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Reversing Acid Rain in the Adirondack Mountains Karen Roy NYSDEC Division of Air Resources February 2019 Meeting AWMA_NYWEA Rochester, NY Adapted from September 2018 Roundtable Discussion Science at NYSDEC (Research Scientist Review Board) 625 Broadway, Albany, NY

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Page 1: Reversing Acid Rain in the Adirondack Mountains Acid Rain in the...(Acid Rain) • The development of a comprehensive national acid rain program. • Requires removal of 12.5 million

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Reversing Acid Rain in the Adirondack Mountains

Karen RoyNYSDEC Division of Air ResourcesFebruary 2019 Meeting AWMA_NYWEARochester, NY

Adapted from September 2018 Roundtable DiscussionScience at NYSDEC (Research Scientist Review Board) 625 Broadway, Albany, NY

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Abbreviations AAI – Aquatic Acidification IndexAEAP – Adirondack Effects Assessment ProjectALSC – Adirondack Lakes Survey CorporationALTM – Adirondack Long Term Monitoring programAl – aluminum (Inorganic monomeric Al toxic form)AMON – Ammonia Monitoring Network (NADP)ANC – Acid Neutralizing Capacity (micrograms per liter)CASTNET – Clean Air Status and Trends Network (EPA – CAMD)CAMD – Clean Air Markets Division (EPA)CSN – Chemical Speciation Network (EPA)CWA – Clean Water ActDAR,DFW,DLA,DLF – Division(s) of Air Resources, Fish&Wildlife, Legal Affairs, Lands&ForestsDOW – Division of WaterEGU – Electrical Generating UnitEPA OAR/CAMD Office of Air & Radiation/Clean Air Markets DivisionES&T – Environmental Science and TechnologyFEMC – Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative (formerly Vermont Monitoring Cooperative)

IMPROVE – Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (EPA)kg/ha/yr – kilograms per hectare per yearLab pH – for ALTM means field pHNADP – National Atmospheric Deposition Program NOy – total oxidized nitrogen (NOx is part)NO3 - nitrateNE-CAMPR NorthEast Comprehensive Acid Monitoring PRojectNEI – National Emissions Inventory (EPA)NTN – National Trends Network (NADP)NYSERDA – New York State Energy Research and Development Authority ERP Environmental Research ProgramPM2.5 – particulate matter (2.5 microns)RPI – Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteSO2,SOx – sulfur dioxide, oxides of sulfurSO4 - sulfateTMDL – Total Maximum Daily LoadUSGS – US Geological Survey (New York Water Science Center, Troy, NY)

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FAQ Adirondacks

What are the chemistry trends?

Is pH significantly improved?

Are the fish returning?

Does that have an effect on loons or osprey in the Park?

Is the whole park recovering the same way or is there a regional/geographic limit to the response?

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Adirondack Lakes Survey 1984-1987

Physical, biological and chemical surveys on 1469 waters.

Extent of lake acidification and fisheries impacts.

1990 Interpretive Report.

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State Acid Deposition Control Act of 1984Specific mandates to reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. NY Times Headline “State’s New Law is First in Nation to Curb Acid Rain” • Designate receptor areas in NYS which are sensitive to acid

deposition;• Establish an Environmental Threshold Value for wet sulfate

deposition at each (Adirondacks, Catskills, Hudson Highlands) sensitive receptor area (20 kg/ha/yr);

• Formulate a preliminary final control target and an interim control target for fuel sulfur limitations;

• Develop a sulfur dioxide emissions control program to meet needed sulfur deposition reductions in sensitive receptor areas.

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1990 Clean Air Act Amendments – Title IV (Acid Rain)

• The development of a comprehensive national acid rain program.

• Requires removal of 12.5 million tons of SO2 and NOx from utility sector.

• Creates an allowance program for existing and new units.• Establishes continuous emission monitoring program.• Establishes an absolute cap that can be emitted after 2000. • Offers sources several ways to comply.Major point: All good things have their genesis in State Environmental Quality Programs.

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NOx SO2

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Wet NO3 deposition across the US, 1985 vs 2016

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Wet SO4 deposition across the US, 1985 vs 2016

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Precipitation pH across the US, 1985 vs 2016

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NYSERDA – Environmental Research Program.

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Collaboration NYSDEC et al. Adirondack Long Term Monitoring (ALTM)Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation (ALSC)US Geological SurveyUS EPA OAR/CAMDUS and NYS deposition monitoring programsRPI Adirondack Effects Assessment Program (AEAP)

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Adirondack Long TermMonitoring (ALTM) Program17 lakes since 1982 52 lakes since 1992

LAKE TYPES (number in each out of 52)Seepage (7)Thin till (27)Medium till (13)Thick till/carbonate (5)

INTENSIVELY STUDIEDArbutus Lake, Big Moose Lake, Brooktrout Lake

EXCLUDED from trends due to LIMINGLittle Clear, Little Simon, Woods, Barnes

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Breaking news

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17Brooktrout Lake Case Study - Biotic Recovery from Acid Deposition 20 Years after the 1990 Clean Air Act AmendmentsJames W. Sutherland, Frank W Acker, Jay A Bloomfield, Charles W. Boylen, Donald F Charles, Robert A Daniels, Lawrence W Eichler, Jeremy L Farrell, Robert S Feranec, Matthew P Hare, Sharon L Kanfoush, Richard J Preall, Scott O Quinn, H. Chandler Rowell, William F Schoch, William H Shaw, Clifford A Siegfried, Timothy J. Sullivan, David A Winkler, and Sandra Anne Nierzwicki-Bauer, ES&TPublication Date (Web): Jan 26, 2015DOI: 10.1021/es5036865

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2017 Brooktrout Lake (and 27 other lakes) world premier in  “Harmonized”, big data 

• 13 entities; 21 co‐authors (DEC, NYS Museum, EPA, five universities, one consultant w/NYSERDA)

• Combined ALTM monthly chemistry and AEAP summer detailed biological for the 28 lakes in common over study period 1994‐2012.

• Available to the world. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov

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Brooktrout Lake—Success!

Aquatic life is no longer impaired

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Data & Division of Water• All waters of the state are classified to

represent their best uses.• NY water quality standards protect

these best uses.• Monitoring data is needed to evaluate

water conditions.• When a waterbody does not support its

best uses, it is listed on the CWA Section 303(d) list.

• NYS must develop a total maximum daily load (TMDL) or other strategy to restore the waterbody.

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“Official” Success• Designated “forever wild” in

NYS Constitution.• TMDL for Acid Impaired

Lakes in the Adirondack Park numeric water quality target is appropriate endpoint (ANC >11 ueq/L; Brooktrout Lake = 12.3 ueq/L) & evidence of successful reproduction!

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Strategic Monitoring of Mercury in New York State Fish 2003-2005 (Simonin et al 2008)

Adirondack Park

Catskill Park

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pH 4.5 to 6.5 pH 6.5 to 7.5 pH 7.5 to 8.5

Percent of Lakes in Each Category with 9 inch Yellow Perch > 0.3 ppm Mercury

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Yellow Perch (1100)

Largemouth Bass (535)

Smallmouth Bass (590)

Chain Pickerel (75)

Walleye (260)

Northern Pike (42)

Mercury (ppb)

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DEC Fish and WildlifeBureau of Ecosystem Health

2018 Fish Contaminants Database

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– invasive species linked with stressors (acidification and climate change).

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Degradation and recovery of soils and forests(two Adirondack Park sentinel species)

SUGAR MAPLE Acid rain depletes soil base cations. Health = available calcium in the soil. Low levels = stress = Asian longhorn beetle, forest tent caterpillar, others.

RED SPRUCEHigh elevation species. Double whammy. Exposed to extra acid load from cloud water. In these naturally low nutrient soils acid rain chemically forces dissolved aluminum into the soil water. Toxic to trees (just like to fish). Very rapid, highly visible decline in the mid-60s, signature species across the northeast forest. Years of forest transect research. Now recovering.

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FAQ Adirondacks

What are the chemistry trends?Is pH significantly improved?Are the fish returning?Does that have an effect on loons or osprey in the Park?Is the whole park recovering the same or is there a regional/geographic limit to the response?

(Answer sheet available)

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FAQ Adirondacks (good, simple questions; answers not so simple)What are the chemistry trends? S decline all lakes, N declining in over half, seasonal peaks diminishing.Is pH significantly improved? Yes, but seasonal peaks still a concern.Are the fish returning? Yes, but slowly, selected places.Does that have an effect on loons or osprey in the Park? When fish recover and toxic mercury declines, loons are better fed, more focused(on raising their young).Is the whole park recovering the same or is there a regional/geographic limit to the response? The entire park is experiencing significantly less acid deposition. Responses vary because sensitivities vary, e.g. high elevation, small streams, thin till lakes; biota vary and time lags occur because species take a while to come back.

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Thank you.

Adirondack Long Term Monitoring Programhttps://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/112645.html

Karen RoyNYS Department of Environmental Conservation1115 NYS Route 86P.O.Box 296Ray Brook, NY 12977P: (518) 897-1352 [email protected]