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David Bloomberg Manager Air Quality Planning Section Illinois EPA

Air Quality Applied Sciences Team 9 th Semi-Annual Meeting. Current Air Issues in Illinois. David Bloomberg Manager Air Quality Planning Section Illinois EPA. June 2, 2015. Topics. Ozone NAAQS Update PM2.5 (Fine Particulate Matter) NAAQS Update & Designation Impact

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David Bloomberg Manager Air Quality Planning Section Illinois EPA

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  1. Air Quality Applied Sciences Team 9th Semi-Annual Meeting Current Air Issues in Illinois David Bloomberg Manager Air Quality Planning Section Illinois EPA June 2, 2015

  2. Topics • Ozone NAAQS Update • PM2.5 (Fine Particulate Matter) NAAQS Update & Designation Impact • SO2 NAAQS Update & What’s Next • Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) & Other Transport Efforts (NAAQS = National Ambient Air Quality Standard)

  3. Ozone NAAQS Update 3 • Two Nonattainment Areas for 2008 Ozone NAAQS • Chicago and Metro-East St. Louis (Madison, Monroe, St. Clair) • Both Marginal nonattainment • However, neither area met attainment deadline using 2012-2014 monitor data • Missouri and Illinois have applied for a one-year extension for the St. Louis area • Chicago area cannot (due to one monitor having a 76 ppb value) and will face a bump-up • If 2015 data brings the Chicago area into attainment, may be able to request redesignation at almost the same time as a bump-up • Precursor Inventory sent to USEPA • This fulfills Illinois’ requirements at this time – no additional rules necessary as of now

  4. New Ozone Nonattainment Areas? • Current NAAQS is 75 ppb. • USEPA proposed a range of possible new standards. • USEPA will finalize by October 1. • What will the new level be? 70? 65? 60?

  5. Note that this shows only the counties with the monitored values, not the full areas as they would be designated.

  6. In addition to the noted areas, ozone values in surrounding states may cause additional areas of Illinois to be non-attainment even if Illinois monitors don’t exceed the new NAAQS level

  7. In addition to the noted areas, ozone values in surrounding states may cause additional areas of Illinois to be non-attainment even if Illinois monitors don’t exceed the new NAAQS level

  8. In addition to the noted areas, ozone values in surrounding states may cause additional areas of Illinois to be non-attainment even if Illinois monitors don’t exceed the new NAAQS level

  9. PM2.5 NAAQS • New 2012 PM2.5 standard • 12 μg/m3 BUT… The entire State of Illinois was categorized by USEPA as “Unclassifiable” due to data quality issues at the Cook County lab where all Illinois samples are analyzed In addition to all of Illinois, two areas linked to Illinois – including St. Louis (and Indiana counties near Chicago) – are designated “Unclassifiable”

  10. The Current PM2.5 Situation • Chicago area redesignated attainment for 1997 standard in October 2013 • “Unclassifiable” does not add any requirements that would be attached to a “Nonattainment” designation • Metro-East St. Louis area has a Clean Data Finding but Illinois EPA has not yet sought redesignation to attainment due to modeling issues • As such, this area is still considered “Nonattainment” and will continue to be subject to requirements appropriate to nonattainment areas

  11. Moving Forward • Illinois EPA, USEPA, and Cook County worked together to fix the Cook County lab problems and guard against them recurring in the future. • Recent USEPA, Illinois EPA, and contractor audits of the Cook County lab had no significant findings. • USEPA has determined that Illinois PM2.5 data is valid as of mid-July, 2014.

  12. SO2 NAAQSNonattainment Areas • Two Illinois Nonattainment Areas for 2008 SO2 NAAQS • Peoria/Pekin area & Lemont area • Modeling • Extensive modeling has been done to identify all “culpable” sources of nonattainment within the NAAs • Discussions with sources • Proposed statewide rule for sulfur content in fuel oil • Proposed rules covering specific sources impacting the nonattainment areas • Hearings set July 8 (Springfield), 29 (Joliet), and August 4 (Pekin)

  13. What’s Next for SO2? • All other areas in the State are “undesignated” • Three possible rounds of designations coming • Modeling and/or monitoring will have to occur to determine which new areas become nonattainment • Modeling will be the default • At this point, we are aware of one area where monitoring might occur • Monitors need to be funded by sources.

  14. SO2 NAAQS – Undesignated Areas &Data Requirements Rule • Expected implementation timeline for States: • September 2015: Deadline for states to make recommendations for “Down Payment Round” (or “Consent Decree”) areas. • 2015: Decide on modeling vs. monitoring for each remaining area. • January 2016: Provide modeling protocols and identify areas/sources that will monitor. • July 2016: “Down Payment Round” designations finalized by USEPA. • January 2017: Have new monitoring sites operational and submit modeling analyses & NAA boundary recommendations. • December 2017: USEPA designates new areas based on modeling. • 2020: Submit NAA boundary recommendations for monitored areas. • December 2020: USEPA designates new areas based on monitors. Attainment dates no later than five years after designations.

  15. Cross State Air Pollution Rule • Addresses Ozone & PM2.5 Transport (upwind states to downwind state problems) • Supreme Court overturned Appeals Court ruling that had vacated CSAPR. Most of CSAPR in effect as of January 1, 2015. • USEPA is aware of unmeetable implementation deadlines and other now-outdated information used for CSAPR since the original date of promulgation. • Various states and organizations have been investigating and modeling different scenarios to determine what is most impacting nonattainment in each area. • Rule targets coal-fired power plants but affects everyone because sufficient emission reductions are needed to reach attainment – if not from these sources, then EPA needs to look elsewhere, possibly meaning rules impacting other sources of NOx and SO2.

  16. Other Transport Efforts • In preparation for CSAPR returning and other transport efforts, various states and organizations have been investigating and modeling different scenarios • LADCO helping to lead efforts for better power plant growth & control forecasting with ERTAC • LADCO also analyzing source apportionment by category to determine what is most impacting nonattainment in Northeast, Wisconsin, etc. • Various states investigating EGUs that are not fully operating controls at certain times. USEPA also raised this issue. This is not an issue for Illinois sources.

  17. Thank You • Any Questions? David Bloomberg Manager, Air Quality Planning Section Bureau of Air, Illinois EPA (217) 524-4949 e-mail: david.bloomberg@illinois.gov

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