Ozone in the Tri Cities August 2018

Smog – Ground Level Ozone

Ozone in the Tri Cities - a brief history: 2013 – AirPact (model) showed potential for high ozone in Kennewick 2014 – Temporary Monitor on Kellogg; mobile monitoring 2015 – Permanent Monitor installed at BCAA offices; additional mobile monitoring 2015 – National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Ozone reduced to 70 ppb from 75 ppb 2016 – Precursor Study 2017 – Precursor Study Completed; Kennewick ozone values continue to be of concern 2018 – Community outreach

Areas of the country projected to have ozone issues: The Tri Cities is not on this map!

Local geography is part of the situation:

Area of interest: Franklin County Dept. of Ecology Benton County Nuclear Program Industrial Unit Eastern Regional Office Benton County Walla Walla County Benton Clean Air Agency

Where does Ozone come from?

Sources of NOx

Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds

August 13, 2015 (77 ppb)

Average of three years’ fourth highest 8-hour daily average

Ozone Design Value Federal standards require the O3 “Design Value” to be less than 70ppb. DV calculated as the average of the annual fourth highest maximum daily 8-hour average(MDA8). Kennewick O3 4th high MDA8, ppb # of days > 70 ppb 2015 75 5 2016 68 2 2017 74 9 Latest DV 72 If ozone levels exceed Federal standards, the entire community has to bear the health consequences and financial burden of reducing ozone. This also makes it more difficult for industries to expand.

When does O3 build up? Almost guaranteed in right conditions Light north winds on hot days Suggest constant & not sporadic precursor sources Northerly flow dams up against Horse Heaven Hills, allowing O3 to “cook”

Whodunnit? Tri Cities Ozone Precursor Study (TCOPS) StoryMap http://www.ecology.wa.gov/Research- Data/Scientific-reports/Air-quality-studies Ecology spent about $150K to contract with WSU and RJ Lee Group Inc to conduct 3 weeks of intensive field measurements in summer 2016, to understand O3 precursor sources in the Tri Cities.

How do you know vehicles contribute? Emissions inventory TCOPS: NOx spikes coincide with rush hour Weekday/ weekend effect ~ 17% reduction in NOx and VOC emissions Almost entirely driven by mobile sources Weekend O3 ~ 3.5ppb less under similar conditions

Main TCOPS findings No single “smoking gun”. Airshed not VOC or NOx limited. Moderate NOx and VOC cuts for now Very crude estimate: 30% reduction  -5ppb O3. Modeling study needed to nail down specifics.

Timeline Oct. 1, 2015 EPA finalizes 2015 Ozone NAAQS Oct. 1, 2016 October submission requested that Kennewick be declared “unclassifiable” as there are insufficient data to do otherwise Oct. 1, 2017 EPA finalizes designations based on 2014-2016 DVs Kennewick considered unclassifiable (this is good news) May 2017 and forward If monitor readings continue to exceed the standard, there is potential that the area represented by the Kennewick monitor could be declared in non-attainment. (Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla) 2018 Community Outreach to begin to consider ramifications of non attainment and how we might develop solutions Local Entities explore strategies: Benton Franklin Council of Governments, Benton Clean Air, Department of Ecology, Benton Franklin Transit, Benton Franklin Health Department Oct. 1, 2020 Ozone standard evaluated for revision Oct. 1, 2022 (possible) Non-attainment designation

Affected Communities Regulated Sources Stationary sources of air pollution currently in a permit program: gas stations autobodies food processing chemical plants fertilizer plants Effects of Non-Attainment New Source Review Transportation Infrastructure Transportation projects and planning Transportation Conformity Economic Development Impact on manufacturing/production establishment and expansion Citizens Health impacts of ozone Sensitive populations most affected (elderly, young, cardiovascular conditions, allergies) General Quality of Life Transportation Mobile sources –passenger vehicles, trucking, rail shipping, barge/river shipping Transit Trip management resources Many potential impacts; many potential solutions; community effort – thank you for being here this morning.

Benton Clean Air Agency 526 South Steptoe Street Kennewick, WA 99336 509-783-1304 www.bentoncleanair.org Robin Bresley Priddy, PE

Non Attainment New Source Review Would apply to new or reconstructed sources of NOx and VOC Lowest Achievable Emissions Rate (LAER) The term "lowest achievable emission rate" means for any source, that rate of emissions which reflects: the most stringent emission limitation which is contained in the implementation plan of any State for such class or category of source, unless the owner or operator of the proposed source demonstrates that such limitations are not achievable, or the most stringent emission limitation which is achieved in practice by such class or category of source, whichever is more stringent.  Best Available Control Technology (BACT) is the current standard – it is much more flexible Result of structured analysis on a case by case basis Energy consumption, total source emission, regional environmental impact, and economic costs are taken into account.