Highlights of this Inaugural Issue:

SO2 Annex Update

WRAP Board Meeting November 14-15, 2001

Fire Forum's Natural Background Policy Update

Regional Modeling Center: Highlight of the Month

Research & Development Forum

Tribal News and Meetings

IOC/TOC Planning Team Meetings Held

Acknowledgements

Comments Welcomed

Subscription Information

SO2 Annex Update
To follow up on the WRAP's October 2000 submittal, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is now moving forward with a proposed regulation to incorporate the WRAP's voluntary sulfur dioxide emission reduction program (aka The Annex) into Section 309 of the federal Regional Haze Rule. EPA's regulation, which is expected to adhere to the WRAP's recommendations, should be formally proposed in the Federal Register in January 2002.

The Annex includes regional sulfur dioxide (SO2) milestones for major industrial sources that will be met through voluntary measures, retirement of older sources over time, and the implementation of other Clean Air Act requirements. The program also includes a "backstop cap and trade" program that will be implemented if the milestones are exceeded. The emission reductions achieved by the program will reduce regional haze and improve visibility in national parks and wilderness areas across the West.

For more information, or a copy of the SO2 Annex please visit the Annex Page.

Top

Potential agenda items include: review work plan and budget for Fiscal Year 01 EPA grant; presentations on forum and committee progress; review and approve Fire Forum's recommended policy for categorizing fire; discussion of SIP/TIP template project and the Section 309 decision process for states and tribes; Mobile Sources Forum recommendation on determining mobile source "significance" for purposes of Section 309; status report of Annex; and administrative issues and other reports.

This meeting of the WRAP will be held at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, 255 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. For reservations, contact the Hotel at (801) 328-2000 and mention our room block is set up under "WRAP" until October 29th. The room rate is $75.00 per night. Meetings will be held in the Alpine Ballroom located on the 2nd floor of the Hilton.

For transportation to and from the  Salt Lake City International Airport, the Hilton recommends using Express Shuttle, which can be found stopping outside baggage doors number 3 and 8. Express Shuttle vans are blue and yellow; the cost is $6.00 each way and takes approx. 15-20 minutes to get to the hotel.

For more information, see the meeting announcement or contact Patrick Cummins.

Additionally, the WRAP Communications Committee will meet on November 13 from
1:00-5:00 p.m. (Session 1) and on November 14 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. (Session 2) prior to the Board meeting. For more information, contact Communications Committee Co-Chairs Barry Aarons, Jan Miller or Al Zemsky.

Top

Fire Forum's Natural Background Policy Recommendations Update
The WRAP's Fire Emissions Joint Forum (FEJF) has finalized its "Recommended Policy for Categorizing Fire Emissions" and will forward the policy for consideration by the WRAP Board of Directors at its November 14-15 meeting in Salt Lake City. This policy is needed in order for western states and tribes to determine which fire emissions will be considered "natural" for the purposes of regional haze planning in the West.

The Fire Forum's Natural Background Task Team developed the proposed policy through an intensive stakeholder-based process that included two major workshops for senior staff and policy makers from interested public and private sector groups. Ultimately, the Recommended Policy will be used by the WRAP's Ambient Air Monitoring and Reporting Forum as part of the determination of natural conditions for each of the Class I areas in the West. This information is a critical element needed by states and tribes to meet the requirements of EPA's Regional Haze Rule.

For more information, please see visit the Fire Emissions Joint Forum or join the WRAP Board of Directors meeting in Salt Lake City, November 14 and 15, 2001.

Top

This Month's Highlighted Effort: Regional Modeling Center
One of the WRAP's primary purposes is to provide the technical and policy tools needed by states and tribes to comply with EPA's Regional Haze Rule. As part of this effort, the WRAP has established a Regional Modeling Center (RMC) at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). The RMC is using regional scale, air quality models to simulate emissions, chemical transformations, and transport of pollutants across the West and the consequent effects on visibility in Class I areas.

For in-depth information, please visit the WRAP Regional Modeling Center website.

The most recent meeting of the WRAP's Emissions Forum was held September 27-28, 2001 at the Regional Modeling Center. Key topics discussed included: emission inventory improvements, development of an emissions inventory data base (format, host or residence location, GIS components), definition of Clean Air Corridors, and the 2000 inventory of SO2 emissions needed for the Annex.

For an update and minutes of this meeting, visit the Emissions Forum.

Top

Research & Development Forum: Dust Update
The WRAP's Research and Development Forum provides the WRAP with recommendations on analytical techniques and scientific methods to improve the science that forms the foundation for sound air quality planning. The Forum has finalized a report on Fugitive Dust, including eleven findings and recommendations for future work to improve fugitive dust emissions estimates for air quality modeling.

Please visit the WRAP Research and Development Forum for more information.

Top

Tribal News and Meetings Update
The Tribal Data Development Work Group consists of 16 active members representing Native American communities across the West with diverse air emissions issues and cultural customs. The Work Group has completed an extensive survey of tribal air quality programs and the availability of tribal emissions data.

Recently, the Work Group met to consider its work plan for 2002, including a renewed look at its mission and goals, the work plan will be available soon on the Tribal Data Development Work Group forum page.

Top

IOC/TOC Planning Team Meetings Held
On September 5-7, the WRAP's Initiatives Oversight Committee and Technical Oversight Committee held planning meetings in Seattle to coordinate development of the next update to the WRAP's Work Plan. The updated work plan will be considered by the WRAP Board of Directors at its upcoming November 14-15, 2001 meeting in Salt Lake City.

The proposed work plan will be available on the WRAP website on November 1.

Top

Acknowledgements
Thank you to the WRAP Communications Committee and the Newsletter Sub-Committee members, Carl Bowman (Chairman), Al Zemsky, Judy Rocchio, Lisa Reiner, and Karen Deike.

Our thanks also go to Patrick Cummins of the Western Governors' Association for his editorial and content contributions to this newsletter.

A big thanks to WRAP Co-Project Manager Bill Grantham of the National Tribal Environmental Council for naming our newsletter the WRAP SHEET! Thanks, Bill, we owe you dinner in Salt Lake City.

Top

Comments Welcomed
Comments? Do you have suggested topics for future newsletter issues? Please feel free to make any suggestions or comments on our newsletter for inclusion in upcoming issues. The WRAP Communications Committee seeks to provide you with current information and links to the activities of the WRAP and interesting topics for public discussion. If you would like to submit an article or suggestions, please write to: wrapnews@wrapair.org.

Top

Subscription Information
Want to subscribe? If you would like a copy of the newsletter sent to you directly via e-mail, please sign-up by sending an e-mail message to wrapnews@wrapair.org directly and include the term "subscribe wrapnews" in the subject line.

If you no longer wish to hear from us directly and would like to be removed from our mailing list, e-mail wrapnews@wrapair.org with "remove" as the subject.

Top