Proposed New Provincial Air Quality Criteria for PM

Proposed New Provincial Air Quality Criteria for PM 2. 5 Prepared for Meeting of BC Lung Clean Air Network February 12, 2008

• • Clarify purpose and application Summarize ministry’s intentions Discuss implications Address questions Paul Saso Ian Routley Jared Hobbs Purpose 2

Paul Saso Ian Routley Jared Hobbs What are Air Quality Criteria? • Limits on the presence of contaminants in the atmosphere (not at the source) • Established to protect human health and the environment • Various terms used, but Air Quality Objectives (AQO’s) are primary management tools in B. C. 3

How are They Used? Jared Hobbs • Gauge current/historical air quality • Guide decisions around assessments and approvals Ian Routley • Calculate the Air Quality Index (AQI) • Guide decisions around advisories Paul Saso • Guide airshed planning efforts • Guide regulatory development 4

Jared Hobbs Need for Provincial AQO’s • Presently no PM 2. 5 objective to guide day-to-day air management in B. C. Ian Routley • Ongoing reliance on: − PM 10 objective Paul Saso − Canada-wide Standards for PM 2. 5 • Provincial AQO’s needed to support approvals, advisories and airshed planning 5

• Review of science and regulatory approaches elsewhere • Early consultations • Ministry intentions paper • Consultation • Implementation Paul Saso Ian Routley Jared Hobbs Process to Establish AQO’s 6

Proposed Framework Jared Hobbs • 24 -hour average objective − To address day-to-day management issues (e. g. burn bans) and guide approvals Ian Routley • Annual average objective − To support overall reduction in exposure − To facilitate reporting and guide approvals Paul Saso • Planning goal − Voluntary long-term goal to support continuous improvement and airshed planning 7

Proposed Criteria Jared Hobbs • Annual AQO 8 ug/m 3 • Planning Goal Ian Routley 25 ug/m 3 6 ug/m 3 Paul Saso • 24 -hour AQO 8

Ian Routley Jared Hobbs Implications of Proposed Air Quality Objectives • Most areas well below proposed AQO’s • Between 2004 -2006, areas exceeding proposed objectives included: - Vanderhoof - Williams Lake − 100 Mile House Paul Saso − Prince George − Quesnel - Valemount − Revelstoke - Kamloops (wildfires) 9

Paul Saso Ian Routley Jared Hobbs Implications of Proposed Air Quality Objectives [2] • Frequency of advisories may increase in woodsmoke impacted areas • May trigger more frequent bans on burning • Additional factors to consider in decisions on assessments and approvals 10

• Approx. 50% of sites equal or exceed planning goal • Encourage communities to maintain good air quality and improve where possible Paul Saso Ian Routley Jared Hobbs Implications of Proposed Planning Goal 13

Initiatives to Reduce PM 2. 5 Emissions Paul Saso Ian Routley Jared Hobbs • Provincial air initiative: − Cleaner buses and diesel vehicles − Beehive burner phase-out − Cleaner woodstoves − Cleaner industry • Review of Open Burning Smoke Control Regulation • Airshed planning 14

Monitoring Challenges Paul Saso Ian Routley Jared Hobbs • TEOMs known to under-measure • Will be upgraded or changed out over time & reference samplers added • May result in higher measurements at some sites • Other provinces have same challenge • Province will use best available data 15

Paul Saso Ian Routley Jared Hobbs Summary • 24 -hour and annual AQO’s proposed to support day-to-day air management • Planning goal proposed to support continuous improvement and airshed planning • Supported by provincial air initiative and community efforts in airshed planning 16

Paul Saso Ian Routley Jared Hobbs Comments? • Intentions paper and response form available online at: http: //www. env. gov. bc. ca/airqual ity/ • Please send comments to cindybertram@shaw. ca by Feb. 29, 2008 17