Air Quality Beyond Air Quality Beyond Ozone and PM2.5Ozone and PM2.5

Sheila HolmanNorth Carolina Division of Air Quality6th Annual Unifour Air Quality ConferenceJune 15, 2012

Topics to be coveredTopics to be coveredCurrent Status for all Criteria Pollutants in North Carolina

Air ToxicsMercury TMDLGreenhouse GasesHydraulic Fracturing

Current Schedule for NAAQSCurrent Schedule for NAAQS3

Recent Changes

NO2 Primary

SO2 Primary

NOx/SOxSecondary

CO

Latest Standard

2010 2010 2012 2011

Next Revisions

Lead Ozone PM2.5

Latest Standard

2008 2008 2006

Next Review 2014 2014 2012

Duke and Progress Energy SO2 Duke and Progress Energy SO2 EmissionsEmissions

Note: Final 2013 SO2 reduction goal in Clean Smokestacks Act is 130,000 tons

Duke and Progress Energy NOx Duke and Progress Energy NOx EmissionsEmissions

Note: Final NOx reduction goal in Clean Smokestacks Act is 2009

Lead StandardLead Standard

On November 12, 2008, EPA strengthened the NAAQS for lead to 0.15 μg/m3 ◦ This was a 90% reduction in the level

of the previous standard of 1.5 μg/m3

EPA has changed the lead monitoring network requirements to ensure monitors are assessing air quality in areas that might violate the new standard.

6

Lead StandardLead StandardEPA designated areas in

November 2011, with an effective date of Dec. 31, 2011◦ All of NC was designated

unclassifiable/attainment

Do not expect any impact on North Carolina’s current industry◦ Sources that emit ≥ 0.5 tons/year in

the future may have to monitor for lead.

7

Nitrogen Dioxide (NONitrogen Dioxide (NO22) ) StandardsStandards

Primary Standard strengthened on January 22, 2010◦New 1-hour NO2 standard at 100 parts per billion (ppb); and

◦Retained the annual average NO2 standard of 53 ppb

Secondary Standard retained on March 21, 2012◦53 ppb annual average

8

NONO22 Primary Standard Primary Standard

EPA designated areas in Feb. 2012, with effective date of Feb. 29, 2012◦All areas in NC designated unclassifiable/attainment at the township level

There may be another round of designations once there are 3 years of data from road-side monitors

9

Sulfur Dioxide (SOSulfur Dioxide (SO22) ) StandardsStandards

Primary standard strengthened on June 2, 2010◦New 1-hour SO2 standard of 75 ppb

◦Revoked existing annual and 24-hour primary SO2 standards for areas currently attaining these standards

Secondary standard retained on March 21, 2012◦500 ppb averaged over 3 hours

10

SOSO22 Primary Standard Primary StandardCurrent SO2 design values

CountyDesign Values

2008-2010 2009-2011

Beaufort 33 ppb 27 ppb

Forsyth 37 ppb 14 ppb

Mecklenburg 61 ppb 20 ppb

New Hanover 107 ppb 89 ppb

Wake 17 ppb 14 ppb

SOSO22 Primary Standard Primary Standard

NC recommendation submitted June 2011◦Requested a deferral until the end of 2012

◦If deferral not granted then recommended a small area in New Hanover County be designated nonattainment

SOSO22 Primary Standard Primary Standard

SOSO22 Primary Standard Primary StandardDesignations on existing monitors was expected to be in June 2012◦April 2012 Letter from Assistant Administrator to Commissioners EPA to proceed with designations based

on existing data EPA is re-thinking the implementation

strategy Held stakeholder meetings in late

May/early June Comment deadline June 22, 2012

1997 Ozone Standard1997 Ozone StandardAll areas in North Carolina are attaining the 1997 standard◦NCDAQ submitted a redesignation request for the Charlotte/Gastonia region in November 2011

◦Redesignation being held up until Reasonable Available Control Technology (RACT) rule revised

15

2008 Ozone Standard2008 Ozone StandardPrimary and Secondary standards set at 75 ppb◦Was under reconsideration, so implementation was delayed

◦Sept. 2011 it was decided not to reconsider the standard

EPA gave states the opportunity to revise their boundary recommendations that were submitted in 2009

16

2008 Ozone Standard2008 Ozone StandardOnly the Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury area violating the standard

Revised boundary recommendation submitted February 29, 2012

EPA announced final boundaries in late April 2012.

2008 Ozone Standard2008 Ozone Standard

CO StandardCO StandardAugust 2011 EPA retained the existing CO NAAQS◦1-hour standard of 35 ppm ◦8-hour standard of 9 ppm.

NC has been attaining both standards since 1991

19

PMPM2.52.5 Standards Standards

Existing Standards◦1997 Annual standard 15 μg/m3◦2006 24-hour standard 35 μg/m3

NC attaining both standards◦Both the Hickory & Triad areas were redesignated to attainment/ maintenance effective December 2011

20

PMPM2.52.5 Standard StandardStandards being reviewed

◦ Proposal signed June 14, 2012◦ Expect final standard by December

14, 2012

Final Risk Assessment released March 2010◦ Considers revising annual standard

between 10 – 13 μg/m3

◦ Considers revising daily standard between 25 – 35 μg/m3

21

PMPM2.52.5 Standards Standards

Based on 2009-2011 data◦Daily standard design values

All below 25 μg/m3

◦Annual standard design values Highest value is 11.2 μg/m3

Designations will be based on either 2011-2013 or 2012-2014 data

2009-2011 Annual PM2009-2011 Annual PM2.52.5 Design ValuesDesign Values

Air ToxicsAir ToxicsAir Toxics Draft Legislation–

Exemption of federally covered emission sources

Authorizes DENR to require a federally regulated source or facility to meet the requirements of the state air toxics program if DENR makes a written finding that a source or facility presents or will present an unacceptable risk to human health

DAQ to Study Rules

Mercury TMDL Background Mercury TMDL Background InformationInformationDWQ is working to establish a

statewide Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for mercury

DWQ determined that 98% of mercury in North Carolina waters comes from atmospheric deposition.

DAQ performed air quality modeling to determine what percent of the mercury deposition in North Carolina comes from North Carolina air emission sources

12-KM Modeling Domain12-KM Modeling Domain

Air Quality Modeling Air Quality Modeling ResultsResultsZero out run indicated ~16% of the mercury deposition in North Carolina is coming from air emission sources in North Carolina

Clean boundary conditions indicate that 70% of the mercury deposition in North Carolina comes from outside of the 12-km modeling domain

Expected Expected Reductions in NC’s Reductions in NC’s Mercury Mercury air Emissionsair Emissions

Source Type

2002 lbs/year

2010 lbs/year

2016* lbs/year

2003-2016 Reduction

Electric Generating

3,500 963 700 80%

Other Point 1,800 881 800 56%

Total 5,300 1,844 1,500 72%

Expected Reductions in North Carolina’s Total Mercury Air Emissions

Source Type

2002 lbs/year

2010 lbs/year

2016* lbs/year

2003-2016 Reduction

Electric Generating

1,645 655 125 92%

Other Point 1,050 440 400 62%

Total 2,695 1,095 525 81%

Expected Reductions in Deposition-Prone Mercury Air Emissions

Greenhouse GasesGreenhouse GasesOn February 28th and 29th, 2012, the U.S. Court of Appeals - D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments in legal challenges to EPA's Endangerment Finding and GHG regulations issued under the Clean Air Act for passenger vehicles and CAA permitting for stationary sources

Decision expected in next few weeks

Hydraulic FracturingHydraulic FracturingStudy complete in MayLegislation to legalize hydraulic fracturing in NC under consideration in the short session

Air Quality Concerns◦Impact on Ozone, PM2.5 and NO2

◦Air Toxics issues

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

Sheila HolmanDirectorDepartment of Environment and Natural ResourcesDivision of Air Quality

Sheila.Holman@ncdenr.gov(919) 707-8730

31