Revised PM Standard Q&A EPA Fine Particulate Proposal The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new federal air quality heath standards for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and inhalable coarse particle matter (PM 10- 2.5 ). EPA has proposed keeping the current annual PM 2.5 standard the same (at 15 ug/m 3 ), but lower the daily (24-hr average) standard from the current 65 ug/m 3 to 35 ug/m 3 . Overall, Oregon has had a long and successful history of meeting the challenge to reduce air pollutants. Under the proposed standards, most of Oregon will remain in compliance, however some areas like Klamath Falls and Medford may have trouble meeting a lower PM 2.5 standard. We will need to wait for EPA's final action before knowing what areas in Oregon are potential new nonattainment areas. Oregon will likely have a number of areas on the borderline of a new PM 2.5 health standard, so 2006 will be a time to engage with these communities on pollution prevention. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) staff are tracking this proposal and will work with other western states to evaluate and respond to EPA's proposed revision. Some Q&A Why has EPA adopted new standards? The Clean Air Act requires EPA to review and revise air quality standards at least once every five years to ensure that they protect the public from air pollution. The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) has reviewed hundreds of the most recent medical studies and believes that current standards should be strengthened to better protect the public from short-term fine particle exposures. EPA is required, under consent decree, to complete its review of the PM standard. EPA must propose a revised PM rule by December 20, 2005 and finalize it by September 27, 2006. What is PM (particulate matter) and how does it affect me? Particulate matter comes mostly from smoke from fuel combustion (large and small engines, home heating, construction equipment, etc.), some industrial processes, motor vehicle and truck exhaust, and wind-blown dust. PM 10 refers to particulate matter 10 microns in diameter and smaller, whereas PM 2.5 refers to particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter and smaller. (The average strand of human hair is 70 microns in diameter.) Health studies over the past decade show that there are harmful effects from breathing PM 10 particles and additional harmful effects from breathing particles measuring less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM 2.5 ). This size fraction is inhaled deep into the lungs and can lodge there for weeks and months, aggravating asthma, heart disease, and other circulatory and respiratory conditions. 2/15/06
What are the revised standards? EPA has proposed new standards that address primary health standards as well as secondary welfare standards. Primary Health Standards EPA has proposed to lower the daily (24-hour average) PM 2.5 standard about 46%, from 65 ug/m3 to of 35 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m 3 ) and to retain the current annual average standard of 15 micrograms per cubic meter. EPA has also proposed to eliminate the current PM 10 standards and replace them with a new standard that focuses on the coarse particles that are between PM10 and PM2.5. This new standard is known as PM coarse or PM 10-2.5 . The PM 10-2.5 standard will have a 24-hour average concentration of 70 micrograms per cubic meter. EPA proposes to limit this standard to “urban” areas only, specifically where PM 10-2.5 comes from high-density traffic on paved roads, industrial sources, and construction activities. PM 10-2.5 from rural windblown dust and soils and agricultural and mining sources would be excluded. EPA is not proposing an annual standard for PM 10-2.5 , due to a lack of scientific evidence showing significant public health risks associated with long-term exposure to coarse particles. Secondary Welfare Standards In addition to the proposed primary standards, EPA has also proposed secondary standards to protect the public welfare such as crops, vegetation, wildlife, buildings and national monuments and visibility. However, for both PM 2.5 and PM 10-2.5 , these levels are identical to the primary standards. What Oregon communities might be affected by the new standards? Most of Oregon should meet the new standards, however, some communities may have trouble and be classified as nonattainment based on the proposal. Because there is still a public process that EPA has to go through before finalizing the rules, the proposed standard could change. Therefore, DEQ cannot say with certainty which specific communities will be in nonattainment. Areas that have had problems in the past include Klamath Falls, Medford, Eugene/Springfield, and Oakridge, and these areas are again at risk of nonattainment under EPA’s proposal. Attainment determinations will depend on EPA’s final standards and the years they choose for monitoring. At this time, it appears that EPA is planning on using 2004-2006 for PM 2.5 . 2/15/06
What does this mean for Oregon? Over the past twenty years, Oregon has invested in strategies to reduce particulate matter. These strategies have significantly reduced both PM 10 and PM 2.5 . If we have areas that are in nonattainment, we will likely need to further reduce sources of smoke and dust, such as open burning, transportation, industrial sources and woodstoves. According to EPA's PM 2.5 implementation timetable, Oregon will use monitoring data from 2004-2006 to make initial PM 2.5 nonattainment area recommendations to EPA. Following any new PM 2.5 designations, Oregon will develop plans to reduce the emissions of fine particles and any new nonattainment areas will have until 2015 to meet the new PM 2.5 standard. The new PM 10-2.5 standard represents a new approach for particulate measurement and regulation, and EPA must start with fundamentals such as developing a standardized monitoring approach. For PM 10-2.5 , EPA has proposed a new federal reference method to measure it. Once that monitoring method is finalized and in place, Oregon will have to collect three years of monitoring data, currently expected in the 2009-2011 timeframe. Any nonattainment areas designated under the PM 10-2.5 standard will need to come into compliance by 2018. What will happen to the PM 10 standard? EPA is proposing to revoke the current daily (24-hour average) except in specified areas, none of which are in Oregon. EPA recently published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking addressing implementation of the revised PM NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards). One important section of this proposal will address the transition from PM 10 to the new PM 10-2.5 standards, including important anti-backsliding issues affecting existing PM 10 strategies. Is the EPA accepting comments? Yes. Comments from the public will be accepted by EPA until April 17, 2006. Where can I get more information about the proposal? Visit EPA’s website at: http://www.epa.gov/oar/particlepollution/actions.html For questions within Oregon, you may contact Rachel Sakata at 1-503-229-5659, or at 1- 800-452-4011, or at: http://www.SAKATA.rachel@deq.state.or.us Next Steps States will know EPA’s final decision on the new standards in late 2006. EPA will then expect initial attainment and nonattainment area designations in 2007. If Oregon does have new PM 2.5 nonattainment areas, DEQ will need to conduct the technical analysis and research work needed to understand the contribution of key emission sources and other 2/15/06
factors driving PM 2.5 nonattainment. This fundamental research will provide the foundation on which to build an effective and equitable attainment strategy. In 2006, DEQ will be developing its budget for the next biennium, and will seek the resources needed for answering fundamental science and technical questions about PM 2.5 as well as for working with communities on strategy development. In the meantime, DEQ and communities can start with the basics, such as updating local woodstove and open burning ordinances that are sensitive to the new PM 2.5 standards. DEQ and community partners can also begin to develop the public’s understanding of new PM 2.5 issues and look for other opportunities for pollution prevention. States and federal budgets for particulate monitoring have been severely reduced. Funding for monitoring will likely be a critical issue that EPA will need to address as they roll out new standards for PM 2.5 and PM 10-2.5 . 2/15/06
Medford PM2.5 3yr Aver of the 98th Percentile 65 Existing Standard > 65 60 55 50 45 37 38 40 36 PM2.5 (ug/m3) 35 Proposed Standard > 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2000-02 2001-03 2002-04 Three Year Range Used in Average
Recommend
More recommend
