Air Activist -- The KVD Blog

There was a huge turnout of the environmental community Wed at the House Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment Committee hearing.

SB 21 Substitute 1  Department of Environmental Quality Boards Revisions (Dayton, M.)

Sen. Dayton introduced an amendment to make the Executive Director non voting except to break a tie, and change the enviro member to an 'or'
...
(A) an environmental nongovernmental organization; or
(B) a nongovernmental organization that represents community interests and does not represent industry interests...

Rep Briscoe questioned Dayton and James Holtkamp, attorney, closely about the current and new composition of the boards, particularly the Radiation Control Board.

There were a number of opposing commenters: Clair Geddes; Cherise Udell, Utah Moms for Clean Air; Christopher Thomas, HEAL Utah; James O'Neil, Ut Co.;  Marilyn O'Dell for the LWV and Karen Hevel- Mingo, Breathe Utah.   Testimony was cut off due to lack of time.

After the vote, 9 - 1 - 4,  Sen Dayton and Rep Briscoe walked out together.  During discussion he had alluded to an amendment to insert 'independent' before ALJ.

=== Independent ALJ building block request ===
Th Feb 9, at the DEQ budget appropriations subcommittee hearing,  Amanda Smith, DEQ ED, presented a request for $250,000 building block for an independent Administrative Law Judge [ALJ].  This is in the Gov's budget.   Currently the Attorney General office supplies 9 AG's  who have been serving as ALJ's for appeals, of which there were 9 in 2011; there are 6 currently ongoing.  This ALJ work has taken 2000+ hours of time by the 9 AG's which should be devoted to DEQ work, rule and permit preparation, &c; and interferes with easy communication among the group as they avoid 'ex parte' communication in the matters under adjudication.

Rep Noel & Sen Davis spoke strongly in favor of this grant, which the entire Appropriations Subcommittee seemed in favor.  The final vote will be closer to the end of Session when all the requests are prioritized, but the prospects look good now.

=== Attroney removed: seat to industry or expert ? ===
The original recommendation for board composition was
     Executive Director or Designee
   1 Technical subject matter expert who has the appropriate professional credentials:  MD, PE, PG, etc.
   2 Government representatives
   2 Public representatives, 1 from public health and 1 NGO
   2 representatives from regulated industries
   1 Environmental attorney

The attorney slot was removed in the Substitute bill and a 3 industry rep added.  One informant says attorneys didn't want to donate the time necessary to be on the boards.
If that seat went instead to a 2nd expert seat, the Air Quality Board could keep both Rob Paine, MD and Kerry Kelly, Engineer, 2 of our best members.

If this change were made, the bill would be close to 'good'.

=== media ===
Advocates criticize changes to environmental boards

Groups oppose DEQ board membership rules changes

The Air Quality Board was given an ozone briefing before their Oct 5 meeting.  Startlingly high values were reported in Zion, Erda, Wendover, Park City, Huntsville.  See #5.


1
 "Ozone Health Effects" -Michelle Hofmann, M.D., M.P.H. and Breathe Utah Board member, described how the understanding of ozone's health effects has developed.  The current  understanding is that high is ozone associated with increased ER visits, hospitalizations &  death.  Little evidence that ozone causes asthma (except multi sport athletes), but does  increase asthma symptoms in those that have it.  Children who grow up with high ozone have reduced lung function.  Evidence is suggestive that ozone increases the incidence of heart attacks & hearth arrhythmias like PM2.5 but not as much.  

Highlighted was the 1996 Atlanta Olympics study where the city made a heroic effort to reduce traffic downtown.  Ozone, and other pollution, was reduced and  asthma health insurance claims dropped 40%.

2
Colleen Delaney, SIP & rules section,  discussed  "Ozone Air Quality Standards" from a regulatory viewpoint.  Best guess is that next ozone standard revision will be proposed in Oct 13, & finalized in July 14, EPA finalizing ozone non attainment areas in 2016 & SIPs due 2019.    Work on the PM2.5 SIP and fleet turnover (newer cars are cleaner) & other
regulations should reduce ozone levels in Utah before then.

3
Bo Call, Air Monitoring Section Manager, presented  "Data Summary - UDAQ, UDOT, UTA".  In 2011, none of DAQ's monitors showed a violation.

4  
Kiera Harper, DAQ scientist reported on the study she did in Washington Co this year in April - Sept.  Zion NP has the most 65+ ppb days but Lytle Ranch, in a very remote location west of St George is not far behind.  

5
Seth Arens, DAQ scientist reported on Ozone in N & W Utah.
  Erda in Tooele County had highest ozone in 2011
  Park City and Huntsville surprisingly high
 If standard is lowered to ?70 ppb [currently 75ppb]:– Potential nonattainment in counties
of:
    Davis, Salt Lake, Weber (all)
    Beaver, Box Elder, Carbon,
    Summit, Tooele, Utah,
    Wasatch, Washington
and the Uinta Basin

6
Brock LeBaron, Deputy Director DAQ, reported on Uintah Basin Ozone The Basin has  experienced winter inversions with high ozone, close to 2 x the standard, particularly when snow is on the ground.  Very complex regulatory situation, with most of the oil & gas wells on tribal land with EPA oversight.  Chemistry of winter ozone not understood.

Good to see the informative message from the DEQ [below] status report on the 2.5 SIP process.  Comments, please contact Stacee, sadams@utah.gov .

I haven't viewed the 9/15/11 video yet, but the 6/1/11 video -- taped after the end of June AQB meeting -- provides an excellent foundation to the way DAQ is looking at improving our air quality.  Those of you interested in understanding the problem & helping, please think about which things you can improve. 

I curious about the inventory, especially how the reactive VOC's are accounted for, and some clear explanation (without math) by a good teacher of what happens in the black box that generates the sensitivity study 'bingo' cards. Sometimes even the direction of the effect reverses. Here's one link from google search on reactive VOC.   "...industrial VOC emissions likely significantly understated in earlier inventories..." http://texasiof.ces.utexas.edu/texasshowcase/pdfs/presentations/c2/aforbes.pdf

Other areas worth interest are the proposed strategies, see 'meeting' page.

EPA Control Strategy Menus

 EPA RACT/RACM Presentation

Maybe we will get innovative & design new emission reduction strategies that are useful in the whole country, the whole world.  The idea of fans & chimneys might finally have numbers attached so we can see the cost.   see Control Strategy Worksheet  and http://www.airquality.utah.gov/Public-Interest/Current-Issues/pm2.5/pdf/sept2011/Constituent%20Involvement.pdf on the 'meeting'  page.
 pg.

One link from google search on reactive VOC.   "...industrial VOC emissions likely significantly understated in earlier inventories..." http://texasiof.ces.utexas.edu/texasshowcase/pdfs/presentations/c2/aforbes.pdf

Peace, Kathy

--- 9/21/11 ---

From: "Stacee Adams" <sadams@utah.gov>
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:49:10 -0600
Subject: PM2.5 SIP process updates

Good morning __ County listserve,

 The first round of the PM2.5 SIP workgroup meetings has successfully taken place. Workgroup participants will be meeting with their representative interests or groups to develop a top five list of emissions reductions strategies which will be discussed during the next round of meetings. Any member of the public can participate in this process as well using the information found on the link below.

 On the Division of Air Quality’s PM2.5 project website you’ll find links to the information provided to workgroup participants as well as a webcast that will walk you through the presentation. There’s an emissions reductions strategy worksheet you can fill out and provide to any representative of the workgroups or through www.govcomments.com. Any questions, concerns, recommendations or general information you want to provide during this process can be submitted there as well.

 If you have questions please contact me.

 http://www.airquality.utah.gov/Public-Interest/Current-Issues/pm2.5/index.html

 Best regards,

Stacee

Many of you who are working to improve air quality are already are following the PM2.5 SIP process.  The Division of Air Quality (DAQ) has just released the list of members appointed to the various PM2.5 workgroups (one for each of the affected counties. See forwarded message below.

From: "Stacee Adams" <sadams@utah.gov>
To: Kathy Van Dame <dvd.kvd@juno.com>
Date: Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:37:29 -0600
Subject: PM2.5 Workgroup Update

Good afternoon,

The PM2.5 Reductions Strategy workgroups are set up and their meetings
are in the process of being scheduled. You can find a list of
participants for all of the counties at www.airquality.utah.gov, click on
the blue PM2.5 icon. [scroll down]

If you are interested in submitting comments, ideas, suggestions, or
concerns to the workgroup members please go to http://www.govcomments.com. This
website is the best way to communicate with any of the groups.

Meeting information, including the agenda and information packets, will
be posted when they are completed. Meeting summaries will be posted after
each of the three rounds of meetings. Some workgroup meetings are spread
out over several weeks, so summaries may not be immediately available.
Please contact me if you have questions.

 Best regards,

Stacee

Stacee E. Adams
Environmental Planning Consultant
Utah Department of Environmental Quality
Office of Planning & Public Affairs
p: 801-536-4482