Download - Managing Indiana’s Air Resources
Presentation to Indiana Sustainable Natural Resources Task Force
Richard M. Van Frank
January 25, 2012
Managing Indiana’s Air Resources
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About Improving Kids’ Environment
IKE is a non-profit advocacy organization that works to
reduce and remove environmental threats to children’s
health so they can succeed
Our mission is to:
identify environmental threats to children
ensure parents and others have access to accurate information about threats & how to prevent them
work with others to remove, reduce and communicate recognized, serious threats
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Air Pollution Sources in Indiana
Electric generating plants
Coal-fired
Gas & other fuels
Industrial facilities
Coal- & gas-fired boilers
Manufacturing processes
Steel mills
Coke plants
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Air Pollution Sources in Indiana
Industrial facilities cont.
Refineries
Chemical and pharmaceutical plants
Mobile sources
Cars, trucks, buses, locomotives
Other, fireplaces, wood boilers, trash burning,
lawnmowers, etc. etc.
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Pollution Emitted As…
Vapor or gas
Particulates
Some vapors form particulates after leaving
the stack
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Significant Public Health Risks
Particulates : aggravated asthma, reduced lung growth, allergies, Cardiac
arrest.
Ozone: inflammation of linking of lungs, reduced lung function, cough,
wheezing, chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty exercising
Sulfur Dioxide: wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath
Nitrogen Dioxide: Increased respiratory illnesses, more severe asthma, plus
irritation of eyes, nose and throat
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Pollutants
Criteria pollutants
Particulate matter, ground-level ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur
oxides, carbon monoxide, and lead
hazardous air pollutants are linked to respiratory,
cardiovascular disease and cancer
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Traffic-related Pollution Health Effects
Traffic creates a mix of hazardous air pollutants, such as
benzene, and criteria air pollutants: fine particulate
matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and volatile
organic compounds (VOCs)
Living near busy roads is a
risk factor for the onset of
childhood asthma
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Pregnant Women & Unborn Children
A child’s brain & nervous system is vulnerable because of long
developmental process: just after conception through adolescence
Prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke may increase risk of asthma in the
child, or lead to reduced lung function
Mercury exposure found to cause lower intelligence in children and
problems with language, attention and memory
Exposure to lead is associated with impaired memory, lower IQ and
difficulty following directions, planning, and processing speech
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Damages to Other Natural Resources
Crops and Trees
Soybeans
Evergreens
The use of additional resources brings a global economic
loss of 10-12 percent of the total value of crop production
The U.S. soybean crop suffers nearly $2 billion in
damage a year due to rising surface ozone
concentrations
Source: USDA.gov
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Effects of Ozone on Crop Yields
Source: USDA.gov
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The Clean Air Act Control effort was originally driven by increasing signs
of environmental damage in the northeastern US.
Acidified lakes
Leaching minerals, some toxic from soil and rock
Health effects from air pollution began to be recognized
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Clean Air Act-Indiana Experience
State had no SO2 SIP.
Complete denial of problem
Claimed economic effect
2x or more increase in utility rates
Coal mines close
Industry leave state
Acid rain did not exist!
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Clean Air Act Protection of Public Health and the Environment
Sets standards for air pollution
EPA sets regulations based on advice from the Science Advisory
Committee. There is no “bright line”
The standard is based on the best scientific judgment of the committee
The standard continues to be lowered as more is learned about health risks
Effects of non-attainment
Economic consequences
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Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
Source: U.S. EPA
Fine Particulate
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Fine Particulate & Our Lungs
Fine Particulate
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Current & Proposed Standards for Fine Particulate
Current:
Annual standard: 15.0 ug/m3
24-Hour standard: 35 ug/m3
New Recommended Standard:
Annual: 24 to 14 ug/m3
24-Hour: 25 to 35 ug/m3
Indiana could have trouble meeting new standard
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PM 2.5 24 HR HIGHS FOR INDIANAPOLIS
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year
ug
/m3
Site 2 Southw est Street
Site 11 English Ave.
Site 41 Washington Park
Site 43 W. 18th St.
Site 44 E. Michigan
Fine Particulate 24-Hour Highs for Indianapolis
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Fine Particle Health Effects
Fine Particles Linked to Daily Mortality
Positive associations were observed with all-cause mortality,
as well as mortality from respiratory disease, cardiovascular
disease, and diabetes, and deaths in persons over age 65
Ischemic Strokes increase as PM levels increase
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Fine Particle Health Effects
Low Levels of PM Trigger Hospital Admissions for Congestive
Heart Failure
Children’s Hospital Admissions Spike with Increases in
Outdoor Air Pollution
Children living near interstate highways have lower lung
function than those living farther away.
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U.S. satellite-derived map of PM2.5 averaged over 2001-2006. Credit: Dalhousie University, Aaron van Donkelaar
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Ozone and Smog Formation
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Ozone
Very complex reaction that is yet to be completely
understood
Transport problem
Emissions in Indianapolis, ozone in Noblesville
Transported long distances.
Regional solution needed
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Ozone
Short-term exposure to ground-level ozone can cause inflammation of the
lining of the lungs, reduced lung function, and respiratory symptoms such
as cough, wheezing, chest pain, burning in the chest, and shortness of
breath
Exposure to ozone can increase susceptibility to respiratory infection; long-
term exposure can permanently damage lung tissue, and short-term
exposure is associated with increased mortality
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Ozone Monitoring Data – Indpls. 8 HR Ozone July 2011
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Date
conc
.
Fairland
Washington PK INDY
Harding St. Indy
Monrovia
70
60
Ozone Standard 75 ppb 8-hour average. Recommended new standard
is between 60 and 70 ppb
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Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Industrial sources
Volatile solvents
Mobile sources
Gasoline combustion
Lawn mowers, weed trimmers, jet skies
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Nitrogen Oxides Health Effects
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an odorless gas that can irritate the
eyes, nose, and throat, and can cause shortness of breath
NO2 can lead to increased respiratory illnesses and symptoms,
more severe asthma symptoms, and an increase in the number
of emergency department visits and hospital admissions for
respiratory causes, especially asthma
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Nitrogen Oxides
In people with asthma, exposure to low levels of NO2 may cause
increased bronchial reactivity and make young children more
susceptible to respiratory infections
NOx can also produce many of the same symptoms in adults
especially those with preexisting respiratory or cardiovascular
conditions.
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Sulfur Dioxide
Short-term Health Effects
Breathing difficulties and asthma-related hospitalizations,
particularly for children
Short-term exposures to SO2 have also been associated with
respiratory-related emergency department visits and hospital
admissions, particularly for children
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Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Nine Indiana counties don’t
meet the new federal 1-hour
sulfur dioxide standard
73 percent of SO2 emissions
come from power plants
that burn fossil fuels, such
as coal.
Another 20 percent comes
from other industries.
Source: IDEM
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Mercury
Major Source: Coal combustion from power plants
Deposited near source
Much deposited near power plant source
Elemental mercury in soil and water converted to highly
toxic methyl mercury
Persists in environment for 100s of years
Accumulates in food chain
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33
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IPL Harding Street Station
102 kg Hg emitted/yr
Source: Dr. Gabriel Filippelli, Director, Center for Urban Health, IUPUI
Mercury in Indianapolis Area Soils
I-465
I-70
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Health Affects of Mercury
Proven link between levels of mercury in women’s bodies and
neurological effects on their children
Studies have found associations between neurodevelopment
effects and mercury body burdens in U.S. women that are within
the range of typical U.S. exposures
Mercury causes heart attacks in adults
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Number of Unhealthy Air Days - 2010Indiana, Illinois & Michigan Counties >2 Unhealthy Days
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
6
6
6
7
10
11
14
16
16
16
20
23
36
49
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
IL-Hamilton
IL-Sangamon
IL-Wabash
IN-Allen
IN-Perry
MI-Allegan
MI-Kent
IL-Saint Clair
IN-Gibson
IN-LaPorte
IN-Warrick
MI-Schoolcraft
IL-Lake
IN-Clark
IN-Porter
MI-Muskegon
IN-St. Joseph
IN-Morgan
MI-Macomb
MI-St. Clair
IN-Lake
IN-Marion
IN-Wayne
IN-Vigo
IL-Madison
IN-Daviess
IN-Floyd
MI-Wayne
IL-Cook
IL-Tazewell
IN-Pike
How We Compare - 2010 Illinois, Indiana and Michigan Counties with >3 Unhealthy Air Days
Indiana 154
Illinois 92
Michigan 51
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How Can Indiana Improve Air Quality?
Support public transit to reduce traffic congestion and
mobile source pollution
Reduce power plant emissions through energy efficiency
Encourage shift to cleaner energy sources
Need for improved compliance monitoring and
enforcement by IDEM
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How Can Indiana Improve Air Quality?
Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR)
This rule, known as the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule
(CSAPR), requires states to significantly improve air quality
by reducing power plant emissions that cross state lines and
contribute to ozone and fine particle pollution in other states
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How Can Indiana Improve Air Quality?
MATS--the mercury rule
The final rule establishes power plant emission standards for mercury,
acid gases, and non‐mercury
metallic toxic pollutants that will: prevent 90 percent of the mercury in
coal burned in power plants from being emitted to the air; reduce 88
percent of acid gas emissions from power plants; and cut 41 percent
of sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants beyond the reductions
expected from the Cross State Air Pollution Rule. State has three years
to comply
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How Can Indiana Improve Air Quality?
Global warming
EPA has released a Greenhouse Gas Database. The database
shows known emissions and data from states that have done
greenhouse gas inventories.
Indiana is one of six states that have done nothing.
Bloomington has done a greenhouse gas inventory
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Contact Information
Richard M. Van Frank, IKE Board of Directors
(317) 442-2531
IKE website:
www.ikecoalition.org