Transcript Slide 1
Clearing the Skies: Airshed Management in Prince George Mellissa Winfield-Lesk, M.Sc., B.ES Environmental Quality Section Head, BC Ministry of Environment President, Prince George Air Improvement Roundtable (PG AIR) June 15, 2009 ~ Coast Inn of the North http://www.bcairquality.ca/plans/airshed-planning-bc.html Ambient Data Trends & Criteria Milestones Progress Reports 5 year review Goals Targets Indicators Strategy 1: Evaluate the need for a plan 6: Implement, monitor and report 2: Identify & engage stakeholders Committee Structure Funding Integrated planning 3: Investigate planning synergies 5: Develop the plan 4: Determine Priority Sources Science-based decision making Step 2: Identify Stakeholders – PG AIR MOE (Permitting & Air Quality) Northern Health Authority City of Prince George MOTI RDFFG UNBC Industry: Chamber of Commerce • • • • • • Pulpmill Railway Oil and Gas Wood Products Asphalt/Cement/Gravel Bioenergy District Medical Society Environmental organization (PACHA) Fraser Basin Council First Nations Public Members Step 4: Identify Priorities - - Pollutants - Odour (Total reduced sulphurs) - Fine particulate matter (PM10 / PM2.5) - Sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide Planning - - Reviews/Referrals between regulatory authorities Gaps - Key emission sources? - What about sources with no regulatory authority? Emission Sources Phase I 1997 - 2005 Step 5: Developing the Airshed Plan - Odour reduction – sulphur stripping from settling ponds - Hard surfacing of roads in BCR site - Elimination of beehive burners - ESP on Pulp Mill Stack - Research: o Emission Inventory o Dispersion Model o Chemical Speciation Phase II 2006 - 2009 Anti-Idling Woodstove Exchange Clean Air Bylaw Review Phase II 2006 - 2009 Air Quality Warning Light Progress Report - 24% reduction in PM10 since 1995 - 17% reduction in PM2.5 since 1997 - 73% reduction in TRS since 1980 - Industrial air permit amendments & inspections - Policy development: BAT, Offsets - 344 vehicles tested; tailpipe failure rate for pre-1998 vehicles double than that in LFV – Air Care Program? - 111 woodstoves exchanged = ~ 7 tonnes PM reduction - Phase II recommendations: • 71% implemented and on-going • 17% completed • 12% not implemented PG AIR Emission Reduction Target “PGAIR to work with all particulate matter emission sources to voluntarily reduce fine particulate emissions (PM10 & PM2.5) that are shown (by modeling and other studies) to have a significant impact on ambient air quality. Two- and five-year voluntary emission reduction targets will be set for significant sources. Priority to be given to those significant emission sources that do not use Best Achievable Control Technology. Targets should achieve the proposed provincial PM2.5 objectives by December 31, 2013, as follows: - 24 hr average not to exceed 25 µg/m3; and - continuous improvement target of 6 µg/m3 (annual average). If ambient targets are not met by December 31, 2013, PGAIR will recommend other strategies to reduce significant emission sources. By December 31, 2016, the following should be achieved: an aspirational target of a 40% reduction on all significant emission sources; and an annual average PM2.5 ambient target of 5 µg/m3.” Phase III 2010 – 2016? Prioritizing significant emission sources for reduction - Single or multi-pollutant reduction strategy? - Phase III Framework: what criteria should be considered when making decisions to prioritize sources for reduction? o Human Health Risks? o Best Achievable Technology? o $$$$ to reduce emissions? o Environmental Performance? o Nuisance Risks?