Western Regional Air Partnership News
Issue # 10 March/April 2003
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In this Issue:
WRAP Board Accepts Renewable Energy, Energy
Efficiency Policy Proposals
The WRAP Board, meeting in Portland, Oregon on April 2-3, accepted
policy proposals on renewable energy and energy efficiency and
reviewed recommendations for how mobile sources should be handled
by states submitting implementation plans under Section 309 of
the Regional Haze Rule.
The board also welcomed a new partner, the Native Village of Shungnak,
Alaska, and its representative, Francis Chin, as well as new co-chair,
Gov. Fred S. Vallo, Sr., of the Pueblo of Acoma. The complete
agenda for the meeting is available at: http://www.wrapair.org/WRAP/meetings/030402board/index.html.
According to the policy statement on renewable energy and energy
efficiency, to achieve the best results, measures addressing both
renewables and efficiency should be implemented. The WRAP’s
Air Pollution Prevention Forum compiled more than 40 policy and
program recommendations from which states and tribes can select. The
forum provided economic analyses of the policies and programs and
also provided separate recommendations for tribes. For details,
go to: http://www.wrapair.org/WRAP/meetings/030402board/Tab7-Renewable-Energy/Policy_on_Renewable_Energy.doc.
The Board also reviewed the 2003-2008 WRAP Strategic Plan (see
article below) and received updates on templates for state and
tribal regional haze implementation plans. The Market Trading
Forum co-chairs reported on a model rule for implementation of
the WRAP’s backstop emissions trading program for sulfur
dioxide, which can be found at: http://www.wrapair.org/WRAP/meetings/030402board/Update-on-Annex/ModelRule-March24Draft.doc.
For model state implementation plan language to implement the Annex,
refer to: http://www.wrapair.org/WRAP/meetings/030402board/Update-on-Annex/Model_SIP-TIP-March24Draft.pdf.
Strategic Plan Focuses on Next Steps for Section
308 Regional Haze Plans
WRAP members, stakeholders and staff who attended the April
board meeting and a March workshop held in Santa Fe New, Mexico,
reviewed a proposed two-phase strategic plan on how the WRAP can
help states and tribes prepare plans for addressing Regional Haze
Rule requirements. The strategic plan recognizes that states
planning to file under Section 309 of the Regional Haze Rule already
are well on their way to the December 2003 deadline. The
WRAP’s 2003-2008 Strategic Plan now focuses on helping states
and tribes prepare implementation plans for filing under Section
308 of the Regional Haze Rule or under the Tribal Authority Rule.
The WRAP Strategic Plan is geared toward an expected December 2007
deadline for states submitting implementation plans under Section
308, but recognizes that an earlier deadline is possible. Tribes
do not have specific deadlines, but their plans parallel much of
the work being done by the states. The Strategic Plan includes
determining the rate of progress needed for reaching natural conditions
in National Parks and other Class I areas, as well as a 2004 target
for states and tribes to submit emissions inventories. The
Strategic Plan underscores the importance of a regional approach. For
details, go to:
http://www.wrapair.org/WRAP/meetings/030402board/Tab6-Strategic-Plan/Strategic_Plan.doc.
Tribal Conference, Workshop to Include Visibility
Issues
The National Tribal Environmental Council’s annual conference
April 29 - May 1 at the Gila River Indian Community near Phoenix
will include sessions on air quality issues and an information
table related to the WRAP. NTEC hopes interest
tribal representatives in a September NTEC-sponsored workshop on
aspects of the WRAP that are of particular relevance to tribes. An
agenda is available at: http://www.ntec.org/2003agenda.html.
NTEC plans to distribute a questionnaire at the spring conference
to determine concerns and areas of interest that tribal representatives
would like to see addressed at the September workshop. All
tribes in the WRAP region are invited to attend the two-day September
workshop, which will be held in Albuquerque. More information
will be available in a later issue of The WRAP Sheet or
from Bob Gruenig, Tribal Caucus Coordinator, at bgruenig@ntec.org.
Workshop Set for May to Solicit Input on Handling
Emissions Data
Local, state and tribal air pollution control officials that
have experienced frustration with data management systems or have
insights on the applications of such systems -- are invited to
attend a May 7 workshop in Denver to help the WRAP develop an emissions
data management system that fits their needs. The overall
goal is to develop a system that will be capable of handling emissions
data in a manner compliant with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
requirements and that can produce reports in various user-friendly
formats for use by states, tribes, local governments and stakeholders.
The May workshop will build on a similar workshop held in March
in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Any primary contributor or user
is invited to the May workshop, regardless of whether the person
attended the Santa Fe meeting. For more information, contact Tom
Moore, the WRAP Technical Coordinator at mooret@cira.colostate.edu or Ouattara
C. Fatogoma of EA Engineering, Science and Technology at ofatogom@eaest.com.
New WRAP Web Site Offers Easier Uploading Options
Notice something new in the WRAP Web site neighborhood? Migration
from the old Web site to the new look is expected to be complete
by this summer. Among the user-friendly attributes of the new Web
site are:
- a cleaner look designed to minimize scrolling,
- easier access to calendar information,
- easier uploading of information, which will continue to be
reviewed by the webmaster, but can be initially uploaded by committee
chairs with minimal effort.
The new Web site also includes separate “Tribal Resources”, “What’s
New” and “309 Resources” sites for quick updates
on these specific areas of interest. If someone has questions about
accessing the site, please contact the webmaster at webmaster@wrapair.org.
Comments Sought Regarding Industrial Visibility
Impairment
A WESTAR work group has developed general principles and technical
criteria for WRAP states and tribes to use in determining whether
specific industrial facilities are causing visibility impairment,
also known as “reasonably attributable visibility impairment” or
RAVI.
These principles and criteria would be used if a federal land manager
certifies that visibility impairment in a park or wilderness area
under their jurisdiction can be attributed to a single industrial
source or small group of industrial sources that were in existence
between 1962 and 1977 before the time when the Clean Air Act
required installation of modern pollution control devices on new
industrial sources.
The report recommends a tool box of data collection, monitoring,
and modeling techniques that could be used to determine attribution depending
on the circumstances of the certification. The certification
initiates a series of steps that must be addressed under state or
tribal visibility programs. If a state or a tribe associates the
visibility impairment to a specific source, the source is subject
to installation of best-available retrofit technology (BART).
The WRAP Market Trading Forum is developing additional guidelines
to address how the RAVI process would work within the context of
a trading program to address regional haze. The Forum’s
work is ongoing and is not included in these WESTAR attribution guidelines.
Comments on the attribution guidelines will be accepted until May
7 and may be submitted to Bob Lebens at WESTAR, blebens@westar.org. The attribution
guidelines are available at: http://www.wrapair.org/forums/mtf/documents/ravi_bart/Draft_RA_BART_Report_04-03.pdf.
EPA Proposes Reductions in Nonroad Diesel Emissions
In mid-April the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced
that public comment would be accepted until August 20 on a new proposal
to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate
matter from nonroad diesel engines by more than 90 percent. The
WRAP Board wrote EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman on January
28 to urge adoption of tougher standards for nonroad diesel engines. An
EPA press release said nonroad diesel emissions account for about
44 percent of diesel particulate matter emissions nationwide and
about 12 percent of NOx emissions from mobile sources nationwide.
EPA’s proposal includes a combination of increased controls
on diesel engines used for construction, agriculture and industrial
equipment, along with reduced levels of sulfur in nonroad diesel
fuel. The new nonroad requirements would begin to take effect
in 2008 and be completely phased in by 2014.
The only Western public hearing is set for Los Angeles on June 17.
Written comments may be sent by e-mail to nrt4@epa.gov. More information is available at:
www.epa.gov/nonroad.
Draft Economic Analysis Framework Available
for Review
The WRAP's Economic Analysis Forum, with assistance from BBC
Research & Consulting, has completed a draft economic analysis
framework for public review. The framework prescribes a method
for assessing costs, benefits, and distributional issues associated
with regional air quality control strategies. Comments are
due to Lee Alter at lalter@westgov.org by
May 30, 2003.
The framework was designed after consulting WRAP members and
stakeholders about their economic analysis needs and after conducting
an extensive literature review. The framework's primary purpose
is to provide guidance for conducting specific economic analyses
to help the WRAP choose among and refine alternative potential control
strategies. An additional benefit is to provide consistency
among economic analyses conducted within the WRAP and among its stakeholders.
Information Gathering Under Way for Emissions
In and Near Class I Areas
State officials and federal land managers in the WRAP region
have been contacted recently by Environ, a contractor hired by the
WRAP forum responsible for developing recommendations on conditions
in and near Class I areas (national parks and wilderness areas).
Environ has mapped point sources that may contribute to haze in Class
I areas and is using GIS technology to identify point sources, characterize
mobile source emissions, and estimate area source emissions near
Class I areas. The contractor also is interviewing state officials
and federal land managers to further determine the origins of emissions
affecting visibility in these areas.
Final reports from Environ are due in mid-July 2004. Environ’s
work plan and a map of Class I areas and related 50-kilometer areas
of concern are available at: http://www.wrapair.org/forums/class1/documents/Workplan.pdf.
New Recruits Sought for Communications,
Other Committees
The WRAP’s ongoing work continuously requires new insights
and new energy from state and tribal participants and stakeholders.
While some WRAP committees and forums are concluding major work products
associated with Section 309, new efforts are beginning. This
means the need continues for new members who have fresh ideas.
All forums are especially interested in obtaining members from industry
and environmental groups. Anyone interested in participating
on a WRAP forum (see the organizational chart at http://www.wrapair.org/about/orgchart.htm)
is asked to send an e-mail to a committee chair (names are found
on specific committee or forum pages) and request an application. Interested
individuals may also go to the “Getting Involved” link
on the Web site at: http://www.wrapair.org/get_involved.htm.
The WRAP reviews applications and determines whether to extend an
invitation to become a participant. Committees that currently are
seeking members include the Communications Committee and the Areas
Within/Near Class One Areas Forum. Tribal members are especially
encouraged to participate on the full range of forums.
Comments? Questions?
Comments and questions on The WRAP Sheet are welcomed.
Please contact: wrapnews@wrapair.org to request further
information. If you have story ideas or other comments, also
contact wrapnews@wrapair.org. Thank you.
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For More Information about The WRAP:
The WRAP, a voluntary organization of Western states, tribes
and federal agencies, promotes, supports and monitors programs implementing
the Regional Haze Rule, including recommendations from the Grand
Canyon Visibility Transport Commission and other programs that protect
visibility throughout the West. For other information about
the WRAP or past issues of The WRAP Sheet, visit http://www.wrapair.org.
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