1. Wildland Fire Policy Revision
WESTAR Spring Business Meeting 2008
Dave McNeill
Planning Committee Co-Chair
Park City, Utah

2. Guiding Principles Public health / safety = Job 1
Inform and protect the public
Evaluate health / welfare impacts during decision making process
Collaboration makes sense
AQ managers & land managers & the public
Policy sets standard used to concur with flagged data for EER

3. Recommendations
EPA expectation that all fires subject to state/local air quality management requirements
Definition of “unlikely to recur” should allow for differences in local conditions
If SMP is “certified,” EPA should review certification and work quickly with the state to address EPA’s concerns
Elements of Best Smoke Management Practices
Elements of a Basic Smoke Management Program

4. Best Smoke Management Practices
Alternatives to burn – and use when appropriate
Use of Emission Reduction Techniques
Contingency Measures for Smoke Impacts
Monitors smoke to identify impact
No ignition on bad burn day
Adequate notice to potentially impacted public / agencies
Coordination of multiple simultaneous burns

5. Elements of Basic SMP Authorization to Burn
Minimize Air Pollutant Emissions
Burn Plans contain Smoke Management Components (dispersion, monitoring)
Public Education / Awareness
Surveillance / Enforcement
Program Evaluation / Improvement
Optimal Air Quality Protection
Coordination to Address Cumulative Impacts

6. Progress to Date In December, EPA received comments from WESTAR
In January, EPA received written comments from FLMs
In Exceptional Events Rule, EPA committed to address Ag Burning in the final policy (see footnote 8) within 16 months of final EER

7. Progress to Date (Cont’d)
EPA has met with the USDA, but no organization of state Ag agencies (like NACAA, etc)
EPA believes they have addressed issues raised by ag agencies
Draft to OMB in May
After OMB, publish in Fed Register followed by comment period
Final Rule out in July or August

8. Next Steps
Planning Committee will review final proposal quickly following publication and try to coordinate comments on how EPA implemented our concerns, the impact of the changes made to meet the FLM concerns, and the impact of the changes made to meet the Ag industry concerns