overview of emissions inventories

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Overview of Emissions Inventories

Melinda Ronca-Battista, ITEP/TAMS Center

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OverviewWhat is an Emissions

Inventory and why do we need one?

This workshop - EI Fundamentals◦Types of EIs◦Pollutants and Sources◦Outcome is a Level 4 EI: List of

sources and pollutantsEI Advanced (next workshop)

◦Using TEISS calculators and Emission Factors

◦Outcome is a Level 1, 2, or 3 EI, with calculated emissions

◦Reporting

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What is an Emissions Inventory?

Listing of sources and air pollutants in geographic area during specific time periodLevel 4 will just have list Level 1, 2, or 3 have calculated emissions

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How are EI data used?Air quality management tool

◦ Collect baseline data◦ Develop & track emissions control and

management strategiesRegulations developmentAir quality modeling and assessmentPermits

◦ Do you have facilities that need permits?◦ Operating conditions (potential to emit)◦ Fees

Emissions tradingRegulatory compliance

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What are Emissions?Criteria Pollutants

◦ Particulate matter: PM10 and PM2.5◦ Nitrogen oxides: NOx◦ Sulfur dioxide: SO2 ◦ Carbon monoxide: CO◦ Lead: Pb

Ozone precursors◦ Ammonia: NH3◦ Volatile Organic Compounds: VOCs

HAPs (Air Toxics)◦ 187 toxic, carcinogenic compounds without

regulated standards

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Criteria PollutantsWhat about Ozone?

◦Ozone is not emitted directly by sources

◦EIs inventory ozone precursors VOCs NOx Both react with sunlight to

form ozone◦NOx and VOCs get inventoried, but not ozone itself

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HAPs (Air Toxics)187 compounds listed in CAA including◦Mercury (power plants, coal-fired)

◦Perchloroethylene (dry cleaning)◦Benzene (gasoline)◦Chloroform (chlorination plants, paper mills)

◦Methyl Isocyanate (pesticide manufacturing) Release at Bhopal, India, killed

4,000 people◦The list goes on…

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What are Emission Sources?

Point Sources

On-Road Mobile Sources

Non-Road Mobile Sources

Non-Point Sources (Area Sources)

Based on EPA

Event Sources

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Steps to your EI: Level 4 EI – Gather Existing

Data◦ Everyone should start by doing a

Level 4 EI◦ Compile existing data from the

National Emission Inventory (NEI) Shows air pollution emitting facilities in

your area (point sources) Identifies non-point sources that create

most emissions in your area◦ This first step allows you to see

what is already in the EPA database that has been reported by state and local agencies

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Level 4 EI is outcome of this workshop:Mock EI we will work throughYour EI you work throughMock EI covers:

◦Point◦Nonpoint◦Non-road◦On-road◦Obtain from the EPA’s national database-

the National Emission Inventory (NEI) data

Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP)

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Types of SourcesPoint sources = Stationary sources

Area sources = Non-Point sources

Event SourcesMobile sources

◦On-Road (cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses)

◦Non-Road (off-road equipment)

Biogenic sources 11

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What is a Point Source?Individual, stationary sourceEmitting quantities above the

emission threshold Emission thresholds vary

according to type of pollutant and that location’s non-attainment area classification

See EPA’s Air Emission Reporting Requirement (AERR) for federal thresholds

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What is a Point Source? AERR reporting thresholds are

quite highMany states have lower

thresholdsConsider using state thresholds

to define your reservation’s point sources◦Makes EI compatible with others in

your area◦Get a more detailed listing of point

sources Example: Busy gas station can be point

source under state thresholds, but not EPA’s

If not a point source, classify as a nonpoint source

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Example: Point Source Thresholds in Tons per Year (tpy)

Pollutant EPA’s AERR Reporting Thresholds

New Mexico Reporting Thresholds

Lead (Pb) ≥0.5 >1PM10 ≥100 >10

PM2.5 ≥100 >10Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)

≥100 >10

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

≥1000 >10

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)

≥100 >10

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Point Source CharacteristicsLarge, stationary sources

◦Manufacturing or production plants

◦Power plants, refineries◦Large, industrial facilities

A single point source facility can have emissions from ◦Smoke stacks◦Units within directed to stacks

◦Fugitive sources within plant

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Area (Non-Point) Sources Stationary sources that

emit◦ Less than point source

threshold◦ Smaller emitters, but

numerous◦ Often have fugitive

(uncontrollable) emissions

Tend to be sources likeGasoline stationsDry cleanersAuto body/paint shopsUnpaved roads

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Other Nonpoint Sources

Other nonpoint source examples◦Agricultural field burning◦Residential wood combustion◦Residential combustion of household waste (backyard burning)

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Event SourcesWildfires and prescribed burning◦Now inventoried as EVENTS

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On-Road Mobile SourcesVehicles found on roads and

highways (e.g., cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles)◦ 20 volatile organic compounds

(VOCs) and metals quantified (Urban Air Toxics)

◦ Diesel particulate matter and diesel exhaust organic gases also quantified

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Non-Road Mobile Sources Mobile sources not found on roads

and highwaysLawn mowersConstruction VehiclesFarm machinery

Exceptions◦ Commercial marine vessels and

locomotives usually reported as a nonpoint source

◦ Aircraft usually reported as point sources at an airport

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AircraftNote about aircraft

◦ALL airports are now considered point sources in the NEI

◦If you have airports on your reservation, check the most recent NEI data. Use it in your EI.

◦UNLESS you have more accurate data

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Biogenic SourcesNaturally occurring emissions

◦Vegetation: Trees, shrubs, grasses◦Microbial: Soil bacteria, termites

EPA estimates these emissions on a county level for entire country…

…so you don’t have to

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Point, Nonpoint, Non-road Mobile, On-Road Mobile or Event?

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Review of Mock EI• The mock EI, MyReservationEI, is

in the zipped module folder• Review first 3 sections

• Introduction• Reservation Location• Emissions Area

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LocationCountyAreaPopulationDescription of land use (rural)Nearby cities, towns

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Emissions Area for this Level 4 EI:

Point Sources: Level 4 EI usually includes point sources within a “buffer area” (typically 5 to 50 miles, depending on the type of sources) around the reservation

Nonpoint, non-road, and on-road: entire surrounding county(ies)

Use TEISS to make a map and include in your final EI report

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Homework due in 5 days:1. Based on information you already

know about your land, what sources are there?

2. Using the MyReservationEI as a template, write your Introduction, Reservation Location, and Emissions Area sections

3. Email a MS Word document containing these 3 sections to instructor

Next module: all you need to know about TEISS for a Level 4 EI

overview of emissions inventories

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