REPORT FOR CONSULTATION ON THE
METROPOLITAN PROVIDENCE INTERSTATE
AIR QUALITY CONTROL REGION
(RHODE ISLAND-MASSACHUSETTS)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
Public Health Service
Consumer Protection and Environmental Health Service
National Air Pollution Control Administration
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REPORT FOR CONSULTATION ON THE
METROPOLITAN PROVIDENCE
INTERSTATE AIR QUALITY CONTROL REGION
(RHODE ISLAND-MASSACHUSETTS)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, .EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
CONSUMER PROTECTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
NATIONAL AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
JULY 1969
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
EVALUATION OF ENGINEERING FACTORS. . .
. . . .
9
EVALUATION OF URBAN FACTORS.
. . . . . . .
. . 29
THE PROPOSED REGION. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . 45
DISCUSSION OF PROPOSAL.
. . . . . . . . . . .
48
APPENDIX A . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
54
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PREFACE
The Secretary, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, is
directed by the Air Quality Act of 1967 to designate "air quality
control regions" as an initial step toward the establishment of regional
air quality standards.
In addition to listing the major factors to
be considered in the development of region boundaries, the Act stipu-
lates that the designation of a region shall be preceded by consult-
ation with appropriate State and local authorities.
The National Air Pollution Control Administration. DHEW. has
conducted a study of the Providence. Rhode Island. and Fall River-
New Bedford, Massachusetts, interstate urban area, the results of which
are presented in this report.
The Region* boundaries proposed in this
report reflect consideration of all available and pertinent data; however,
the boundaries remain subject to revision suggested by consultation
with State and local authorities.
Formal designation of the Region
will follow the consultation meeting.
This report is intended to serve
as background material for the Consultation.
The Administration is appreciative of assistance received either
directly during the course of this study or during previous activities
in this Rhode Island and Massachusetts interstate area from the Rhode
Island State Department of Health and the Massachusetts Department of
Public Health.
Useful data was also supplied by the Southeastern
Regional Planning and Economic Development District. the Massachusetts
*For the purpose of this report. the word "region." when capitalized.
will refer to the Metropolitan Providence Interstate Air Quality Control
Region (Rhode Island-Massachusetts). When not capitalized, unless other-
wise noted, it will refer to air quality control regions in general.
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State Division of Employment Security, the Central Massachusetts
Regional Planning Commission, the Rhode Island Development Council,
the Rhode Island Department of Public Works, and the Rhode Island
Statewide Comprehensive Transportation and Land Use Planning Program.
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1
INTRODUCTION
"For the purpose of establishing ambient
air quality standards pursuant to section 108,
and for administrative and other purposes, the
Secretary, after consultation with appropriate
State and local authorities shall. to the extent
feasible, within 18 months after the date of
enactment of the Air Quality Act of 1967 designate
air quality control regions based on jurisdictional
boundaries. urban-industrial concentrations. and
other factors including atmospheric areas necessary
to provide adequate implementation of air quality
standards. The Secretary may from time to time
thereafter, as he determines necessary to protect
the public health and welfare and after consultation
with appropriate State and local authorities, revise
the designation of such regions and designate
additional air quality control regions. The Secretary
shall immediately notify the Governor or Governors
of the affected State or States of such designation."
Section l07(a)(2), Air Quality Act of 1967
THE AIR QUALITY ACT
Air pollution in most of the Nation's urban areas is a regional
problem.
This regional problem demands a regional solution. consisting
of coordinated planning, data gathering, standard setting and
enforcement.
Yet, with few exceptions, such coordinated efforts are
notably absent among the Nation's urban complexes.
Beginning with the Section quoted above. in which the Secretary
is required to designate air quality control regions, the Air Quality
Act presents an approach to air pollution control involving coordinated
efforts by Federal, State, and local governments, as shown in Figure 1.
After the Secretary has (1) designated regions. (2) published air
quality criteria. and (3) published corresponding documents on control
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HEW DESIGNATES
AIR QUALITY
CONTROL REGIONS.
HEW DEVELOPS AND
PUBLISHES AI R
QUALITY CRITERIA
BASED ON SCIENTIFIC
EVIDENCE OF AIR
POLLUTION EFFECTS.
HEW PREPARES
AND PUBLISHES
REPORTS ON
AVAILABLE CONTROL
TECHNIQUES
STATES INDICATE
THEIR INTENT
TO SET STANDARDS. (PUBLIC
HEARINGS)
STATES SET
AI R QUALITY
STANDARDS
FOR THE AI R
QUALITY CONTROL
REGIONS.
STATES SUBMIT
STANDARDS FOR
HEW REVIEW.
tV
STATES ESTABLISH
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
FOR IMPLEMENTING
AI R QUALITY
STANDARDS.
STATES SUBMIT
IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
FOR HEW REVIEW.
STATES ACT TO CONTROL
AIR POLLUTION IN ACCORDANCE
WITH AIR QUALITY STANDARDS
AND PLANS FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
figure 1 FLOW DIAGRAM FOR ACTION TO CONTROL AIR POLLUTION ON A REGIONAL
BASIS, UNDER THE AIR QUALITY ACT.
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3
technology and associated costs. the Governors of the States must
file with the Secretary within 90 days a letter of intent. indicating
that the States will adopt within 180 days ambient air quality
standards for the pollutants covered by the published criteria and
control technology documents and adopt within an additional 180 days
plans for the implementation. maintenance, and enforcement of those
standards in the designated air quality control region.
The new Federal legislation provides for a regional attack on
air pollution and, at the same time, allows latitude in the form
which regional efforts may take.
While the Secretary retains approval
authority, the States involved in a designated region assume the
responsibility for developing standards and an implementation plan
which includes administrative procedures for abatement and control.
For regions which extend across jurisdictional boundaries. informal co-
operative arrangements may be adequate in some cases.
In some cases. too,
more formal arrangements, such as interstate compacts. may be selected to
insure compatible standards and proper enforcement among the jurisdictions.
The objective in each instance will be to provide effective mechanisms
for control on a regional basis.
THE SIZE OF A REGION
Several objectives are important in determining how large an
air quality control region should be.
Basically. these objectives
can be divided into three separate categories.
First. a region should
be self-contained with respect to air pollution sources and receptors.
In other words. a region should include most of the important sources
in the area as well as most of the people and property affected by
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4
those sources.
In this way, all the major elements of the regional
problem will lie within one unified jurisdiction.
Unfortunately,
since air pollutants can travel long distances, it is impractical if
not impossible to delineate regions which are completely self-contained.
The air over a region will usually have at least trace amounts of
pollutants from external sources.
During episodic conditions, such
contributions from external sources may even reach significant levels.
Conversely, air pollution generated within a region and transported
out of it can effect external receptors to some degree.
It would be
impractical and inefficient to make all air quality control regions
large enough to encompass these low-level effects.
The geographic
extent of trace effects overestimates the true problem area which
should be the focus of air pollution control efforts.
Thus, the first
objective, that a region be self-contained, becomes a question of
relative magnitude and frequency.
The dividing line between "important
influence" and "trace effect" will be a matter of judgment.
The judgment
should be based on estimates of the impact a source has upon a region,
and the level of pollution to which receptors are subjected.
In this
respect, annual and seasonal data on pollutant emissions and ambient
air concentrations are a better measure of relative influence
than
short term data on episodic conditions.
The second general objective requires that region boundaries be
designed to meet not only present conditions but also future conditions.
In other words, the region should include areas where residential and
industrial expansion are likely to create air pollution problems in the
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5
foreseeable future.
This objective requires careful consideration
of existing metropolitan development plans, expected population
growth, and projected industrial expansion.
Such considerations
should result in the designation of regions which will contain the
sources and receptors of regional air pollution for a number of years
to come.
Of course, the region boundaries need not be permanently
fixed, once designated.
Boundaries should be reviewed periodically
and altered when changing conditions warrant readjustment.
The third objective is that region boundaries should be compat-
ible with and even foster unified and cooperative governmental
administration of the air resource throughout the region.
Air pollution
is a regional problem which extends across several municipal, county,
and even State boundaries.
Clearly, the collaboration of several
governmental jurisdictions is prerequisite to the solution of the
problem.
Therefore, the region should be delineated in a way which
encourages regional cooperation among the various governmental bodies
involved in air pollution control.
In this regard, the existing pattern
of governmental cooperation on the whole range of urban problems may
become an important consideration.
Certainly, the pattern of cooperation
among existing air pollution control programs is a relevant factor.
In general, administrative considerations dictate that governmental
jurisdictions should not be divided.
Although it would be impractical to
preserve State jurisdictions undivided, usually it is possible to preserve
the unity of county governments by including or excluding them in their
entirety.
In certain instances, the county is not an important decision-
making level of government.
Under these circumstances city and town
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6
boundaries are followed in determining the region.
To the extent that any two of the above three objectives lead to
incompatible conclusions concerning region boundaries, the region
must represent a reasonable compromise.
A region should represent the
best way of satisfying the three objectives simultaneously.
PROCEDURE FOR DESIGNATION OF REGIONS
Figure 2 illustrates the procedures used by the National Air
Pollution Control Administration for designating air quality control
regions.
A preliminary delineation of the region is developed by bringing
together two essentially separate studies --- the "Evaluation of
Engineering Factors," and the "Evaluation of Urban Factors."
The "Evaluation of Engineering Factors" considers pollutant source
locations and the geographic extent of significant pollutant concentra-
tions in the ambient air.
An inventory of air pollutant emissions
determines the geographic location and quantities of the various pol-
lutants emitted from the sources in a region.
Major quantities of
pollution are emitted by automobiles and industry, and from refuse
disposal operations, power generation, and space heating.
The subsequent
effect of the pollution emitted into the atmosphere is determined by
measuring ambient air quality.
The air quality analysis presented in
this report is divided into two major segments.
The first part deals
with the topography and meteorology of the area and measured air quality.
This section deals with the topographical influences on local meteoro-
logical conditions and the subsequent meteorological effect on air
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ENGINEERING EVALUATION
. EMISSIONS INVENTORY
. METEOROLOGY
.AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS
EXISTING AIR QUALITY DATA
DIFFUSION MODEL OUTPUT
PrelimiiiaTi Consultation Formal
Delineation .. with State ... Designation
of and Local by
Regions Officials Secretary-HEW
URBAN FACTORS
. JUrisdictional Boundaries
. Urban-Industrial Concentrations
. Cooperative Regional Arrangements
. Pattern and Rate of Growth
. Existing State and Local Air
Pollution Control Legislation & Programs
Figure 2. Flow diagram for the designation of air quality control regions.
---.J
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8
quality.
The second part of the analysis describes the results of the
diffusion model applied to the Providence-Fall River-New Bedford area
in order to predict air quality.
Some of the limitations of the model are
also described.
In addition, basic conclusions drawn from the model
results, as they relate to the size of the proposed Region, are outlined.
The "Evaluation of Urban Factors" encompasses all considerations
of a non-engineering nature.
This evaluation consists of a review of
existing governmental jurisdictions, current air pollution legislation
and control programs, demographic data, current urbanization, and
projected patterns of urbanization.
The findings of the engineering evaluation are combined with the
results of the urban factors evaluation, and an initial proposal for
the air quality control region is made.
As indicated in Figure 2, the
proposal contained in this report is submitted as a background document
for consultation with State and local officials.
After reviewing the
official transcript of the consultation proceedings which provides the
viewpoints of State and local officials toward the proposal, the Secretary
formally designates the region.
Formal designation includes a notice in
the Federal Register and a notification to the Governors of the States
affected by the designation.
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9
EVALUATION OF ENGINEERING FACTORS
EMISSION INVENTORY
The compilation of an emissions inventory makes possible the correlation
of pollutant emissions with specific geographic locations.
This procedure
generally results in the identification of the "core" of an air quality
control region--that is. the area where the bulk of the pollutant emissions
occur.
In this study. the emissions inventory results are further utilized
as input data to a meteorological diffusion model.
In this manner the
spatial and temporal distribution of the pollution emitted into the atmos-
phere can be systematically predicted.
For these reasons. a presentation
of the emissions inventory results serves as a logical starting point in
the engineering evaluation.
The emission inventory was conducted by the National Air Pollution
Control Administration.
Included within the inventory study area are the
Providence-Pawtucket-Warwick, Fall River, and New Bedford Standard Metro-
politan Statistical Areas as well as several additional cities and towns in
the State of Rhode Island.
The survey area is shown in Figure 3.
The
total study area encompasses 1000 square miles, 270 of which can be con-
sidered urban.
This area contains the bulk of the population and urbanization
in Rhode Island and in southeastern Massachusetts.
The estimated 1969
population for the entire survey area is 1.244,000 persons.
The Public Health Service (PHS) rapid survey technique, along with
PHS emission factors, were used for the estimation of pollutant emissions.
The emissions were calculated from data representative of the year 1967.
Table I provides a breakdown of sulfur dioxide*, total particulate and
*Estimates are based on all oxides of sulfur, of which the vast majority
is composed of S02'
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10
MASSACHUSETTS
BURRILL VI LLE
~IO
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U
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11
TABLE I.
SUMMARY OF AIR POLLUTANT EMISSIONS IN
THE PROVIDENCE-FALL RIVER-NEW BEDFORD
STUDY AREA, 1967 (Tons/Year).
Source Category Sulfur Total Carbon
and Type Dioxide Particulates Monoxide
1. TRANSPORTATION 2,550 2,750 415,550
Road Vehicles 1,700 2,600 407,900
Aircraft Neg . ~< 100 7.650
Railroads 850 50 Neg.
Evaporation 0 0 0
II. COMBUSTION OF FUELS,
STATIONARY SOURCES 136,300 14,500 2.600
Industrial 19,200 2,050 100
Steam-Electric 87,300 10.400 400
Residential 24,900 1.800 2,050
Other 4,900 250 50
III. REFUSE DISPOSAL 250 5,250 19,200
Incineration 250 1.800 1.000
Open-Burning Neg. 3.450 18,200
IV. INDUSTRIAL PROCESS EMISSIONS 50 1,100 Neg.
GRAND TOTAL 139,150 23,600 437,350
*Neg1igib1e
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lZ
carbon monoxide emissions in the study area according to source type in
four general categories.
These categories are transportation, fuel combustion
in stationary sources, refuse disposal and industrial process emissions.
The information in this table indicated that 63% of the sulfur dioxide
emissions and 44% of total particulate emissions are attributable to stea~-
electric utilities.
Over 93% of the total carbon monoxide pollutant
emissions in the survey area are contributed by gasoline-powered motor
vehicles.
Geographic source locations over the survey area were defined by the
use of grid coordinates based on the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)
System.
Figure 4 shows the numbered grid system superimposed over an
outline of the survey area.
Grid squares 5 kilometers on a side were used
in areas of most dense population and industrialization while squares
10 kilometers on a side were used in areas of less dense urbanization.
A
total of 6Z grid squares were used.
Figure 5 shows the location of most major point sources.
These sources
are concentrated in or close to the cities of Providence, Fall River, and
New Bedford.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 are emission density maps for SOZ' total
particulates and CO, respectively, based on the grid system.
The densities
are computed on the basis of emissions from both point sources and area
sources within each grid zone.
The majority of the SOZ emissions are
attributable to power plants in the survey area, though industrial and
residential sources are also substantial contributors.
Accordingly, the
pattern of SOZ emissions shown in Figure 6 corresponds closely to the pattern
of point source locations in the survey area as well as to the pattern of
urbanization.
Most source types contribute significant amounts of total
particulate emissions.
The total particulate emission density map (Figure 7)
reflects the pattern of urbanization over the study area since the source
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2
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MASSACHUSETTS
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FIGURE 5. MAJOR POINT SOURCE LOCATIONS.
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SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSION DENSITIES
-------
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FIGURE 7. TOTAL PARTICULATE EMISSION DENSITIES
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FIGURE 8.
CARBON MONOXIDE EMISSION DENSITIES
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18
types themselves are an integral part of the urban pattern.
Carbon monoxide
emissions are primarily attributable
to motor vehicles; thus, Figure 8
provides an indication of the vehicular traffic density distribution over
the survey
area.
As expected, the more heavily populated cities
-------
19
model.
This technique was particularly desirable in the study area since
existing air sampling networds were not extensive enough to help define
the outer limits of the Region.
Topography, Meteorology, and Measured Air Quality
The Providence-Fall River-New Bedford area lies in the coastal lowland
region of eastern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
The eastern
portion of Rhode Island lies within the Narragansett basin bordering
Narragansett Bay.
Upland areas lie to the west of this interstate area in
Rhode Island and to the north of it in Massachusetts.
The Blackstone River
flows through Massachusetts and Rhode Island and drains into Narragansett
Bay.
The Taunton River in Massachusetts flows southward and also drains
into the Bay.
Their proximity to Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean plays an
important part in determining the climate of Providence and its vicinity.
The presence of these water bodies tends to create changeable weather,
while moderating climatic extremes.
Prevailing winter winds are from the
northwest (see Figure A-I), while prevailing summer winds are from the
southwest.
Since inversions in this area are infrequent and average
wind speeds are high, the meteorological conditions favor dispersion of
pollutants.
The potential for dilution of pollutants is high during summer
afternoons, although pollutant dilution is restricted during summer
mornings.
In general, the topography and meteorology in the study area
tend to relieve rather than aggravate the air pollution problem.
Air sampling is conducted at several sites in the State of Rhode
Island.
Sampling for suspended particulates has occurred over a number
of years at urban sites in Providence and East Providence. as well as
at a non-urban site in the town of Exeter in Washington County-
The
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20
average measured concentration of suspended particulates was 103 pg/m3
in Providence for the years 1957 through 1967, and was 62 pg/m3 in East
Providence for the years 1963 through 1967.
The 1959 through 1967 average
3
concentration at the Washington County non-urban site was 35 pg/m .
This
measure of air quality might be considered representative of the non-urban
or "background" level of suspended particulate pollution over the remainder
of the study area.
The concentrations recorded in Providence and East
Providence, as anticipated, are substantially above this background level.
More recent measurements of suspended particulate concentrations
(winter 1968-1969) reveal the existence of levels in the larger cities
which are above background.
Measured concentrations were 86, 68, 61, 59,
53, and 52 micro-grams per cubic meter in the cities of Providence,
Pawtucket, Warwick, Newport, Woonsocket, and Cranston, respectively.
In
the town of Westerly, an average concentration of 97 pg/m3 was recorded,
while measured concentrations in the towns of Bristol, Tiverton, Harrisville,
and Block Island were 47 pg/m3, 36 ~g/m3, 34 ~g/m3, and 34 ~g/m3, respectively.
The sampling results in all these towns (except Westerly) reveal suspended
particulate concentrations which approach or are nearly equal to the assumed
background level for the State (35 pg/m3).
With the exception of the
sampling results at the Westerly site, the air quality appears to be related
to the population size of the various cities and towns.
Recent sampling (winter 1968-1969) for sulfur dioxide pollutant
concentrations in several Rhode Island cities and towns has been conducted.
Concentrations presented here represent arithmetic means of approximately
10 samples taken over the 3-month winter season with the use of 24-hour
gas samplers.
Highest measured values were recorded in Providence, where
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21
the average S02 concentration equalled .016 ppm.
were .015 ppm in Pawtucket, .011 ppm in Woonsocket, .009 ppm in
Corresponding values
Cranston,
.008 ppm in Warwick, .007 ppm in Newport, .006 ppm in
Westerly, and .005 ppm in Block Island.
These values, too, correlate
roughly with the population sizes of the communities in which the
measurements were recorded.
In Massachusetts, a limited a~oJnt of air sampling for suspended
particulates has been conducted in Fall River and New Bedford.
The 1967
average concentration of susp~nded particulates in New Bedford was 58
rg/m3, and the 1959 through 1967 average was 54 fg/m3.
In Fall River,
the 1962 average concentration
of suspe~ded particulates was 95,g/m3,
the years 1958-1962. No sampling for S02
and was 91 fg/m3 averaged over
has taken place on a continuing basis in southeastern Massachusetts.
Carbon monoxide sampling, likewise, has not been conducted in either
southeastern Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
Diffusion Model Results
The meteorological diffusion model has been used to compute sulfur
dioxide, suspended particulate, and carbon monoxide concentrations in
the ambient air at specified receptor points.
The model predicts these
concentrations from a mathematical treatment of pollutant emission and
"'.
meteorological data."
While the model cOD~ains inherent limitations,
it still has merit in providing reasonable spatial distribution of long
term (seasonal and annual)** average pollutant concentrations.
*See Appendix A for a more detailed discussion.
**Averaging times are as follows:
Winter: December, January, and February
Summer: June, July, and August
Annual: All 12 months of the year
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22
Theoretical sulfur dioxide concentrations are shown in Figure 9.
Results for the winter averaging time are presented since the greatest
build-up of 802 concentrations occurs during this season due to the high
rates of 802 smissions and unfavorable meteorological conditions.
A
3-hour half life for sulfur dioxide is used in the model as the assumed
rate of decay of 802'
This produces values which correlate best with
measured con~entrations.
The dispersion pattern shown in Figure 9
reflects the influence of predo~inating northwest winter winds (see
Figure A-I).
Greatest 802 concentrations are predicted in and around
the city of Providence.
Predicted concentrations in and near
Providence appear to overestimate measured 802 levels however.
Conversely,
the model underestimates measured levels of air quality at sampling sites
in Newport and Woonsocket.
Figure 10 presents theoretical suspended particulate concentrations
in rg/m3 for the winter averaging time.
suspended particulate concentrations occur, according to the model.
During this season the greatest
This
is due in part to the greater quantity of particulate matter emitted during
the winter and due in part to winter season meteorological conditions.
The model does not consider concentrations of particulate matter fro~
natural SOJrces or from nearby urban areas which combine to make up the
background level in the area.
For this reason, the predicted concen-
tration values shown in Figure 10 are not considered absolute.
The predicted
concentrations underestimate true levels of air quality according to
comparison with measured data.
Figure 10 indicates that the winter season
dispersion pattern for suspended particulates is similar to the winter
802 dispersion pattern.
Greatest concentrations are predicted to occur
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23
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FIGURE 9.
THEORETICAL S02
CU:!CENTRATIONS
IN PPM,
WINTER AVERAGE
( ASSUMED
3 HOUR HALF-LIFE),
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24
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o 5 '0 2.0 50
'------ --- -----,
\(ILO"'1E TE.I2S
ti'w
D'-£O<"<
FIGURE
10.
THEORETICAL SUSPENDED PARTICULATE
CONCENTRATIONS
IN pG/M], ~TIN';'ER AVERAGE.
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25
in and near Providence.
Pollutant dispersion toward the east and north-
east is significant so that large areas of eastern Massachusetts serve
as receptors of particulate pollution from source areas in Rhode Island
or close to the Rhode Island border.
Figure 11 shows predicted carbon monoxide concentrations based on summer
emissions and meteorology.
Greatest CO emissions occur in the summer
which result in the greatest predicted CO levels.
As anticipated, the
theoretical concentrations are highest in and surrounding the city of
Providence where vehicular traffic density is greatest.
Figure A-I
(Appendix A) indicates that the predominant summer winds are from the
southwest and northwest quadrants.
This is reflected in the dispersion
pattern which indicates predominant CO transport from the urban core
areas to the northeast. east, and southeast.
An area centered on
Providence and extending outward to Fall River, Taunton. and Wrentham
in Massachusetts and Woonsocket, Cranston, and Portsmouth in Rhode
Island is most significantly affected by CO emissions.
The CO
concentrations in Figure 11 should not be considered absolute since
past applications of the model to studies of this type indicate that
actual CO concentrations tend to be underestimated.
SUMMARY
An inventory of pollutant emissions conducted over eastern Rhode
Island and a sizeable portion of southeastern Massachusetts (see Figure 3)
revealed the existence of an area-wide air pollutant source complex.
Emission quantities appear to vary with the intensity of urbanization
-------
26
CO"""Cc..T'c.........
I
I~..~."~
-- -\- J - -,
"
N
~
+-
'II'.
II
II
M.
,-",.
~~ --- ZO~-~
L.:.: I LOME TEeS
t/'~
DS>'OQ
-------
27
and industrialization within the source-survey area.
Greatest quantities
of pollutants are emitted from the core cities (Providence, Fall River,
and New Bedford) as well as from surrounding cities of high population
and industrialization (Woonsocket, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Cranston,
and Warwick).
Diffusion model results indicate that the air quality is affected
over a receptor area substantially larger than that over which source
emissions were inventoried.
Wintertime dispersion of suspended
particulates and sulfur dioxide is directed primarily toward the east
and southeast.
This results in the interstate transport of pollutants
from the Providence area downwind to the metropolitan Fall River and
New Bedford areas.
During the summer season carbon monoxide diffusion
is directed largely to areas in Massachusetts located to the northeast
and east of the source-survey area.
The combined results of the emission
inventory and the diffusion model application indicates that an inter-
state air pollution problem exists between Rhode Island and large
portions of eastern and southeastern Massachusetts.
An analysis of existing air quality was made in order to determine
the geographic variations in air quality over the study area.
This
particulate analysis is only partially complete, however, since existing
air quality data is limited.
Available data for the State of Rhode
Island indicates a substantial variation in air quality between the
rural (Block Island, Exeter) and urban (Providence, Pawtucket) areas.
Data for Fall River and New Bedord in Massachusetts indicates that
suspended particulate levels in these cities is greater than the
expected background level for eastern Massachusetts.
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28
No attempt has been made to define precisely the desired Region
boundaries on the basis of engineering factors alone.
First, there
are limitations on the reliability of predicted levels and dispersion
patterns of the various pollutants.
Secondly, existing measured air
quality data is limited, and cannot be used to determine the outer
limits of the Region.
Finally, Region boundaries must be drawn on
the basis of
inclusion or exclusion of geographically small cities
and towns in order to preserve administrative unity.
The inclusion or
exclusion of individual peripheral municipalities in the Region is
difficult to determine on the basis of limited technical data.
Thus,
only a general definition of the extent of the air pollution problem
in the Rhode Island and Massachusetts interstate area has been attempted
in this analysis.
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29
EVALUATION OF URBAN FACTORS
INTRODUCTION
The Air Quality Act of 1967 calls for the designation of air quality
control regions based on "jurisdictional boundaries, urban-industrial
concentrations, and other factors" in order to provide for the adequate
implementation of air quality standards.
The designation of air quality
control regions must also be based on a consideration of existing coopera-
tive regional arrangements, State and local air pollution control programs
and enabling legislation, and patterns and rates of urban growth.
POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
Existing and potential air pollution problems are related geograph-
ica11y to areas of present or anticipated residential and industrial deve1-
opment.
For example, air pollution problem areas can generally be identified
by studying population statistics since human activity is a basic cause of
air pollution.
Table II presents 1965 population and population density
statistics by city and town for Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
In the State of Rhode Island, the largest cities are Providence, Pawtucket,
Warwick and Cranston.
More than one-half of the total population of the
State resides in Providence and the towns on the periphery of Providence,
including the City of Warwick.
Woonsocket and Newport, located to the north
and to the south of Providence, respectively, are the remaining two cities
of significant size in the State.
The northeast quadrant of the State
generally, and metropolitan Providence specifically, are areas of high
population and population densities and intense urban development.
Most of
the remainder of the State remains undeveloped and rural in nature.
This
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w
o
TABLE II. PRESENT AND PROJECTED POPULATION DATA
AND ~1ANUFACTliRING nlPLOYNENT BY JURISDICTION
1965 Population 1980 Projected Additional Residents 1967 Manufacturing
JlI r i sd ic t ion Area 1965 1980 Projected Density Population Density Per Square Nile 1967 Nanufacturing Empl"ymcnt Den~ity
(Tuh1n) (HI. 2) Population Population (Persons/~lI. 2) ( Per sons/HI. 2) 1965-1980 Employment (Persuns/rll. ~)
Rhl,de Island
E"lrrington 8.9 16,800 23 , I 50 1,890 2,600 nO 513 58
[)ristol 10.2 15,500 20,310 1,520 1,990 470 3,466 340
Burrillvillc 55.8 9,340 10,000 167 179 12 749 13
Central Falls 1.2 18,960 17 ,870 15,800 14,900 -900 4,022 3,350
Chariesto\vo 36.3 2,260 3,370 62 93 31 N.A.
Cl'\'entry b2. 2 18,670 27,740 300 446 146 2,048 33
Cranston 28.6 72,500 90,110 2,540 3,160 620 6,637 232
ClImberl and 27. I 22,120 34,400 815 1,270 455 2,065 76
E. Greemvich 16.6 7,050 12,000 425 723 298 N.A.
E. Provid ence 13.3 45,390 56,720 3,420 4,260 840 5,216 392
Exeter 57.6 2,600 3,640 45 63 18 N.A.
Foster 51. 4 2,420 3,630 47 70 23 N.A.
Gloce ste r 55.3 3,850 5,470 70 99 29 N.A.
Hopkinton 43.0 4,530 5,960 105 139 34 429 10
Jamestown 9.7 2,420 3,010 250 310 60 N.A.
Johnston 23.7 19,300 26,000 813 1,096 383 1,179 50
Lincoln 18.6 14,530 18,090 782 971 189 2,643 142
Little Compton 21. 6 1,800 2,180 83 101 18 N.A.
Hiddleto,;n 12.9 15,180 24,470 1,178 1,900 722 129 10
Narragansett 13.9 4,170 6,600 300 475 175 N.A.
Ne1
-------
1965 Population 1980 Projected Additional Residents 1967 Manufacturing
Jurisdiction Area 1965 1980 Projected Density Population Density Per Square Mile 1967 Manufacturing Employment Density
(TO\;n) (MI. 2) Population Population (Persons/MI. 2) (Persons/HI. 2) 1965-1980 Employment (Persons/HI. 2)
Rhode Island (cont'd.)
Smithfield 26.7 10,880 15,300 407 572 165 1,605 60
S. Kingstmvn 56.8 15,500 20,200 273 356 83 433 8
Ti verton 29.7 11 ,570 17 , 600 389 592 203 75 3
l.Jarren 5.8 8,910 9,500 1,539 1,640 101 2,170 374
\;ar"ick 34.9 76.240 92,880 2,185 2,665 480 6,844 196
\;esterly 29.7 1 5 , 260 19,000 513 639 126 1,832 62
H. Greenwich 50.6 1,380 2,190 27 43 16 N.A.
H. \.Jan..-rick 8.3 22,450 25,590 2,705 3,085 380 3,061 369
\.Joonsocket 7.9 46,400 45,750 5,870 5,790 -80 8,100 1,027
Nassachusetts
Acushnet 18.4 6,717 12,000 365 652 287 823 45
Attleboro 27.0 28,690 45,100 1,062 1,670 608 15,946 590
Bell ingham 18.0 10,604 20, 700 589 1,150 561 165 9
Berkeley 16.6 1,769 3,400 107 204 97 18 1
Blackstone 11. 2 b ,025 8,162 537 729 192 65 6
Bourne 40.4 6,376 N.A. 158 196 5
Carver 37.4 2,147 5,000 57 134 77 0 Neg.
Dartmouth 61.0 17,187 30,000 282 491 209 350 6
Dighton 22.2 4,131 8,700 186 392 206 1,546 70
Fairhaven 12.1 15,642 22,000 1,292 1,820 528 569 47
Fall River 33.0 98,053 115,000 2,975 3,480 505 20,922 633
Franklin 26.4 14,721 28,800 557 1,090 533 858 33
FreetoHn 34.4 3,337 6,200 970 1,800 830 259 8
Halifax 15.9 2,637 7,800 166 490 324 1 Neg.
Kingston 18.5 4,946 11 , 500 267 622 355 282 15
Lakevi 11 e 29.4 3,773 7,300 128 248 120 0 0
Mansfield 20.5 8,620 12,300 421 599 178 1,129 55
Narion 13.7 3,480 6,000 254 438 184 225 16
Hattapoisett 17.2 3,942 7,000 230 407 177 69 4
c!iddleborough 69.4 1l,72b 25,500 169 368 199 1,424 21
w
........
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W
N
1965 Popul at ion 1980 Projected Additional Residents 1967 r1.JnuL3C turing
Jurisdictinn Area 1965 1980 Pro j ec t ed Density Population Density Per Square Hile 1967 Hanufacturing Emp 1 nvmen t Density
(TO\.Jn) ~ Population Popul at ion ( Persons/HI. 2) (Persons/HI. 2) 1965-1980 Employment (Persons/m. 2)
r'[dss.:J.chusetts (cont'd.)
flillville 4.9 1,706 2,154 348 440 92 175 36
Nehl Beu ford 19.5 100,176 100,500 5,140 5,150 10 25,005 1,281
N. Attleborough 18.9 15,682 27,400 829 1,450 621 2,367 125
Nl,rton 28. I 6,737 15,700 240 558 318 860 31
PI ainvill e 10.9 4,252 II , 900 390 1,091 801 1,126 103
Plymouth 96.1 15,424 30,500 161 317 156 537
PlympUln 14.6 1,060 2,500 72 172 100 22 I
Raynham 20.7 5,937 10,015 287 483 196 78 4
Rehoboth 47.3 5,489 9,900 116 209 93 105
Rochester 33.2 1,693 2,900 51 87 36 59
Sand\"ich 42.7 2,438 N.A. 57 3 Neg.
Se ekonk 18.6 9,880 21 ,400 532 1,150 618 558 30
Somerset 8.0 15,080 24, 700 1,882 3,080 1,198 148 18
S\vansea 22.7 ll, 767 20,600 517 906 389 236 10
Taunton 47.0 42,018 52,800 895 1,125 230 6,605 140
Ivareham 34.4 10,406 18,000 302 523 221 314 9
Ivestport 49.3 8,200 15,100 166 306 140 158 3
Ivrentham 21. 6 7,517 20,000 348 925 577 448 21
*Projected Populations for Massachusetts cities and towns are for the year 1990, therefore, calculations for additional residents per square mile reflects
population change between 1965 and 1990.
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33
is particularly true of the western half of Rhode Island.
Nevertheless,
Rhode Island, taken as a whole, is one of the most densely populated States
in the nation.
Nineteen-eighty Projected population statistics for the State of Rhode
Island are also presented in Table II.
Cities that are densely populated
at the present time--including Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls and
Woonsocket--are expected to experience a decline in populaton.
Conversely,
the less densely populated cities and the rural areas are projected to
absorb the State's future population growth.
Cranston, Cumberland, East and
North Providence, Johnston, Middletown, and Warwick are expected to undergo
significant increases in population.
In southeastern Massachusetts, the most highly populated cities and
towns are Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, Attleboro, Dartmouth, North
Attleborough, Fairhaven, and Plymouth.
Fall River and New Bedford are the
core cities for surrounding towns whose populations densities are relatively
high.
In general, a highly urbanized strip of land exists, stretching along
the coast from Wareham westward to Dartmouth and northward along the Rhode
Island border to Wrentham and Franklin.
The cities and towns bordering the
northeast corner of Rhode Island are considered an integral part of
metropolitan Providence.
This urbanized strip of land encompasses the Fall
River and New Bedford Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA's) as
well as most of the Massachusetts portion of the Providence SMSA (see
Figure 12).
Greatest absolute growth in southeastern Massachusetts to the year
1990 is projected to occur in Fall River.
The towns of Swansea and Somerset,
located close to Fall River, are expected to undergo considerable growth.
New Bedford's population is projected to remain approximately at its present
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34
level.
Significant growth will occur, however, in the towns of Acushnet,
Fairhaven, and Darthmouth, all of which are contiguous to the city of New
Bedford.
To the east, considerable growth, in terms of absolute population
increases, will take place in Plymouth, Wareham, and Middleborough.
Pop-
ulation densities in these towns will remain relatively low, however.
The
cities and towns in Massachusetts that are part of the Providence SMSA are
expected to undergo substantial increases in population.
INDUSTRY
The location of industrial activity is helpful in determining the size
of an air quality control region since industrial sources are major contri-
butors of air pollutant emissions.
Manufacturing employment statistics,
when specified by city and town, serve as an indicator of the geographic
distribution of industrial activity.
Such manufacturing employment data
is presented in Table II.
The statistics reveal that Providence has, by
far, the greatest number of manufacturing employees in the study area.
These number approximately 43,500 based on 1967 estimates.
Pawtucket ranks
second to Providence in the State of Rhode Island.
Approximately 19,000
manufacturing employees work in the city of Pawtucket.
Other important
industrial cities within Rhode Island are Woonsocket, Warwick, Cranston,
East Providence, and Central Falls.
The major industries in Rhode Island
are textile mill products, jewelry. non-electrical machinery, primary metal
industries, and fabricated metal products.
In southeastern Massachusetts the leading industrial cities are New
Bedford, Fall River, and Attleboro, with approximately 25,000, 21,000, and
16,000 manufacturing employees, respectively.
The leading industrial types
in this area are the apparel industry, textile products, primary metals
and rubber and plastic products.
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35
The point source map (Figure 5) presented previously is useful in
depicting the geographic locations of industrial point sources.
This figure
indicated that the major industrial point sources are concentrated in New
Bedford and Fall River. Massachusetts, and Providence. Pawtucket. Cranston.
Warwick. and Woonsocket in Rhode Island.
EXISTING REGIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
The existence of regional councils, planning agencies. State-defined
planning and economic development districts. and region-wide geographic bases
over which statistical data gathering is conducted are important determinations
affecting the location of proposed air quality control region boundaries.
Consideration of these factors permits the identification of that combination
of jurisdictions which has been integrated through social and economic
interdependence. and further provides some indication of the degree of
existing cooperation among those jurisdictions.
The designation of an air
quality control region compatible with these existing regional arrangements
is desirable since the implementation of a regional air pollution control
plan is dependent upon cooperation at the various levels of government.
In
addition, the regional councils and planning agencies may be capable of
providing assistance in the development of air quality standards and imple-
mentation plans in a designated air quality control region.
The prerequisite for being designated a Standard Metropolitan Statistical
Area (SMSA) is that an area contain a core city of at least 50,000 persons
as well as adjacent cities and towns which are found to be metropolitan in
character and are economically and socially integrated with the central
city or cities.
In accordance with this definition. it would be logical
to consider SMSA's either singly or in combination with neighboring SMSA's
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36
as the minimal geographic area over which a regional air resource management
Figure 12 shows the boundaries of the several
program should operate.
SMSA's located in Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts.
Also shown are
the 1969 estimated populations of each of these areas.
Within its bounds are 10
The Providence-
Pawtucket-Warwick SMSA is interstate in nature.
cities and towns in the State of Massachusetts.
majority of the eastern portion of the State, and in addition reaches to the
This SMSA encompasses the
extreme western and southern borders of Rhode Island.
The Providence
Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area is contiguous to the Boston and
Fall River SMSA's.
The Fall River SMSA is interstate in nature, including four cities and
towns in Massachusetts and one town in Rhode Island.
The New Bedford SMSA
includes six Massachusetts cities and towns.
Each of these two areas contains
approximately 150,000 persons.
A strip of land several towns wide, at some
points, is sandwiched between the New Bedford, Fall River and Providence
SMSA's to the south and west, and the Boston and Brockton SMSA's to the
north.
At the present time, these several cities and towns, including Taunton,
Middleborough, and Plymouth, are not included within any SMSA's.
Figure 13 defines the boundaries of the various regional planning dis-
tricts in the study area.
The figure indicates that the two major regional
planning groups in the State of Rhode Island have jurisdiction over the
entire State.
These two groups are the Rhode Island Development Council and
the Statewide Comprehensive Transportation and Land Use Planning Program.
The Statewide Planning Program is an inter-agency program sponsored in part
by the Rhode Island Development Council.
Together these agencies are respon-
sible for conducting planning functions throughout the State, including the
production of a comprehensive plan to guide the future development of the
-------
.. nos
C0aAl8CT1C.ioIT"
WORCESTER, MASS.
342.000
PRCVIDEiJCE-PAWTUCKET -
WARWICK, R.I.-MASS.
874,000
37
N
II
BOSTON.MASS.
2.655,000
BROCKTON.
MASS.
~8f),000
NEW BEDFORD, MASS.
148.000
.. 5
PL."".-
2D
If
00
I('LO"'ET~~~
FALL RIVER, MASS.-R.I.
146,500
&~-
FIGURE 12.
STANDARD METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS IN
RHODE ISLAND AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
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38
COWriY
COUNC 1L
~~
SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL
PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
DISTRICT
~....! I() 210
I(ILOMETC.~~
If
STATEWIDE
RHODE ISLAND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL &
COMPREHENS IVE TRANSPORT;.} IO:j A:m LAHD USE
PLANNING PROGRAM.
&--
FIGURE '3.
BOUNDARIES OF REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCIES pr
R'10DE ISLAND AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
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39
State.
Also, it is hoped that their efforts will lead to the establishment
of a permanent administrative and technical framework for inter-governmental
planning and cooperation on a continuing basis.
In southeastern Massachusetts. the Southeastern Regional Planning and
Economic Development District is the agency responsible for the preparation
of comprehensive regional plans and economic development programs.
The
District was formed in 1968 by legislative enactment.
It encompasses all
of the New Bedford SMSA as well as the entire Massachusetts portion of the
Fall River SMSA.
In addition. it includes within its jurisdiction four
Massachusetts cities and towns which are also in the Providence SMSA, and
all those remaining jurisdictions in southeastern Massachusetts (excepting
Halifax) which are not included in any SMSA's.
The District has been
directed to conduct studies of the resources, problems and needs of the
region and to make recommendations for the physical, social and economic
improvement of the region.
The District is further required to conduct
research and surveys for the purpose of formulating regional goals related
to the comprehensive physical, social and economic improvement of the region.
Contiguous to the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Develop-
ment District are the Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) and the Metropolitan
Area Planning Council (MAPC).
To the north of Rhode Island, and contiguous
to the MAPC, is the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission.
Together these regional planning districts include all the communities in
the area of concern with the exception of Wrentham and Plainville at the
northeast corner of Rhode Island, and the town of Halifax located to the
northwest of Plymouth.
Figure 14 shows the boundary of the recently established Metropolitan
Boston Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.
The boundaries of the
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40
-....
--
N
I!
<> 5
MP
I()
Z1>
If
I(ILO"'En~~
&~
FIGURE 14. ':E'.l'ROPOLITAN DO::;TuN INTRASTATE AIR
QUALITY CONTROL REGION.
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41
Metropolitan Boston Region closely approximate the combined boundaries of
the MAPC and the OCPC.
The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic
Development District is contiguous to the entire southern border of the
Boston Air Quality Control Region with the exception of the border around
the town of Halifax.
Also, the towns of Plainville, Wrentham, and Franklin,
which are members of the Providence SMSA, are contiguous to the Metropolitan
Boston Region.
Any effort to establish boundaries for the Providence Region
should take into account the boundary locations of the Boston Air Quality
Control Region.
EXISTING AIR POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAMS AND LEGISLATION
In the process of defining the bounds of an air quality control region
it becomes important to consider the role of existing State and local air
pollution control programs.
It is also important to review pertinent
legislation which allows for the promulgation of air pollutant control
regulations and which grants enforcement powers to agencies at the State
and local levels.
Such analysis is critical since the ultimate responsibility
for implementing region-wide air quality standards rests upon State and local
programs.
Responsibility for the control of air pollution in Massachusetts rests
with the State Department of Public Health.
The State Legislature has
authorized the Department to adopt (minimum) State-wide air pollution
regulations.
The application of such regulations was intended for air
pollutant emissions arising from State institutions, mobile sources, sources
causing inter-municipal pollution effects, and sources which could and should
be controlled by other agencies, but are not.
The Department has the authority
to approve rules and regulations promulgated by local control bodies, and
are further authorized to advise local control bodies in all matters of
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42
atmospheric pollution.
Existing law gives local boards of health the
authority to adopt and enforce air pollution rules and regulations (subject
to the approval of the State Department of Public Health).
The State Department of Public Health may, upon request of the board
of health of a town adversely affected by atmospheric pollution from another
town, assume joint jurisdiction to regulate or control such cause of air
pollution.
Enabling legislation passed in 1960 authorizes the Department
of Public Health, upon request of two or more contiguous municipalities
within the State, to establish multi-municipal regional air pollution control
districts.
Such districts have been established in the Boston and Springfield
metropolitan areas in accordance with this legislation.
Rules and regulations
to prevent and control pollution within these districts have been adopted
by the Department.
The Department has the authority to order the cessation
or abatement of any violations of these regulations, subject to penalty.
Recently, the Governor of Massachusetts proposed legislative
action
which would enable the State Depart~ent of Public Health to meet more easily
the requirements of the Federal Air Quality Act.
The proposed legislation
would enable the Department of Public Health to establish additional air
pollution control districts and further, would allow for the alteration of
existing districts in the State so that they would be compatible with
Federally designated air quality control regions.
Proposed legislation would
also authorize
air pollution inspections and would provide for the issuance
of warrants for such inspections when consent is refused.
In addition, the
Department of Public Health would be given greater enforcement powers to
prevent and control air pollution from other public agencies.
Legislation
has also been proposed with respect to fuel additives, open burning and solid
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43
waste disposal, and emission control devices on automobiles.
The Rhode Island Clean Air Act, which formed the Division of Air
Pollution Control within the State Department of Health, went into effect
on January 1, 1967.
Under this Act the new Division was given sole
responsibility for achieving air quality throughout the entire State of
Rhode Island.
All existing municipal air pollution control agencies ceased
to operate.
T.he law created a 5 member Advisory Air Pollution Board whose
duty is to advise the Director of the State Department of Health concerning
policies, plans, and goals in relation to the administration of the law, and
to submit recommendations to the Director.
The Director is required to exercise
general supervision of the administration and enforcement of the law and
all rules and regulations promulgated under the law.
He is directed to
develop programs for the prevention, control, and abatement of atmospheric
pollution and to promulgate air quality standards for the State or any
region or district of the State.
It is the Director's duty to advise,
consult, and cooperate with the cities and towns and other agencies of the
State, Federal Government, and other States and interstate agencies in
carrying out air pollution control.
The Director is also given authority
to promulgate rules and regulations for the control of air pollution, to
inspect public and private property, to conduct hearings, to require the
prior submission of plans relating to pollutant producing facilities, and
to determine the emission of air cODtaminants from premises through means
of testing.
Six basic regulations have been established which apply on a uniform
State-wide basis.
Among these regulations are included control of visual
emissions, dusts and fumes, particulate matter, and other airborne nuisances.
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44
SUMMARY
The metropolitan Providence and southeastern Massachusetts study area
includes several core cities--Providence, Rhode Island, and Fall River and
New Bedford, Massachusetts--as well as the surrounding developed areaS
associated with each of these core cities.
The combined urban area encompasses
most of eastern Rhode Island as well as a broad area in Massachusetts
bordering the coast and the State of Rhode Island.
Much of western Rhode
Island remains non-urban.
Similarly a band of Massachusetts communities
stretching eastward from Mansfield to Plymouth remains only moderately
developed.
These Massachusetts communities are not related directly to any
surrounding core cities.
They are included within the jurisdiction of the
Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District, however,
along with those cities and towns in the Fall River and New Bedford metro-
politan areas.
In addition the Southeastern Planning District includes
many of those Massachusetts cities and towns considered as part of metro-
politan Providence.
In Rhode Island, existing regional planning groups have jurisdiction
over
the entire State.
In addition, air pollution control in Rhode Island
is
effected solely at the State level.
The minimum desirable extent of the Region based on a consideration of
urban factors would be the combined area of the Providence, New Bedford,
and Fall River SMSA's.
However, existing regional planning is conducted by
several agencies for the entire southeastern Massachusetts region as well as
for the entire State of Rhode Island.
The boundaries of these planning
regions serve as better guides for the Region boundaries if long-range air
quality goals are considered.
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45
THE PROPOSED REGION
Subject to the scheduled consultation, the Secretary,
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, proposes to designate
an air quality control region for the Providence, Rhode Island and
South~astern Massachusetts interstate area.
The proposed Region
consists of the following jurisdictions:
The Entire State of Rhode Island
In the State of Massachusetts:
Cities
Attleboro
Fall River
New Bedford
Taunton
Towns
Acushnet
Bellingham
Berkley
Blackstone
Bourne
Carver
Dartmouth
Dighton
Fairhaven
Franklin
Freetown
Halifax
Kingston
Lakeville
Mansfield
Marion
Mattapoisett
Middleborough
Millville
North Attleborough
Norton
Plainville
Plymouth
Plympton
Raynham
Rehoboth
Rochester
Sandwich
Seekonk
Somerset
Swansea
Wareham
Westport
Wrentham
As so proposed, the Metropolitan Providence Interstate Air
Quality Control Region would consist of the territorial area
encompassed by the outermost boundaries of the above jurisdictions
and the territorial area of all municipalities located therein and
as defined in Section 302(f) of the Clean Air Act, 42 D.S.C. l857h(f).
Figure 15 shows the boundaries of the proposed Region while Figure 16
indicates the geographic relationship of the Region to surrounding
areas.
-------
Co--.C.T'c.."'T
46
N
~
..
o ,
P'W"...-
to
210
If
I(ILO"'ET"II!~
/k--
FIGURE 1.).
lJROPc.:SED ;~EiROPULITAN PROVIDENCE INTERSTATE
AIR QUALITY CONTROL REGION.
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FIGURE 16. RELATIONSHIP OF PROPOSED METROPOLITAN
PROVIDENCE INTERSTATE AIR QUALITY
CONTROL REGION TO SURROUNDING AREAS.
NEW YORK
PROPOSED HARTFORD-SPRINGFIELD
INTERSTATE AQCR
PENNSYLVANIA
VIRGINIA
METROPOLITAN BOSTON
INTRASTATE AQCR.
PROPOSED METROPOLITAN
PROVIDENCE INTERSTATE AQCR
NEW JERSEY-NEW YORK-CONNECTICUT
INTERSTATE AQCR
METROPOLITAN PHILADELPHIA
INTERSTATE AQCR
PROPOSED METROPOLITAN BALTIMORE
INTRASTATE AQCR
NATIONAL CAPITAL INTERSTATE AQCR
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DISCUSSION OF PROPOSAL
To implement a successful air resource management program, an air
quality control region should be sufficiently large So as to encompass
most pollution Sources as well as most people and property affected by
those
sources.
The boundaries should also encompass those locations
where present development creates, or where projected urbanization and
industr~ization will create, significant air pollution problems.
Finally, the boundaries chosen should be compatible with the existing
intentions of the State agencies to effect air pollution control on an
areawide basis.
The proposed region boundaries should serve to reinforce
the exercise of State air pollution control in multi-municipal districts
where such districts exist.
In addition, the region boundaries selected
should serve to strengthen the working relationship of inter-State or
State-local governmental jurisdictions.
Hopefully too, the proposed
region will serve to foster such multi-jurisdictional relationships as a
vehicle for cooperative regional governmental administration of the air
resource.
The problem of air pollution is one in which harmful pollutants are
emitted from identifiable sources and are subsequently transported over
large areas to detrimentally affect people and property.
The locations
of these pollutant sources and receptors are definable.
A pollutant
source-emissions inventory was conducted over the Providence, Rhode Island,
and southeastern Massachusetts interstate area.
The majority of the
quantities of sulfur dioxide, total particulates, and carbon monoxide
emitted were attributable to industrial, power generation, residential,
transportation (road vehicles), and open-burning sources.
The geographic
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pattern of pollutant emissions reflected the pattern of urbanization over
the study area since these source types themselves are an integral part of
the urban pattern.
Pollutants were thus emitted in greatest,quantities
in the major cities of Rhode Island-Providence. Pawtucket, Warwick, and
Cranston--and southeastern Massachusetts--Fall River and New Bedford.
It
is in these cities. or in their immediate vicinities. that population,
industry, and dwelling unit concentrations are greatest. and where
pollutant producing human activity (e.g., motor vehicle traffic) is most
intense.
It is clear that these above-defined urban areas will necessarily
bear the heaviest burden of pollutant concentrations in the ambient air.
Transport of this pollution affects the air over larger geographic areas,
though to a lesser degree. than in the urban core areas.
Some means of
measuring air quality is thus necessary in order to determine the extent
of the area affected.
A meteorological diffusion model, which predicts air quality based
on meteoro~~cal and emissions input parameters. was used to determine the
geographic dispersion patterns of the various pollutants.
The importance
of the model in this study was to predict spatial
distributions of
pollutant concentrations in the atmosphere, and to predict relative con-
centrations.
Winter season dispersion patterns for S02 and total
particulates reveal an elongation of the equal-concentration contours on
a northwest-southeast axis.
This axis follows a line from Providence to
Fall River and New Bedford.
The transport of pollutants from the source
areas is primarily toward the east.
Thus, pollutant transport is greatest
from Rhode Island to Massachusetts. while transport from the Fall River and
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New Bedford areas affects additional Massachusetts cities and towns to the
north and east.
This same trend in pollutant dispersion toward the eastern
quadrants is typified by the Summer season CO diffusion pattern.
Measured air quality data for the study area is limited in the length
of time for which sampling has occured, in the variety of pollutants
sampled for, and to the geographic extent of sampling networks.
As a
result, few conclusions regarding the desired out~r limits of the Region
can be reached from existing air quality data.
In summary, the engineering evaluation indicates that an interstate
region-wide air pollution problem, which includes the Providence, Rhode
Island, and Fall River and New Bedford, Massachusetts metropolitan areas;
existS. Based on pollutant Source locations, the smallest logical air
pollution control region should include an area approximating the SMSA's
of these three cities.
A consideration of pollutant receptors requires
that this area be enlarged in size, though the limited pollutant emission
survey area, the lack of reliable air quality information, and the USe of
city and town boundaries in defining the region makes this area deter-
mination more difficult.
As a result, it becomes desirable to find
Some other bases upon which the Region boundaries may be established.
The procedure of the National Air Pollution Control Administration
in designating air quality control regions is to define region boundaries,
where feasible, corresponding or at least compatible with State
estab-
lished planning and development regions.
The importance of a Federally
designated region which is geographically compatible with a State defined
region or regions will be realized subsequent to the designation of the air
quality control region, when standards of ~ir quality must be set, and
an implementation plan must be devised to achieve the air quality goal.
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The various regional planning agencies may be capable of providing
assistance in the development of air quality standards and implementation
plans which recognize the close relationship between air quality manage-
ment and fields such as transportation, land-use patterns, solid waste
disposal, etc.
Important, too, is a consideration of State and local air pollution
control programs and their approach to a regional management of the air
resource.
Since the ultimate responsibility for implementing region-
wide air quality standards rests with the official State agencies, it is
desirable to designate region boundaries compatible with functional State-
designated air pollution control districts, where they exist.
In the State of Rhode Island, Planning is conducted on a Statewide
basis by the Rhode Island Development Council and the Statewide Compre-
hensive Transportation and Land Use Planning Program.
In addition, air
pollution control within Rhode Island exists only at the State level.
No municipal control agencies exist.
For these reasons, the entire State
has been proposed for inclusion in the Region.
In Massachusetts, virtually the entire southeastern portion of
the State is under the jurisdiction of the Southeastern Regional Planning
and Economic Development District.
It would be most sensible to expand
the Massachushetts portion of the Providence, and the Fall River and New
Bedford SMSA areas to the boundaries of the Southeastern Planning District.
The inclusion of this area in the Region provides for additional growth,
which will be substantial in the presently moderately developed areas.
Such a Region would be contiguous to most of the southern border of the
recently established Metropolitan Boston Intrastate Air Quality Control
Region.
The town of Halifax, which is not in the Boston Air Quality
Control Region or in the Southeastern Planning District, has been included
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in
the proposal along with the jurisdictions within the District.
Six towns in Massachusetts (Plainville, Wrentham, Franklin, Bellingham,
Blackston, and Millville) are members of the Providence SMSA but are not
under the jurisdiction of the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic
Development District.
Plainville and Wrentham are not presently included
in any regional planning agency.
Franklin and Bellingham are members of
the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, while Blackstone and Millville are
members of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission.
These
six towns have been included in the proposal for the Providence Region,
however.
Bellingham, Franklin, Millville, and Blackstone have been
recommended for inclusion since their social and economic relationship to
Providence is greater than to the central city--Boston or Worcester--of
the planning regions to which they belong.
Also, they are closely tied
to a common air pollution problem with the remainder of metropolitan
Providence, as the engineering evaluation has shown.
For similar reasons,
the towns of Plainville and Wrentham have been included in the proposal.
The towns of Bourne and Sandwich have been proposed as part of the
Region since a power plant is presently located in the town of Sandwich.
These towns can at present be considered non-urban.
However, the inclusion
the
preserve/air of presently
of these jurisdictions in the Region should help to
acceptable quality within them.
As is true of most efforts to draw boundaries around an area to
differentiate it from its surroundings, there is always a likelihood of
boundary conditions existing or developing.
In the case of air quality
control regions, such a boundary condition would exist where sources of
pollution on one side of the region boundary affect in some real way air
quality on the other side of the boundary.
Relocating the boundary would
only rarely provide relief from this condition.
The solution is to be found
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in
the way in which control efforts are implemented following the
designation of an air quality control region.
Consonant with the
basic objective of providing desirable air quality within the problem
area being designated as an air quality control region, the implementation
plan that follows the designation should have provisions for the control
of sources located close to but beyond the region boundaries.
The level
of control for such sources should be a function of, among
other factors,
the degree to which emissions from sources cause air quality levels to
exceed the standards chosen for application within the air quality control
region.
The boundaries of the Metropolitan Providence Interstate Region
were selected so as to minimize the p0tlutant transport boundary problems
mentioned above.
In summary,
the Region proposed is considered on the whole to be
the most cohesive and yet inclusive area within which an effective
regional effort can be mounted to prevent and control air pollution in
the Rhode Island and Massachusetts interstate area.
Official designation
of this Region will follow the consultation with appropriate State and
local officials, and after due consideration of comments presented for
the record at the consultation or of those received by the Commissioner
of the National Air Pollution Control Administration.
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APPENDIX A.
DESCRIPTION OF DIFFUSION MODEL
The diffusion model is based on the Gaussian diffusion equation,
1,2 4
described by Pasquill and modified for long-term averages3, for
application to the multiple-source situation typical of an urban complex.
The basic'equation assumed that the concentration of a pollutant within
a plume has a Gaussian distribution about the plume centerline in the
vertical and horizontal directions.
The dispersion of the plume is a
function of the emission rate, effective Source and receptor heights,
atmospheric stability and the distance from the source.
The plume is
assumed to move downwind according to the mean wind.
The model was used to predict concentrations of S02' and CO, and
total suspended particulates.
The averaging times were the Summer and
winter seasons and the year.
In order that the theoretical pollutant
levels could be determined, it was necessary to evaluate certain meteoro-
logical input parameters.
These parameters are wind direction and frequency
of occurrence in each direction, effective wind speeds for each direction,
and mixing depths for various averaging times.
Figure I-A shows the wind roses for the summer, winter, and year
for the Providence area.*
They represent graphically the frequency of
occurrence of the wind from the various compass directions.
This data,
along with effective wind spe~ds for the respective commpass directions was
used as input data to the computerized model.
The characteristic
prevailing wind directions for each of the averaging times as depicted
*U.S. Weather Bureau Data for T.F. Green Airport, Warwick, Rhode Island, 1951
through 1960.
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WINTER
SUMMER
ANNUAL
PER CENT FREQUENCY
OF OCCURENCE
10
15
FIGURE I-A.
WIND DIRECTION PER CENT FREQUENCY OF OCCURENCE
FOR VARIOUS AVERAGING TIMES.
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by the length of the wind rose radials, produce a direct influence over
the dispersion of pollutants.
Table I-A shows average mixing depths for the winter, summer, and
annual averaging periods.*
A significant diurnal variation in the mixing
depth is indicated.
These mixing depths define the volume of air above
the surface through which pollutants are allowed to mix, and are assumed
to have no spatial variation (i.e., mixing depth is constant) over the
receptor grid system.
Table I-A
Average Mixing Depths for Providence
by Season and Time of Day (meters)
Average, Morning
Season Morning Average Afternoon Average and Afternoon
Winter 705 825 765
Summer 405 1085 745
Annual 572 952 762
(four seasons)
The diffusion model was used to compute the ground level concentrations
of pollutants at 225 receptor points.
Their locations were defined by an
orthogonal grid system with mest points 15 kilometers apart.
This grid,
210 km. on a side, was centered in the City of Providence.
An effective
Source height of 75 meters ~,~~ assumed for all pollutant point sources,
while topographical features were neglected for area-source emissions and
for the 225 receptor points.
*Computed mixing depths documented by HOlzvorth5,6 and by recent
furnished to the Meteorological Program, NAPCA, by the National
Record Center, ESSA.
tabulations
Weather
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APPENDIX A.
REFERENCES
1.
Pasquill, F. "The Estimation of the Dispersion of Windborne
Material," Meteorology Magazine, 90, 33-49, 1961
2.
Pasquill, F. Atmospheric Diffusion, Van Nostrand Co., New
York, New York, 190 pp., 1962.
3.
Publ ic Heal th Service. Workbook of Atmosphe ric Dispersio;",
Estimates. Publication No. 999-AP-26, Environmental Health
Series, U.S. DHEW, National Center for Air Pollution Control,
Cincinnati, Ohio, 1967.
4.
Martin, D.O., Tikvart, J.A. "A General Atmoshperic Diffusion
Model for Estimating the Effects on Air Quality of one or
More Sources," Paper No. 68-148, 61st Annual Meeting, APCA,
St. Paul, Minnesota, June 1968.
5.
Holzworth, G.C. "Mixing Depths, Wind Speeds and Air Pollution
Potential for Selected Locations in the United States,"
J. Appl. Meteor., No.6, pp. 1039-1044, December 1967.
6.
Holzworth, G,C. "Estimates of Mean Maximum Mixing Depths in
the Continguous United States," Mon. Weather Rev, 92, No.5,
pp. 235-242, May 1964.
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