensitive population (20-25% asthmatic) • Chronic exposure is 10x worse than Acute exposure for life expectancy
Pressures on the Air Resource • Transport • Domestic Fires • Open burning • Industrial discharges
AQNES – Prohibitions(R 6-10) Included in PRP:ALW • Landfill fires • Tyre burning • Bitumen burning • Coated wire burning • Oil burning in open air
AQNES – Prohibitions(R 11-12) School & healthcare incinerators require consents under AQNES • PRP:ALW – single chamber incinerators permitted in rural AQMA’s & prohibited in non-rural High temperature hazardous waste incinerators – prohibited except 3 sites • PRP:ALW - discretionary
Backyard Burning(3000 complaints/yr) PRP:ALW • – Prohibited in Urban AQMA • – Restricted in non-Urban AQMA’s
New Domestic Fires (15-20% of emissions) • PRP:ALW – all units < 4g/Kg in Ak Reg • AQNES – wood units < 1.5g/Kg in <2ha (R22-24)
Transport (60-80% of emissions) • RLTS – Public Transport (more & cleaner) • Travel Demand Mgt • Transport Alternatives • VFECS – Central Government Prog. • Cleaner fuels • Vehicle standards • Emission standards(CoF & WoF) • NES – Designations and Land Use • (GPG being developed)
Industrial Discharges (5-10% of emissions) • PRP:ALW – Rules & Consents • AQNES – Consents & Sunset clause (R17-19)
Implementation Issues(1) • Condensing 2 yrs work into 6mths • Consistent approach • Straight line path: • Starting point • Emission Reduction Rates(eg. Transport) • Road Dust • Monitoring and Exceedances
Implementation Issues(2) • GPG relationship to Regulations • Peak to Mean uncertainty • ie. 1day peak to annual emission rate • Can we reach a legally defensible level of certainty?
Implementation Issues(3) • Will the industrial discharge sunset Reg .19 apply pressure to: • Central Govt to reduce vehicle emissions • RC’s to reduce emissions equitably • If we get it wrong who pays?
What next? • Clarify technical issues • Flexibility with consents eg offsets • Add certainty to implementation • Review in 6mths
Specific Findings(2) • Particulate from traffic and coal combustion sources have the most significant impacts on mortality. • Several biological mechanisms have been determined for how PM may cause health effects. • Significant reanalysis and peer review have confirmed the relationship between adverse health effects and PM mass. • PM has a sustained impact on health rather than just affecting those for whom death is imminent.