Elements of Air Quality Management

Scientific Understanding

Community Involvement

Cooperative Planning

Realistic Goal Setting

Long Term Commitment

Implementation and Monitoring

•1992 - PM10 monitoring starts atop City Hall

•1996 - Grand Forks City Council and Area D representative Basil Jmaiff form first Air Quality Committee

•1996 - First public complaint about Cantex Asphalt Plant Operation

•1997 Province’s portable air monitoring trailer installed at Councillor O’Doherty’s home for six months

•1998 - The Reid Report

•1999 - the pollution hotline

•2002 - Friends of the Granby appeal Roxul permit and are denied

•2002 - Ralph Adam’s report

•2005 - 2.5 PM monitor installed

The Reid Report 1998

Major Findingsi) That the downtown area is most affected by elevated levels of pm10.

ii) In the downtown, Industrial sources account for 45% of the particulate and Domestic sources account for 55% (open burning, wood stoves, roadway and other dust).

iii) Wind speeds are low; pollutants that should dissipate do not, resulting in high ambient pollutant concentrations.

iv) A ground based layered haze is visible approximately one third of the time, particularly early in the morning. This haze drifts to the East of town. The Nursery area is less affected by pm10 pollution than downtown.

RecommendationsI) 50 % voluntary reduction in industrial emissions

II) 50%voluntary reduction in woodstove emissions

III) Ban on all uncontrolled outdoor burning within the municipality

IV) City program to reduce fugitive dust from roadway emissions

Ralph Adam’s Report 2002

Conclusions and RecommendationsThe levels of inhalable particulate matter are among the highest in the southern interior and a concern to public health

With the measurements available we cannot distinguish between fugitive dust and smoke

The distribution of the particulate matter reading during the days of the week suggest that the problem is due to human activities

Respirable particulate matter monitoring should begin as soon as possible

Wind measurements should be made to investigate prevailing winds more thoroughly

Records from industry should be examined to see if there is an annual or weekly cycle to emissions

The city should summarize the methods used to clean-up fugitive road dust to look for improvement

The city should conduct a wood heating survey to allow an estimate of emissions from wood heaters

The Air Quality Committee be resurrected to address the issue of airshed planning

The following data is based on measurements taken at the points of release for the various industrial concerns mentioned. These are the preliminary and unreviewed results posted on The Environment Canada National Pollutants Release Inventory (NPRI) website for 2004.

Pope and Talbot

Canpar

Roxul

Installation of real time monitoring equipment

Warning system for poor air quality days

Improved airshed management by permitted users

Phase out of old wood heaters through buy back programs

Improved public education on outdoor burning

Airshed “room” for industrial expansion

Improvements to public transportation

Improved road maintenance

Improved health for vulnerable citizens

Improved air quality for all citizens