WRAP Update
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Presentation Transcript
WRAP Update WESTAR Meeting San Francisco April 25, 2011
Background • WRAP is a voluntary association of states, tribes, federal land managers, locals and EPA • WRAP is not incorporated • Staffed and administered by the Western Governors’ Association (and previously by the National Tribal Environmental Council) • Primary mission from 1999 – 2008 was to implement the recommendations of the Grand Canyon Commission and coordinate planning and analysis for regional haze SIPs • Charter revised in October 2009 to align with current organization and functions
Background (cont.) • WRAP has historically been funded by EPA with “off the top” state grant dollars • Funding has been greatly reduced in recent years. To date, no funding for 2011 • States contributed directly to WRAP last year to keep operations going • WRAP staff have generated several projects funded by other sources • Nevertheless, current budget will be exhausted by year end • WRAPs technical support systems (TSS, VIEWS, EDMS, & Regional Modeling Center) have been mothballed • Viability of WRAP in 2012 and beyond is in jeopardy without a new mandate (ozone) and funding
Current Projects • Oil and Gas Emissions Inventories • Biogenic Emissions Inventory Improvement Project • WestJump Air Quality Modeling Study • Ozone Scoping Plan • Fire • Fire Emissions Tracking System • FLM Fire/Ozone Analysis Project • Potential project for FLMs, EPA, and 3-States • Data Warehouse for Oil and Gas Information (WY, UT, CO)
Oil & Gas Emission Inventories • Regional oil & gas emissions inventory work ongoing since 2005 • Results have been used for regional haze and NAAQS • 2006 inventories for all major oil and gas basins in the West • 2009 inventories for WY/MT/ND • Piceance Basin Pilot Project: Mobile source emissions from oil and gas industry operations • Emission factors can be used to estimate emissions in other basins
Biogenics Emissions Inventory Improvement Project • Funded by WESTAR • RFP issued • Contractor selection late May • Getting biogenic emissions right is important for ozone • Will update biogenic emissions model and model inputs • Including land use and vegetative cover data • Emissions factors for Western plants • States to decide base year for model run (2008, 2010?) • Product : Regionally complete and consistent biogenic emissions inventory and modeling inputs
West-Wide Jumpstart Air Quality Modeling Study (WestJump AQMS) • The beginning of our regional ozone modeling effort. Can provide the foundation for modeling and analysis required for SIPs • Includes model performance study for ozone & other air quality indicators • Builds on previous WRAP & other modeling work • Will provide source apportionment results to inform the ozone planning process • Phase I: Analyze and process 2008 emissions and meteorology at very high resolution (4km) Pending funding • Phase II – test model improvements, write modeling protocol, and connect with BLM NEPA modeling • Phase III - air quality & source apportionment model results for entire West at 12km resolution, with detailed source apportionment results for 4km study areas
WestJumpAQMS Modeling Domains Examples of 4-km Four Corners and Southern NM detailed source apportionment modeling domains are shown, to be used in CAMx/CMAQ photochemical grid modeling.
Western Ozone Modeling and Emissions Workshop • Boulder, CO – June 21-23 • Gather state, local, FLM, and EPA (Regions and OAQPS) modeling experts, along with key contractors • Address how to, lessons learned, and next steps: • Evaluate quality and completeness of emissions inventories • Review modeling studies to date • Identify opportunities for collaboration and data sharing • Discuss future analysis of ozone in the West • EPA Transport Rule 2 • Ozone SIPs – §110a2d transport, attainment demonstrations
Western Ozone Scoping Plan • Analyze and document: • Technical and planning requirements to support future ozone planning and emissions control work across the West • Analyze the nature and causes of elevated ozone and precursors for urban, rural, and Class I areas across the West • “Road map” to: • Identify what is known and not known • Describe required technical and planning activities • Establish schedule for technical analysis and SIPs • Help WRAP members organize and prioritize for this major planning effort
FLM Joint Fire Sciences ProgramFire/Ozone Analysis project • Determine contribution of wildland fire to elevated ozone events • Focus is on Western and Southeastern regions • Will provides data, results, products, and tools for ozone planning • Will improve technical basis for managing prescribed fire to reduce ozone • Complete 2008 fire data will be used in WestJump • Will support operation of Fire Emissions Tracking System and will add capability to develop inventories for SIPs • Funded by BLM through the Joint Fire Science Program • 18-month project, currently proposed start in July 2011
Federal Leadership Forum/3-State Project • Develop a data warehouse to support future air quality modeling for NEPA analyses of oil & gas projects • Project includes: • Federal Leadership Forum (EPA Region 8, OAQPS, NPS, USFS, and BLM) • 3 States (CO, UT, WY) • WGA plans to submit a joint proposal with Colorado State University (CIRA) • Data warehouse can take advantage of existing WRAP data bases • WGA is well situated to fulfill project needs and can coordinate as appropriate with WRAP work on ozone • Data warehouse activities: July 2011 through June 2012 • Project Manager duties: ¼ time from July 2011 through July 2014 • Proposals due May 5th
WRAP Projects & Workshops for Western Air Quality Planning Present Future Ozone NAAQS: Transport SIPs and Attainment Demonstrations Ozone Scoping Plan Support of Western Ozone SIP Planning Modeling Workshop Biogenic Emissions Technical Analysis for Ozone, PM2.5, and Regional Haze Planning PM2.5 NAAQS & Regional Haze SIP Updates WestJump Fire/Ozone Analysis Project
Regional Haze and Future PM2.5 NAAQS • IMPROVE data through 2009 is on WRAP TSS • 2005-09 regional haze tracking averages calculated • To be published in upcoming periodic IMPROVE report • EPA Technical Support Document (2-28-2011) • Prepared by Regions 6, 8, 9, 10 and WRAP staff to support approval of Regional Haze SIPs • Future • PM2.5 NAAQS revision requires §110a2d transport SIP modeling • Periodic Regional Haze SIP updates
Next Steps? • WRAP is prepared to coordinate the regional technical analysis and planning process for ozone • Technical work has begun • Funding to continue is uncertain • Revised ozone NAAQS expected to be the first time Western states confront regional planning for a health standard • WRAP has the organizational structure, experience with regional planning, and technical expertise to assist states • Significant resources will be needed to do the job