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Colorado Perspective on Nitrogen Oxides

Colorado Perspective on Nitrogen Oxides. Paul Tourangeau Director Colorado APCD November 11, 2009. Multiple issues with NOx. Colorado and other western States face new challenges with nitrogen oxides Issues overlap in multiple pollutant arenas

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Colorado Perspective on Nitrogen Oxides

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  1. Colorado Perspective on Nitrogen Oxides • Paul Tourangeau • Director • Colorado APCD • November 11, 2009

  2. Multiple issues with NOx • Colorado and other western States face new challenges with nitrogen oxides • Issues overlap in multiple pollutant arenas • Sources range from major stationary sources to automobiles and minor sources related to oil and gas extraction and processing • Impacts range from health to welfare including new issues with nitrogen deposition • NOx is a key component of Colorado’s ozone planning efforts • NOx is a focal point of Colorado’s RMNP nitrogen deposition issue • NOx is integral to NO2, RH and PM2.5

  3. Nitrogen Oxides

  4. NOx Impacts • Health impacts are direct from NO2 and indirect from nitrate particles • Aggravation of heart and lung diseases, with increased hospitalizations, doctor visits, and use of medication • Heart beat irregularities and heart attacks • Coughing, wheezing, and chronic bronchitis • Premature death from heart and lung disease • Nitrates also impact acid deposition, regional haze • Ozone formation is also tied to NOx emissions

  5. New NO2 Standard will Spotlight the West • 3 of 5 likely Non-Attainment areas are in the West • Denver, Phoenix, and LA • Chicago and New York • Denver is 5th on the list, Phoenix 4th, both cities with much smaller populations but both with ozone challenges • Denver’s terrain and propensity for temperature inversions results in elevated NO2

  6. Nitrogen Dioxide Levels Versus Proposed New NAAQS Range for Urban Sites in Colorado NOTE: Nitrogen dioxide levels at rural sites are much lower.

  7. Western NOx Emissions – 33% reduction by 2018

  8. Colorado’s Projected NOx Reductions (by 2018) ALL Initiatives to Benefit: NO2, O3, RH, N Dep, PM2.5 Eagles Nest Wilderness Area

  9. Outlook • Even with projected NOx reductions, more needs to be done to improve visibility, reduce ozone, PM2.5 and NO2, and improve ecosystems • These efforts should not be compartmentalized • A “one atmosphere approach” should be utilized • Planning for all issues needs to occur simultaneously to ensure cost-effective solutions • Monitoring needs to be improved

  10. Outlook • Examples: • Monitoring in Colorado has been increased to address multiple needs • Non-traditional, external drivers impacting Colorado’s approaches to air quality planning and management

  11. Example: Oil and Gas Activities Drive Different Policy Initiatives • New regulatory framework: • Colo. Statute: “…it is in the public’s interest to foster the responsible, balanced development of Colorado’s oil and gas resources consistent with the protection of public health, safety, and welfare…”(HB07-1341 C.R.S. § 34-60-102(1)) • New rules promulgated under HB07-1341 are now part of COGCC rules, requiring interagency coordination (2 CCR 805) • Nuisance • Condensate tanks, dehydrators….within ¼ mile of occupied structure • Produced water pits and tanks • Pneumatic valves • Green completions

  12. Example: Oil and Gas Activities Drive Different Policy Initiatives • Cumulative impact analyses • For effective air quality planning, COGCC rules acknowledge the need to fill significant air quality data gaps from oil and gas activities • Air quality monitoring for different pollutants • Air quality loading and airshed impacts, typically evaluated via modeling • COGCC and APCD to define air quality information needs, methods and costs • Colorado is exploring various local and regional approaches to address cumulative impacts

  13. Robust Databases and Analytical Tools Must be Available to Address Multiple Air Quality Needs • Modeling and other analyses at regional scale and by States and Tribes for more local air quality planning depend on the inventories and tools developed by the WRAP • Understanding transport and multi-pollutant interactions • Undertaking localized initiatives, such as Denver 2020 future case modeling and sensitivities for ozone planning • Developing a modeling capability focused on the concentrated energy development areas in west and northwest Colorado, and eastern Utah and SW Wyoming • Credible emissions/met data, updated on a regular basis, to support ozone, PM, visibility, N modeling/analyses need to be readily available • WRAP’s TSS and similar systems need to be maintained and improved

  14. What is NOx? • NOx is the acronym for “Nitrogen Oxides” • NOx is technically NO + NO2 + NO3 + …. • NO = Nitric oxide • NO2 = Nitrogen dioxide • For monitoring, NOx is assumed to be essentially NO + NO2 • NO2 is the pollutant with an associated NAAQS • NOx analyzers: • 1. Measure NO in a sample of air • 2. Convert NO2 in a sample of air to NO • 3. Measure NO again in the converted sample of air • 4. Calculate NO2 as the difference

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