Rocky Mountain National Park Initiative: Partnership to Reduce - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Rocky Mountain National Park Initiative: Partnership to Reduce Nitrogen Impacts Lisa Clarke Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 303-692-3117 Lisa.Clarke@dphe.state.co.us Colorado Environmental Health Association, September 2011

Overview • Park Background Park Background • History/Basis for RMNP Initiative • Ecological Effects of Nitrogen Deposition Ecological Effects of Nitrogen Deposition • Deposition values/trends • Critical Load • Critical Load • The Plan • Implementation Strategies • Implementation Strategies • Future Reductions

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Rocky Mountain National Park Air Quality Issues • Concerns Concerns – Visibility degradation – Increasing tropospheric ozone i h i concentrations – Nitrogen/acidic deposition

RMNP Initiative ‐ Basis • Petition from Environmental Defense and Colorado Trout Unlimited ‐ Sept 2004 – ID’s adverse impacts from air pollution ID’ d i t f i ll ti – Nitrogen, ozone, haze • CDPHE, NPS and EPA began a process for addressing • CDPHE NPS and EPA began a process for addressing these concerns – The “RMNP Initiative” began The RMNP Initiative began – Nitrogen deposition is the focus of the Initiative • Developed nitrogen deposition reduction plan (NDRP) p g p p ( )

RMNP Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan Journal article Journal article Resource Resource estimates “critical management goal load”(April 2006) established & endorsed (June 2006) CDPHE, NPS, EPA MOU AQCC Subcomm formed (D (Dec 2005) 2005) (S (Sept 2005) 2005) Nitrogen Deposition Issues and Effects Technical Background Document” (CDPHE, NPS & EPA – March 2004) - based on 60 peer-reviewed papers >80 peer-reviewed publications form the basis for assessing nitrogen deposition and impacts at RMNP >1 40 Peer-Reviewed Publications on the Effect of Nitrogen on Natural Resources and Systems

RMNP Initiative ‐ Basis • Agencies support this collaborative, preventative approach in lieu of legal/regulatory mechanisms that could be triggered could be triggered – AQRV’s – Increment consumption In rement ons mption – Petitions/lawsuits

Nitrogen Deposition Monitoring in the Park Nitrogen Deposition Monitoring in the Park Rain Gages NADP B NADP Buckets k t Soil Lysimeter Stream Gage

Rocky Mountain NP: Continuum of Impacts to Ecological Health-- Rocky Mountain NP: Continuum of Impacts to Ecological Health -- At At different N loadings, different sensitive resources begin to respond different N loadings, different sensitive resources begin to respond - wet g/ ha /yr)- Current wet N deposition in Rocky 3.1 3.1 N Load (kg Mountain NP M t i NP 1 5 1.5 N “weight of evidence” of ecosystem health decline on east Natural background side of park 0.2 N deposition Effects on aquatic Forest decline Changes in soil & Surface water N Changes in animals (episodic (acidification water chemistry saturation tree chemistry acidification) effects on trees) Change in aquatic plant Change in aquatic plant C Change in alpine Lethal effects on fish, other ff f species composition plant species aquatic animals (chronic acidification)

Critical Load at RMNP • Large body of evidence indicates nitrogen deposition has affected and continues to affect ecosystems within the park. • Current wet deposition monitored at 3.1 kg p g N/ha/yr • Total—wet and dry—estimated at 4 kg N/ha/yr • • Natural background estimated at 0 2 kg N/ha/yr Natural background estimated at 0.2 kg N/ha/yr Current deposition about 20 times higher than pre ‐ • industrial levels • Specific, published (peer-reviewed) research has shown that wet deposition levels at the time the biological changes started to occur was 1.5 kg/ha/yr.

Critical Load & the Resource Management Goal • The quantitative estimate of an exposure to one or more • The quantitative estimate of an exposure to one or more pollutants below which significant harmful effects on specified sensitive elements of the environment do not occur according to present knowledge present knowledge • RMNP Superintendent identified 1.5 kg/ha/yr wet deposition as the critical load for eutrophication (N fertilization), and as a park resource management goal. l • RMNP has adopted a wet nitrogen deposition resource management goal of 1.5 kg N/ha/yr by 2032 • CDPHE and EPA have endorsed this goal • Four interim milestones (2012, 2017, 2022, 2027)

Loch Vale Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan Glidepath g p p 3.4 2032 Glidepath 3.2 5-yr Rolling Average Wet N Deposition 1st Interim Milestone 1st Interim Milestone 3 (2.7 kg N/ha/yr) (2.7 kg N/ha/yr) 2.8 2nd Interim Milestone 2nd Interim Milestone n (kg N/ha/yr) (2.4 kg N/ha/yr) (2.4 kg N/ha/yr) 2.6 3rd Interim Milestone 2.4 (2.1 kg N/ha/yr) 4th Interim Milestone 4th Interim Milestone 2.2 2 2 Wet Deposition (1.8 kg N/ha/yr) 2 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 Resource Management Goal 1 (1.5 kg N/ha/yr ) 0.8 Natural Conditions 0.6 (0.2 kg N/ha/yr) 0.4 0.2 0 0 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 2030 2032 2034 Year

Rocky Mountain National Park Wet Nitrogen Deposition at Loch Vale Monitor 1984 - 2010 4.5 60 Precipitation Inorganic N 4 5 5-yr Avg Inorganic N r A g Inorganic N 50 3.5 ha/yr] Nitrogen [kg/h 3 3 40 40 ation [inches] 2.5 30 Precipita Inorganic 2 1.5 20 1 10 0.5 0 0 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan • Outlines control options for NOx and ammonia • Numerous source types (stationary, mobile, area) • Best management practices (BMPs) • Crop management & livestock production p g p • Voluntary reductions, BMPs, and benefits from current programs are emphasized current programs are emphasized

Implementation Strategy & Continuing Evaluation • Near term: – Existing and planned NOx reduction measures are being implemented – NOx strategies developed – Agricultural BMPs accepted by the industry starting to be broadly implemented in Colorado – Ammonia emissions in the process of better Ammonia emissions in the process of better characterization – Modeling and assessment activities proceeding g p g

Implementation Strategy & Continuing Evaluation • Longer term: g – Ammonia ‐ reducing agricultural BMPs are being researched, field tested • MOU agencies are working with producers (through the Agriculture • MOU agencies are working with producers (through the Agriculture Subcommittee) to implement BMPs that are shown to be cost ‐ effective – Ammonia ‐ reducing BMPs and emission reduction programs Ammonia reducing BMPs and emission reduction programs for urban sources and water treatment facilities will be researched and implemented • Urban fertilizer usage research ongoing • Urban fertilizer usage research ongoing • CDPHE updating ammonia inventory – Education/outreach to the agricultural sector, industrial groups and the public ongoing d th bli i – Additional NOx strategies underway

Implementation Strategy & Continuing Evaluation • Longer term: – Contingency plan approved in June 2010 – Deposition monitoring, research and modeling continues – Progress towards the goals, effectiveness of mitigation measures, and future needs being continually evaluated ti ll l t d

Rocky Mountain National Park Partnership to Reduce the Ecological Effects of N Deposition Partnership to Reduce the Ecological Effects of N Deposition Future Nitrogen Reductions The State of Colorado is implementing a combination of nitrogen reduction strategies, including engine regulations, vehicle standards, and power plant controls (or conversion hi l t d d d l t t l ( i from coal to natural gas) to achieve a 41% reduction in statewide nitrogen oxides emissions by 2018. A promising best management practice being developed by Colorado State University is an “early warning system” that Colorado State University is an early warning system that would advise agriculture producers to avoid high nitrogen ‐ emitting activities (e.g. manure handling) during specific periods of time when weather conditions could readily i d f ti h th diti ld dil transport nitrogen into the park.

Rocky Mountain National Park Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan Partnership to Reduce Nitrogen Impacts Partnership to Reduce Nitrogen Impacts Questions? Lisa Clarke Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 303-692-3117 Lisa.Clarke@dphe.state.co.us Colorado Environmental Health Association, September 2011 RMNP Website: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ap/rmnp.html

Acknowledgements NPS Air Resources Division Jim Cheatham Jim Cheatham Susan Johnson Tamara Blett Kristi Morris Bret Schichtel Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Curt Taipale Curt Taipale Mike Silverstein Phyllis Woodford