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2016-10-27 WAQS Monitoring Network Assessment Working Group

Date: October 27, 2016
Time: 10-11:30AM MDT
Call in: 1-800-768-2983 and access code 4918837

Contents [hide]

Links

Agenda

Objectives

Tasks

Monitoring Sites

  • Status of current network
  • Possible WAQS expansion

Data Analysis

  • Spatial analysis
  • NAAQS Design Values
  • Emissions & AQ modeling

Cost Analysis

Recommendations

Timeline

Background Info

Minutes

Attendees

Greg Harshfield (CO CDPHE), Cara Kesler (WY DEQ), Rebecca Mattichuck (EPA), Chad Meister (BLM CO), Bo Call (UT DEQ), Tom Moore (WESTAR), Barkley Sive (NPS), Melanie Pitrolo (FS), Doug Kuenzil (MT DEQ), Chuck Hyatt (ND DH), Rita Bates (NM ED), Mike Barna (NPS), Debbie Miller (FS), Gordon Pierce (CO CDPHE), Shawn McClure (CIRA), Dustin Schmidt (CIRA), Rodger Ames (CIRA)

Rodger Ames initiated the call with a roll call and overview of the IWDW-WAQS Monitoring Network Assessment (see PDF above). He then lead the group through a presentation (see PPT above) that outlined objectives for this round of the network assessment, and presented a strawman for IWDW-WAQS working group tasks. Feedback from participants in the call included:

  • WAQS expansion to include Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota: no objections were raised.

  • Cost Analysis: Tom Moore commented that the objective of this part of the assessment is to inventory funding sources and document how funding is leveraged among cooperating agencies.

  • Considerations for potential site shut-down: Rita Bates commented that the current climate from EPA is to shut down monitors; this could make it difficult to find funding for additional sites. Mike Barna commented that the group should consider options for relocating monitoring sites as an alternative to shutting down.

  • A focus of the IWDW-WAQS assessment will be on rural AQ; efforts will be made to review states' 5-year monitoring network assessments and summarize their recommendations, particularly WRT monitoring site removal and potential site additions. Assessments from standard networks (e.g. CASTNet) will also be reviewed.

  • Analysis incorporating AQ modeling: Tom Moore suggested looking at SNMOS modeling to evaluate impacts of fires and other exceptional events

  • State O3 designations: Tom also suggested the group review states' recent submissions to EPA on ozone designation recommendations for 2015 NAAQS.

Action Items

Tasks

  1. Monitoring Site Status
    1. AQS data pull (see Monitoring Site spreadsheet, above)
    2. Cross reference with states, current monitoring network status (e.g. 5-year assessments)
    3. Compile monitoring site status and send to work group for review (Rodger Ames)
    4. Solicit feedback on monitoring sites with funding issues; potential for shut down or relocation
  2. Data Analysis
    1. Repeat analyses from previous 3SAQS assessment
    2. Compare current monitoring network spatial coveratecoverage to recent WAQS AQ modeling results
    3. Convene sub group to consider analyses for current IWDW-WAQS monitoirngmonitoring network assessment.
  3. Cost analysis
    1. Scheduled for December, followingdepends on outcomes of items 1 & 2, aboveabove.