Martin MullanEnvironment Canada

Georgia Basin / Puget Sound Research ConferenceVancouver, 1 April 2003

Georgia Basin/ Puget SoundInternational Airshed Strategy

The Strategy:

1. “what”

2. “where”

3. ”who”

4. ”when”

5. ”why” (2 slides)

6. ”how” (3 slides)

Presentation outline GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

GB/PS International Airshed Strategy

- effort to address shared AQ management concerns

- concerns: human & environmental health impacts

- also aims to prevent future deterioration of AQ

- a key priority is information sharing

1. What GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

• includes Straits of Georgia and Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound

• principal urban areas include Lower Fraser Valley in BC and the I-5 corridor in WA

2. Where GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

Federal gov EC PYREPA Region 10

Prov./ State gov BC WLAPWA DoE

Regional agencies FVRDGVRDNWAPAPSCAA

First Nations/ Tribal Sto:lo Tribal CouncilCoast Salish Sea InitiativeTsawwassen FNSwinomish Tribe

NGO Fraser Basin Council

3. Who GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

• 1941 Trail Smelter Arbitration (dispute: 1898 - 1941)

• 1979 EC Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP)

• 1991 Canada-USA Air Quality Agreement

• 1992 BC-WA Env. Co-operation Agreement

• 1994 BC, WA, GVRD, NWAPA MoU

• 2000 EC/EPA Joint Statement of Co-operation on the GB/PS ecosys.

• 2000 Ozone Annex to Can/USA AQ Agreement

• 2002 EC/EPA Statement of Intent on GB/PS IAS

• 2004 Ozone Annex comes up for renewal/ revision

4. When GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

air pollutants affect human health ...

• e.g. no lower threshold for PM

• e.g. concern re. toxics in diesel exhaust

... and natural env’t & economic resources ...

• e.g. tourism/ visibility

... plus link to GHG emissions

growing concern about issues, esp. link betw’n air pollution & health

• e.g. proposed 660 MW Sumas 2 power plant

5(i/ii). Why GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

• better air quality in many areas over previous decades from

gov’t initiatives & despite a nearly 50% growth in reg’l

pop

• incl. federal govt’s 10-year Agenda for Vehicles & Fuels

• however, growth in population and economy continues

5(ii/ii). Why

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

2015

2017

2019

2021

2023

2025

200000

450000

700000

950000

1200000

1450000

1700000

1950000

2200000

2450000

2700000

2950000

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

2015

2017

2019

2021

2023

2025

GVRD Population Estimates (2001 - 2026)Source: BC Statistics Office

25 yr. Growth @ 29 %

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

2015

2017

2019

2021

2023

2025

200000

220000

240000

260000

280000

300000

320000

340000

360000

380000

400000

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

2015

2017

2019

2021

2023

2025

FVRD Population Estimates (2001 - 2026)Source: BC Statistics Office

25 yr. Growth @ 36 %

GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

• began Feb. 2001

• addresses transboundary nature of air & x-border responsibility

• periodic meetings & progress on “early actions”

• 17 early actions ranked & 5 chosen for work, plus Airshed Char.:

• Issue Ranking and Identification system

• Clean Vehicles and Fuels

• Transboundary Data Exchange

• Transboundary New Source Review

• website (information clearinghouse)

6(i/iii). How GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

Project initiation / Statement of Intent

5 early actions

- Issue Ranking & Identification System- Clean Vehicle and Fuels- TRAnsboundary Data Exchange- Transboundary New Source Review- webpage

Airshed characterization

Assess Problems / Options

GB/PS Int’l Airshed Strategy

Range of outcomes- share information

- work collaboratively- formal agreements

6(ii/iii). How GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

priority issues identified Management

KEY PROGRESS Feb. 2001 1st meeting

May 2001 prioritize issues (17) & actions (6)

Oct. 2001 dev’d Statement of Intent & path forward

Mar. 2002 progress - early Airshed Characterization

Oct. 2002 progress - Clean Vehicles & Fuels/ website

FUTURE WORK May 2003 progress report

June 2003 consultations - NW-CAPP (US EPA R10)

Sept. 2003 review strategy options, complete A Char.

Dec. 2003 future modeling & management options

June 2004 strategy report

June 2004+ implementation plan

6(iii/iii). How GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

• regional AQ usually conforms with standards, • but still impacts public health (e.g. no lower thresholds for PM)

• emission reductions may be overwhelmed by rapid regional growth

• new sources may emerge as important as others are controlled

• planning at int’l level is required to maintain clean air in region

• successful International Airshed Strategy must :

- rely on sound science

- focus on specific, measurable, and attainable goals, and

- involve all agencies that have an AQ management mandate

Conclusion GB/ PS International Airshed Strategy

1939 Today False Creek, Vancouver