Ozone Transport that Impacts on Tribal Land: Case Study

Stan BeloneSalt River Pima-Maricopa

Indian Community

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Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC)

• Created by executive order, June 1879• Governed by seven Council members,

President and Vice President• Population more than 7,000 enrolled

members• 53,000 acres, 19,000 acres natural preserve,

12,000 acres of agricultural land

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Salt River Location• One of 21 Indian

tribes in Arizona• Located in Maricopa

County• Boundaries of Mesa,

Tempe, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills and metro Phoenix

• One of 3 tribes monitoring ground-level ozone in Arizona

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Understanding Ozone Transport

• Ozone always formed as described previously

• Precursor molecules (NOx, VOCs) can be transported from neighboring locations

• Ozone can be transported from neighboring locations

• Ozone concentrations on reservation aren’t always from reservation

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Understanding Transport (cont.)

• Ozone can be transported over short distances

• Ozone precursors can be transported over long distances – Ozone formation due to sources far away– VOC transport depends on individual reactivity

• Less reactive VOC’s (e.g., alkanes) travel farther than highly reactive VOC’s (e.g., terpenes)

• Your reservation may be impacted from sources near and far

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Sources of NOx

56%

22%

17%

5%

Motor Vehicle

Utilities

Industrial & Commercial Fuel Combustion

Other sources

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Sources of VOC

50%

45%

5%

Industrial & Commercial Processes

Motor Vehicle

Consumer Solvents

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Ozone Transport Depends on Meteorological Conditions• Wind speed and direction facilitate transport

– Precursor compounds travel via wind– Ozone can travel (smaller distances) via wind

• Other factors (temp, solar radiation, RH, etc.) influence transport– These influence quantities of precursors

transported and formed– These influence amount of ozone formation

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Ozone Transport Concerns for SRPMIC

• What do we know…some factors• Geographical region and meteorological

conditions• Within large metropolitan region• Population growth each year• Significant increase of mobile sources

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Ozone Transport Concerns (cont.)

• Expansion of business enterprises and industrial activities

• Bad air quality affects human livelihood• Efforts of monitoring and understanding

the ozone data• Factors that determine pollution: monitoring

data, model, pattern of pollution, meteorology

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Geographic Region and Weather

• Study shows potential of high ozone concentrations on geographic scale

• High ambient-temperature regions like Phoenix facilitate high levels during ozone season

• Dry, hot regions with stagnant air in summer typically generate high ozone

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Geographic Region and Weather (cont.) • Urban/rural areas subject to high ozone

levels as winds carry emissions miles away• Elevated region more likely affected in area

downwind from exposure• Salt River land downwind of Metropolitan

Phoenix in peak- level periods

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Within Metropolitan Region

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Growth• Over 3 million population in 2000• Population increased 45% from 1990 in Maricopa

County• City of Gilbert one of fastest-growing cities in

nation• Increased mobile transport and industrial

activities• Urbanization in region encroached on Community• Salt River located within urban region east of

Metro Phoenix

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History of Air Program

• Salt River committed to development of air quality program

• Began developing air quality program late 1997

• Accomplished EI, developed technical and policy capacity

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History of Air Program (cont.)

• Hired personnel to manage ambient air monitoring program summer 2001

• Commenced monitoring summer 2002• Recommendation process in

designation of 8-hour ozone standard, July 2003

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Monitoring Network• Classified as non-attainment for 3 criteria

pollutants• Designated ozone monitoring in State and

Local Air Monitoring Stations (SLAMS) status

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Monitoring Network (cont.)

• To determine– Transport significant sources– Representative concentrations in areas of

population density – Background concentration levels

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Monitoring Design

• 2 permanent ozone monitoring stations– Desert Eagle

Secondary School– Red Mountain

Trap & Skeet

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Salt River Community

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Pollution Levels on Tribal Land

• Monitoring data shows high ozone measured in 2002

• Summertime ground-level ozone results high• Hourly concentrations obtained at Red

Mountain site higher than others• Noticed meteorological trend• Compared data with other monitoring network• Installed new monitoring equipment

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Strategy

• Evaluate and approach ozone criteria; prioritize over PM on special studies

• New 8-Hour Ozone standard an issue• Planned Ozone Seasonal Monitoring

Study at two locations

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Strategy (cont.)

• Supplemental equipment with assistance from local environmental firm

• Partnership with local environmental professional to conduct the study

• Extended 1 seasonal monitor until end of 2003

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Monitoring Site Information

• Ozone Seasonal Monitoring – Lehi – June to December 2003 – Early Childhood – July to October

• Monitoring site elevation (Feet) – Desert Eagle 1250 – Lehi 1260 – Early Childhood 1283 – Red Mountain 1296

270.000

0.010

0.020

0.030

0.040

0.050

0.060

0.070

0.080

Jan03 Feb03 Mar03 Apr03 May03 Jun03 Jul03 Aug03 Sep03 Oct03 Nov03 Dec03

Ozone 8-Hr Maximum Averages for 2003

Desert Eagle Red Mountain Lehi Early Childhood

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May - Maximum 8-Hour Ozone Averages For Each Air Monitoring Site

0.000

0.010

0.020

0.030

0.040

0.050

0.060

0.070

0.080

0.090

5/1/035/3/035/5/035/7/035/9/035/11/035/13/035/15/035/17/035/19/035/21/035/23/035/25/035/27/035/29/035/31/03

Conc. (PPM)

Desert Eagle Red Mountain 8-Hr Standard

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May 11, 2003 - Red Mountain 1-Hour Average Ozone Episode

0.000

0.010

0.020

0.030

0.040

0.050

0.060

0.070

0.080

0.090

0.100

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23Hours

PPM

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(%) Wind Distribution - Red Mountain 5/11/2003 Reference to Maximum 8-Hour Average Between 11am - 6pm

0

5

10

15

20

25N

NNE

NE

ENE

E

ESE

SE

SSE

S

SSW

SW

WSW

W

WNW

NW

NNW

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July - Maximum 8-Hour Ozone Averages For Each Air Monitoring Site

0.000

0.020

0.040

0.060

0.080

0.100

0.120

7/1/03 7/3/03 7/5/03 7/7/03 7/9/037/11/037/13/037/15/037/17/037/19/037/21/037/23/037/25/037/27/037/29/037/31/03

Conc. (PPM)

Desert Eagle Red Mountain 8-Hr Standard Lehi Early Childhood

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Ozone Episode of July 22, 2003

0.000

0.020

0.040

0.060

0.080

0.100

0.120

0.140

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23Hours

Conc. (PPM)

DE

RM

LE

EC

SS

FF

8-HrStdTemp

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High Ozone Pollution Day

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Wind Pattern (%) at Red Mountain site July 22, 2003

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0N

NNE

NE

ENE

E

ESE

SE

SSE

S

SSW

SW

WSW

W

WNW

NW

NNW

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(%) Wind Pattern - Red Mountain Ozone Episode Between 11am-8pm July 22, 2003

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0N

NNE

NE

ENE

E

ESE

SE

SSE

S

SSW

SW

WSW

W

WNW

NW

NNW

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Ozone Monitoring Data

• Data show high ozone concentrations in area

• Exceedance of 8-Hr Standard occurred several times; none for 1-Hr Standard

• Results indicate ozone concentrations vary across the tribal land

• Eastern monitoring site obtained higher ozone concentration than western

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Ozone Monitoring Data (cont.)

• Higher geographic location typically observed higher ozone concentration

• Higher ambient temperature reflects trend toward higher ozone concentration

• Wind pattern indicates response of pollution trend

• Majority of ozone peak periods when wind pattern runs from west and southwest

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Summary

• Ground level ozone is regional pollutant• High levels can be widespread with

transport far from pollution source• Salt River Community is downwind of

Metro Phoenix• Study determines outside sources

potentially impact Salt River airshed