REPORT FOR CONSULTATION
ON THE
CHAMPLAIN VALLEY
INTERSTATE AIR QUALITY CONTROL REGION
(VERMONT-NEW YORK)
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
Public Health Service
Environmental Health Service
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REPORT FOR CONS ULTATION
ON THE
CHAMPLAIN VALLEY
INTERSTATE AIR QUALITY CONTROL REGION
(VERMONT-NEW YORK)
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
Public Health Service
Environmental Health Service
National Air Pollution Control Administration
March 1970
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION I: THE REGIONAL APPROACH TO AIR QUALITY CONTROL AND
A FEDERAL PROPOSAL FOR THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY REGION
PR.EFACE ................................. 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TlIE REGIONA.L APPROA.CH .................0..................
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . '. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Designation of Air Quality Control Regions ............
Procedure for Designation of R~gions................
'l11e Size of a Region...............................
THE FEDERAL PROPOSAL FOR THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY REGION
SECTION II: ANALYSIS AND PROPOSAL FOR THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY
REGION BY THE STATE OF VERMONT
INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY REGIONAL SETTING ....................
Regional
Physical Characteristics .....................
Regional
Populat~on Patterns..........................
Regional Transportation System ........................
Regional
Ec anomy. . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recreat ional Act i vit ies .......................... ',' . . .
Projected Growth of Recreational Activities ...........
EXISTING AIR POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM ...................
EVALUATION OF TECHNICAL FACTORS ..........................
RECOMMENDATION BY VERMONT FOR THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY
AIR QUALITY CONTROL REGION...............................
page
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vi
vi
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xv
1
2
2
2
5
6
9
11
13
15
16
24
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SECTION I
THE REGIONAL APPROACH TO AIR QUALITY CONTROL AND
A FEDERAL PROPOSAL FOR THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY
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iv
PREFACE
The Clean Air Act, as amended, directs the Secretary of Health,
Education, and Welfare to designate "air quality control regions"
to provide a basis for the adoption of regional air quality
standards and the implementation of those standards.
The Act
stipulates that the designation of a region shall be preceded by
consultation with appropriate State and local authorities.
This
report is intended to provide background material for the consulta~
tion.
It proposes boundaries for the Champlain Valley Interstate
Air Quality Control Region and discusses the faetors which are the
basis of the boundary proposal.
~he National Air Pollution Control Administration (NAPCA)
recently established, a new policy by which States may propose
to the Federal Government boundaries for air quality control
regions.
Vermont is the second State to initiate proposals for
region boundaries under the new policy. The Vermont State
Department of Health, with assistance from NAPCA, has conducted
a study of the Champlain Valley area, the results of which are
presented in the body of this report.
The Region boundaries
proposed in the report reflect consideration of available and
pertinent data; however, the boundaries remain subject to
revision suggested by consultation between Federal, State, and
local authorities.
Formal designation of a Region will be made
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only after careful review of all opinions and suggestions submitted
during the consultation process.
This report is intended to serve
as the starting point for the consultation.
v
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vi
THE REGIONAL APPROACH
INTRODUCTION
Air pollution in the urban areas of the United States is
a regional problem which frequently extends across governmental
boundaries.
Therefore, successful control of air pollution re-
quires coordinated planning, standard s~tting, and enforcement
by the several governmental jurisdictions which share a
common problem.
At the present time, State and local governments
across the nation have only begun to develop a regional approach
to air pollution control.
The Clean Air Act, as amended, provides a regional approach
which depends upon coordination and cooperation between all
levels of government; municipal, county, State, and Federal.
To set in motion the machinery for regional air pollution
control, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare first
designates air quality control regions, issues air quality
criteria, and publishes reports on control techniques.
The
region designation indicates which State and local jurisdictions
will be involved in a regional air pollution control effort.
The air quality criteria indicate the extent to which various
concentrations of an air pollutant are harmful to health and
damaging to property.
The reports on control techniques provide
information on the costs and effectiveness of various techniques
for controlling air pollutant emissions.
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vii
After the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
completes these initial steps, State governments develop air
quality standards and plans for implementation of those standards
for the air quality control region.
An air quality standard
defines the desired limit on the concentration of a pollutant in
the ambient air of the region.
It represents the degree of air
quality which the regional control program will attempt to achieve.
An implementation plan is a blueprint of the steps which will be
taken to attain the chosen air quality standards within a reasonable
time.
The Governors have 90 days to submit letters indicating that
they intend to set standards, 180 days in addition to set the
standards, and 180 days further to develop plans for implementing
them.
The procedure for setting standards includes a public
hearing which allows residents of a region to express their views
concerning desired standards.
The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare reviews air
quality standards and implementation plans in order to ascertain
their consistency with the provisions of the Clean Air Act as
amended.
When air quality standards and implementation plans are
approved, States proceed to prevent and control air pollution in
accordance with those standards and plans.
This system for
establishing a regional approach to air pq~lution control is
depicted in the flow diagram in Figure A.
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HEW DESIGNATES
AI R QUALITY
CONTROL REGIONS.
HEW DEVELOPS AND
PUBLISHES AIR
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)
ST A TES SET
AI R QUALITY
STANDARDS
FOR THE AIR
QUALITY CONTROL
REGIONS.
STATES SUBMIT
STANDARDS FOR
HEW REVIEW.
<
....
....
....
STATES ESTABLISH
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
FuR IMPLEMENTiNG
AIR 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 A FLOW DIAGRAM FOR ACTION TO CONTROL AIR POLLUTION ON A REGIONAL
BASIS, UNDER THE AIR QUALITY ACT.
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ix
DESIGNATION OF AIR QUALITY CONTROL REGIONS
Designation of an air quality control region is one of the
first steps in the regional approach to air pollution control.
Section l07(a)(2) of the Clean Air Act, as amended, directs the
Secretary, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to make
such designations.
The portions of the section relevant to this
discussion state:
"...The Secretary, after consultation with
appropriate State and local authorities shall...
designate air quality control regions based on
jurisdictional boundaries, urban-industrial concen-
trations, and other factors including atmospheric
areas necessary to provide adequate .implementation
of air quality standards. The Secretary may...revise
the designation of such regions.... The Secretary shall
immediately notify the Governor or Governors of the
affected State or States of such designation."
Procedure for Designation of Regions
Figure B illustrates the procedures used by the National
Air Pollution Control Administration for designating air quality
control regions whose boundaries are proposed by the State.
States which wish to initiate a region designation may do so by
preparing a report recommending boundaries for the region and
justifying the recommendation in terms of engineering and urban
factors.
NAPCA will print the report prepared by the State along
with a section prepare~ by NAPCA reviewing the State recommendation
and offering NAPCA's own proposal for the region boundaries.
NAPCA
will distribute the combined report (such as this one) to interested
State and local authorities.
At the same time, NAPCA will set a
time and place for a consultation meeting, at which Federal, State,
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STATE INDICATES DESIRE TO CONSULTATION
HAVE A REGION DESIGNATED PARTICIPANTS:
...
--,... APPROPRIATE FEDERAL,
STATE, AND LOCAL
, , AUTHORITIES
STATE PREPARES REPORT REC-
OMMENDING REGION BOUNDARIES ~ r
(NAPCA ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE),
CONSIDERING SUCH FACTORS AS:
NAPCA RECOMMENDS BOUNDARIES
TO SECRETARY, DHEW
ENGINEERING EVALUATION NAPCA PRINTS REPORT FOR
.... CONSULTATION AND PUBLISHES
. POLLUTANT EMISSIONS -..
FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE
. TOPOG RAPHY " ,
OF PROPOSAl. REPORT MAILED TO
. METEOROLOGY STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES
. MEASURED AND ESTIMATED LEVELS SECRETARY, DHEW, FORMALLY
OF AIR QUALITY " DESIGNATES REGION AND GIVES
NOTICE BY:
URBAN FACTORS EVALUATION
. LETTER TO GOVERNOR
. POPULATION . LETTER TO GOVERNOR'S
. INDUSTRY OFFICIAL DESIGNEE
. EXISTING REGIONAL ARRANGEMENTS, . FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE
. JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES . PRESS RELEASE
Figure B FLOW DIAGRAM FOR STATE-INITIATED AIR QUALITY CONTROL REGIONS..
x
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xi
and local representatives will be encouraged to present fully
their views and suggestions concerning the State and Federal
proposals.
Interested parties who do not have official status
may submit comments in written form for'the record.
After careful
review of all suggestions and opinions submitted for the record,
the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare formally designates
the region, notifies the Governors affected by the designation,
and announces the boundaries in the Federal Register.
The Size of a Region
As stipulated in Section I07(a)(2), the designation of air
quality control regions should be based on "Jurisdictional
boundaries, urban-industrial concentrations, and other factors
including atmospheric areas necessary to provide adequate
implementation of air quality standards."
This language suggests
a number of objectives which 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 those sources.
In this
way, all the major elements of the regional problem will lie within
one. unified administrative jurisdiction.
Unfortunately, since air
,
pollutants can travel long distances, it is impractical if not
impossible to delineate regions which are completely self-contained.
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xii
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 po~lution generated within
a region and transported out of it can affect 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 trace 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
industrial and residential expansion are likely to create air
pollution problems in the 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
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xiii
of regions which will contain the sources and receptors of
regional air pollution for a number of years to come.
Of
course, 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
compatible with and even foster unified and cooperative governmental
administration of the air resource throughout the region.
Air
pollution is a regional problem which often 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.
Occasionally, even this would be impractical due
to a county's large size, wide variation in level of development,
or striking topographical features.
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x~
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.
As noted above, the evaluation of relevant engineering
factors and urban factors forms the basis of the boundary
proposals.
The evaluation of engineering factors is designed to
indicate the location of pollution sources and the geographic
extent of serious pollutant concentrations in the ambient air.
Pollution sources are located by taking an inventory of emissions
from automobiles, industrial activities, space heating, waste
disposal, and other pollution generators.
The transport and
distribution of pollutants in the ambient air are analyzed on the
basis of measured air quality data, th~ location of emissions,
meteorological data, and topographic information.
A mathematical
diffusion model which predicts ambient pollution concentrations
from information on emissions and meteorology can be used in areas
where irregular topographical features would not invalidate the
theoretical model.
As a whole, the engineering study indicates
how large the air quality control region must be in order to
encompass most pollution. sources and most people and property
affected by those sources.
The study of urban factors encompasses non-engineering
considerations.
It reviews existing governmental jurisdictions,
the location of urban and industrial considerations, expected
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xv
patt"erns of urban growth, cooperative regional arrangements,
existing State and local air pollution control programs, and other
associated factors.
As a whole, the study of urban factors is
designed to indicate how large a region must be in order to
encompass expected regional growth and to encourage cooperation
among political units in controlling air pollution.
The body' of this report, compiled by the Vermont State
Department of Health, contains a propos~l for the boundaries of
the Champlain Valley Int~rstate Air Quality Control Region, and
outlines the evaluation of engineering and urban factors which
was the basis of the proposal.
THE FEDERAL PROPOSAL FOR THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY REGION
Subject to the scheduled consultation, the Secretary, Department
of Health, Education, and Welfare, proposes to designate an air
quality control region for the Champlain Valley area, consisting
of the territory encompassed by the following jurisdictions:
In the State of Vermont:
Addison County
Chittenden County
Grand Isle County
Franklin County
Rutland County
In the State of New York
Clinton County
Essex County
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xvi
The proposed boundaries, illustrated in Figure C, encompass the
recommendation by the State of Vermont presented in Section II
of this report, and inclu~e two additional counties from the
State of New York.
The following discussion will outline the
reasons for adding the two New York counties to the Vermont
recommendation.
First, the topographic map in Figure D shows that Clinton and
Essex Counties are naturally part of the Champlain Valley.
The
Champlain Valley is about 100 miles long, and 40 to 50 miles wide.
It is bounded on the East by the Green Mountains, and on the West
by the Adirondack Mountains.
Both of these mountain chains have
peaks which extend more than 4,000 feet above sea level.
Lake
Champlain, which is in the center of the Champlain Valley, is less
than 100 feet above sea level.
The Valley becomes increasingly
narrow towards the southern end, closed in by a number of hills
located just northwest of Lake George and by additional hills just
west of Rutland.
The topography of the Champlain Valley was one
of the basic factors behind the recommendation made by the State
of Vermont, as Section II of this report indicates.
The Vermont
recommendation includes all of those Vermont counties which have
some significant portion in the Champlain Valley.
The topography
of the Valley requires the addition of the two New York counties
which also share the basin.
Second, the largest sources of air pollution in the Champlain
Valley are located near the interstate boundary.
For example,
sources in Burlington, located less than five miles from the
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~. ".."~ .
NEW
FRANKLIN
FIGURE G.
PROPOSED BOUNDARIES
FOR THE
CHAMPLAIN VALLEY
INTERSTATE AIR QUALITY
REGION
. . ~j
',~",i
xvii
CANADA
YO R K
ORLEANS
CLILttON
ESSEJC
N
WARREN
1
p
1°
Miles
~o
WINDHAM
CONTROL
NEW
YORK
MASSACHUSE TTS
r: .~~. , ,1--
".. ,.
~
- ,
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xviii
CANADA
~~:;i Areas Over 1,500 Feet
Above Mean Sea Level
ORLEANS
NEW
YORK
N
1
FIGURE D.
o
.
\0
Hiles
~o
TOPOGRAPHY
NEW
YORK
I -;-
./'..
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xix
interstate boundary, account for a significant portion of emissions
from Vermont.
The paper mill at Ticonderoga, which was the subject
of an air pollution abatement conference in 1965 is about 2 miles
from the boundary.
Plattsburg, which has an Air Force base, is
less than five miles from the boundary.
The fact that the major
air pollution sources are close to the interstate boundary
increases the amount of pollution transported across the boundary,
and accentuates the interstate nature of ' air pollution in the
Champlain Valley.
Third, population and industrial growth in the Champlain
Valley will tend to locate along Lake Champlain, in order to take
advantage of the abundant water resources, inexpensive land, and
modern transportation facilities to major market areas.
Residential and industrial development will create new air
pollution sources, and since these sources will gravitate
towards the shores of Lake Champlain, they will necessarily be
located near the inter.state boundary.
Therefore, future develop-
ment of the Champlain Valley will add to the interstate transport
of air pollution.
Fourth, the recreational resources of the Champlain Valley,
which are an important economic asset to the area, must be
considered as a whole.
It is not possible to attract vacationers
and tourists by protecting one half of the Valley if the air
resources and other natural features of the other half are allowed
to deteriorate.
Designating the whole 'of the Champlain Valley
as the Air Quality Control Region is basic to protecting a vital
and growing economic interest.
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xx
Only a limited amount of measured air quality data is
available for the Champlain Valley area.
Only particulate
pollution has been systematically measured for long-time
periods, and even particulate pollution has been measured at
only two locations, one in Burlington and one in Plattsburg.
The results appear to indicate that particulate pollution in
the Valley is not serious at the present time.
During 1968 the
annual average concentration at Burlington was 44 micrograms per
cubic meter, and recent sampling at Plattsburg revealed concen-
trations somewhat below the Burlington levels.
In view of this,
the establishment of an air quality control region for the Champlain
Valley may help prevent deterioration of the regional air quality,
and protect the attractiveness of the region to vacationers and
new industry.
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SECTION II
ANALYSIS AND PROPOSAL FOR THE CHAMPLAIN
VALLEY REGION BY THE STATE OF VERMONT
/,
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2
INTRODUCTION
In this section the State of Vermont will present its analysis
and proposal for the Champlain Valley Air Quality Control Region.
The discussion will consider the Champlain Valley Regional
setting in terms of regional geographic and topographic
characteristics, regional population patterns, regional economic
factors, and regional governmental activities.
In addition,
technical factors related to regional air pollution will be
presented.
Based on the various considerations'.reported in this section)
the State of Vermont recommends that the Champlain Valley Air
Quality Control Region be designated to include five counties in
Vermont:
Addison, Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle, and Rutland.
THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY REGIONAL SETTING
Re~ional Physical Characteristics
A presentation of the regional physical characteristics of the
Champlain Valley begins logically with a'geographic orientation
to the area.
Lake Champlain extends for about 100 miles in a
north-south direction and defines the western border of Vermont
along most of its length.
It is about 12 miles wide at Burlington,
and less than 1 mile wide at the southern end.
Montreal, a city
of about 3 million people, lies approximately 40 miles to the
north of Lake Champlain.
Approximately 60 miles to the south of
the lake lies Albany, Schenectady, and Troy, with a combined
population of about 700,000 residents.
The largest population
center along the lake is Burlington, Vermont, with about 40,000
res idents .
The Champlain Valley has the same north-south
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3
orientation as the lake. .The valley is generally 40 to 50 miles
wide, and extends for more than 100 miles.
The northern end of
the valley leads into the plains of the Montreal area.
The
southern end of the Champlain Valley connects with the valley
formed by Lake George, which in turn connects to the Hudson
River Valley extending all the way south to New York City.
Thus,
although Lake Champlain flows north and the Hudson River flows
south, the valleys formed by these two watersheds create what is
essentially a single trench extending from the Montreal area to
New York City.
The Green Mountains, shown in Figurel define the
eastern border of the Champlain Valley.
The figure shows that
Grand Isle, Franklin, Chittenden, and Addison Counties are almost
completely within the valley area.
The northwestern portions of
Rutland County are also part of the Champlain Valley.
In
contrast, Lamoille, Washington, Windham, and Bennington Counties
are separated from the Valley by the Green Mountains.
Lake
Champlain and the valley areas are from 100 to 500 feet above
sea level, while peaks along the Green Mountain chain rise to
over 4,000 feet above sea level.
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4
CANADA
NEW
V E RM
FRANKLIN
YORK
«
FIG URE
1.
Shaded Areas Have An
Elevation Higher Than
1,500 Feet.
MASSACHUSE TTS
N
1
o
.
\0
Miles
2P
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5
Regional Population Patterns
About 45% of Vermont's population resides in the Champlain
Valley basin, even though the basin contains only about 25% of the
State's land area.
The largest urban center in the basin is
Burlington, which has approximately 40,000 residents within the
City limits, and another 30,000 in the surrounding areas.
Rutland
and St. A1bans are smaller urban areas, with approximately 20,000
residents and 10,000 residents respectively.
Outside of Burlington,
Rutland, and St. Albans, most of the land within the Champlain
Valley is sparsely populated.
Present population and population
projections are tabulated in Table I by county for the five
counties in the study area.,
TABLE I.
PRESENT POPULATION AND POPULATION PROJECTIONS
County ~ 1980 1990
,
Addison 21,000 27,500 33,800
Chittenden 91,800 132,400 161,600
Franklin 29,500 38,300 46,400
Grand Isle 3,800 5,000 5,500
Rutland 51,600 60,200 68,500
These estimates and projections were made by the planning
commissions of the various counties.. The Central Planning
Office of the State of Vermont has estimated the urban develop-
ment pattern for 1975 based on present trends in population,
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6
as shown in Figure 2.
Both the State and the County population
projections indicated a large potential for urban growth in the
five counties which constitute the Champlain Valley.
A recent
report on the New England Economy prepared by Arthur D. Little
and Co., Inc., projected for 1980 a 52% increase in population
of the four northern-most counties of the study area, compared
to a 30% increase estimated by the county planning commissions.
New England as a whole was expected to register only a 26%
increase in population during the same period, according to
the report.
Regional Transportation System
The greatest single factor in the expansion of the regional
economy in the Champlain Valley has been the development of the
interstate highway system, shown in Figure 3.
The completion
of the last 40 miles of U.S. Interstate Route 89 is scheduled
for the summer of 1970; this will link the northwestern
section of Vermont with the major market areas of Montreal,
New York City, Boston, Providence,- and Philadelphia.
These
links will facilitate the movement of foodstuffs and manu-
factured goods from production sites in Vermont to market
areas.
Furthermore, these highways will provide direct acc~ss
to the recreational resources of Vermont which will be in
greater and greater demand as urbanization along the Eastern
Seaboard and availability of leisure time increase.
At the
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7
N
A
o
l
15
J
MILES
FIGURE 2
URBAN DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS
IF PRESENT TRENDS CONTINUE
1975
MJ~SSACHUSETTS
. ,
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,',
8
lEGEND
- Interstate system
- Connecting routes
/
,
I
(
I
,
I
.
.
I
c
A
N
A
D
A
OTTAWA 0---------
/
/
/
/
/
./.
./
...-
-
--
.
.
...;..-------
/'
.
,
--------
~
'q
~
(,
C)
(, +
N
\ r
'(
~
l-
f
A
FIGURE 3.
INTERSTATE
THE
HIGHWAY
SYSTEM
IN
NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES
VA.
AND
IMPORTANT CONNECTING ROUTES TO VERMONT
BY THE
VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS
HIGHWAY PLANNING DIVISION
SCALE: I INCH: APPROX 70 MILES
. 1964
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present time more than 31 million Americans and Canadians live
within two hundred miles of Vermont, according to estimates
published by the Central Planning Office shown in Table II.
By 1985 it is expected that between 37.5 million to 41.5 million
people will reside within two hundred miles of Vermont.
The
impact of urban residents seeking non-urban recreational
opportunities will undoubtedly become more and more important
to the economy of Vermont in the future.
TABLE II.
POPULATION WITHIN 100 AND 200 MILES OF VERMONT
(MILLIONS)
1966
100 Miles
200 Miles
United States
Canada
8.5
...1d
12.0
26.0
5.0
31.0
1985. High Estimate
United States
Canada
11.0
5.0
16.0
34.0
7.5
41.5
1985. Low Estimate
United States
Canada
10.0
4.5
. 14.5
30.5
..1...&
37.5
Regional Economy
The Champlain Valley plays an important role in the economy
of Vermont.
The recent location and gr~wth of several large
national companies in the Burlington area has made the Champlain
9
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10
Valley a leading industrial center in the State.
Middlebury
College, the University of Vermont, and St. Michaelis College serve
as the intellectual and cultural centers of the State.
The Green
Mountains on the eastern boundary of the Valley have attracted
the development of extensive winter recreational facilities.
Lake Champlain, to the west of the Va1ly area~ attracts summer
tourists.
Furthermore, agricultural activities are still
important in the Champlain Valley area even though they have
declined in importance in the State as a whole.
In the recent report by Arthur D. Little, New England;
An Economic Analysis, the State of Vermont was divided into
various sub regions for the purpose of analysis.
The four
northwestern counties, Grand Isle, Franklin, Chittenden, and
Addison, composed a sub-region.
Manufacturing in this subregion
accounted for about 45% of the employment du~ing 1966, a lower
percentage than that for New England as a whole.
Trade
accounted for about 25% of the employment, a higher percentage
than for New England as a whole.
Services and Construction each
accounted for about 9% of the sub-region's employment.
Agricultural
activities in the sub-region generated 46 million dollars worth of
produce in 1964, and made the sub-region the fifth most important
in New England for this economic category.
In fact, the milk
output from the dairies in the Champlain Valley constitute a major
portion of the Boston mi1kshed.
Agriculture in the Champlain Valley
has resisted the trend of decreasing farm activity in other portions
of Vermont, as ref~ected in the data in Table III.
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11
TABLE III
TRENDS IN VERMONT FARMING
~
Proportion of
Land in Farms
1850
1900
1925
1950
1964
717d
.8170
67%
59%
43%
Source:
Central Planning 'Office
The Arthur D. Little report estimated that substantial
expansion of employment would occur within the sub-region during
the period 1965 to 1980.
Total employment was projected to
increase by 82%, which is about three times the rate for New England
as a whole.
Manufacturing and services are expected to command an
increasing share of total employment in future years.
The same
report projected growth of employment for Rutland County of about
72%, with non-manufacturing activities accounting for an increasing
share of total employment.
At the present time Vermont's economy is more closely linked to
the markets of Boston, New York City, and New England than to the
market of Montreal, even though Montreal is closer.
This economic
fact results from custom duty restrictions upon the flow of goods
across the American-Canadian border.
Recreational Activities
Growth in the vacation and recreational industry in the post-war
period continues to be one of the decisive factors in the strength
of the Vermont economy.
According to a report of the Vermont
Development Department, (The Tourist and Recreation Industry in
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12
Vermont. 1963). expenditures from the tourist industry increased
from 42.4 million dollars in 1948 to 77.7 million dollars in
1958.
The economic impact of the tourist industry has continued
to increase during the sixties.
A recent report by the Development
Department estimated total tourist expenditures for 1968 at 188
million dollars.
Winter recreational activities have been
expanding at a greater annual rate than activities during the
other seasons, and at the present time revenue from the winter
activities account for about 30% of the total.
The remainder
of the revenue is evenly divided among the other seasons.
An additional index of the economic impact of the recreation
industry can be measured by the trend of vacation homes.
In past
years the typical Vermont vacation home has been a relatively
modest cabin situated near a water recreation area.
In recent
years there has been a trend toward four-season homes.
The
Development Department has evaluated the economic impact of the
22,548 vacation homes in Vermont in its 1968 report, Vermont
Vacation Home Survey.
The annual revenue resulting from vacation
homes, excluding construction of additional homes, is shown in
Table IV.
TABLE IV
REVENUE FROM VACATION HOMES
(MILLIONS OF DOLLARS)
Annual Local Expenditures
Local Real Estate Taxes
Local Maintenance Expenditures
Major Sports Equipment
Major Household Equipment
17.5
4.3
10.9
3.5
..l.&
39.0
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13
The Champlain Valley and the adjacent Green Mountains have
many of the tourist and recreatiqnal resources which Vermont is
noted for.
The lake itself is regarded as the outstanding
water-based recreational feature of western Vermont.
The Green Mountains, which define the eastern edge of the
Champlain Valley, provide year-round recreational opportunities.
including skiing, camping, hiking, and fishing.
Skiing areas
within the five-county study area are actually in short supply,
with Killinton Basin, Pico Peak, and Middlebury Snow Bowl being
the only major facilities.
Some of the major ski areas in
adjacent counties, including Stowe, Sugarbush, and Jay Peak, are
about one hour's drive from Burlington.
Travelers driving from
New York and Montreal to these ski areas pass through the
Champlain Valley.
Skiers flying to these areas on scheduled
airlines generally use the Burlington Airport.
Pro;ected Growth of Recreational Activities
Expansion of the urban population of Boston, New York City,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto
will create growing demands upon the State of Vermont for
recreational outlets for urban vacationers.
The Vermont Development
Department discussed in its report, Outdoor Recreation in Vermont,
. the future potential of this demand for recreational opportunities.
The total potential demand for selected recreational activities in
Vermont was estimated to increase from about 25 million user-days
in 1960 to about 80 million user-days in the year 2000.
Snow
/'
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14
sports are expected to register the greatest increase in demand.
A recent survey of the skiing induStry (The Vermont Ski Market,
1965-1966, Gebelain and Willis Associates, prepared for the
Development Department) supports estimates that skiing
activities are presently increasing at an annual rate of 15%.
However, the Development Department has noted that it would be
prudent not to count on continuation of the same high rate of
expansion over a long period of time.
Within the Development Department's Region I, (Grand Isle, .
Franklin, Chittenden, and. Addison Counties) attention has been
focused on the expansion of water-based recreational activities.
Present concern is centered around the optimum public use of Lake
Champlain.
The State recreational plans call for an increase in
the public beach facilities from 6,740 feet to 15,500 feet by
1976, mostly along Lake Champlain.
The preliminary land use plans
of Addison and Franklin Counties indicate a plan for the orderly
development of the recreational aspects of the Lake Champlain water
frontage.
The Development Department has estimated that demands for skiing
facilities in Region I will increase from about 0.1 million user-
days at the present time to about 0.4 million user-days in 1976.
In its Comprehensive Planning Report Franklin County has considered
the development of the Cold Hollow Ski Area as a major snow
recreational facility.
I:"
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15
The Development Department estimated that skiing demands
in Region III (Rutland and Bennington Counties) might increase
from 2.6 million user-days to 3.4 million user-days in 1976.
The economy and growth of both regions are closely linked
to income derived from recreational activities.
Therefore,
economic prosperity demands a high order of environmental pollution
control in these regions.
EXISTING AIR POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM
Within the State of Vermont, the responsibility for air
pollution control is under the jurisdiction of the State Department
of Health, Division of Industrial Hygiene.
The present law grants
enabling authority to the State Board of Health:
1) requiring the submission of plans by industry prior to
the construction of potential air pollution sources;
2) adopting ambient air quality standards for various
sections of the State;
3) adopting and enforcing emission standards for specific
air pollutants in order to achie~e the air quality.
standards; .
4) issuing variances to emission standards in exceptional
circumstances. .
Regulations adopted by the Board. effective April 1. 1970.
will prohibit open burning. with certain exceptions. and limit
,
visible emissions from air pollution sources to Ringlemann number
2 for existing plants and Ringlemann number I for new ~lants.
The State law permits the establishment of local air pollution
control programs. but none have been initiated within the State.
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16
The recent staff addition of an air pollution control
engineer should give the air pollution control program more
stability in the development of a well-balanced and viable
program.
Program elements that are currently under review to
determine the priority and staff expansion include the air
monitoring network, enforcement of propose~ regulations, pre-
construction review of plans, and review of new regulations.
As
required by the Federal Clean Air Act, as amended, the State Board
of Health will adopt air quality standards after the designation
of the Air Quality Control Region.
EVALUATION OF TECHNICAL FACTORS
Introduction
The evaluation of technical factors will present information
about air pollution emissions from various sources in the Champlain
Valley.
Topography and meteorology will be reviewed in order to
indicate the direction and extent of pollution transport through
the valley region.
Emissions Inventory
An emissions inventory is a quantitative description of
pollutant emissions by geographic location and by type of source.
The emissions inventory conducted for this study deals with. three
pollutants:
particulates, sulfur oxides, and carbon monoxide.
The
emission levels were not measured; they were estimated using the
"Rapid Survey Technique" developed by the National Air Pollution
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17
Control Administration.
The estimates are based on data for the
year 1968 and in some cases were calculated from incomplete
questionnaire returns.
The emissions inventory covered the five
counties which are part of the Champlain Valley:
Addison,
Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle, and Rutland.
Table V presents
the results of the emissions inventory for each source type in
each county, expressed in tons of pollutant emitted per year.
The emission density for a county can be calculated by dividing
the total emissions by the land area of the county.
Figures 4,
51, and 6 show the emission densities for the three pollutants by
county.
Table V shows that sources in Chittenden County contribute
43% of the carbon monoxide, 52% of the sulfur oxide, and 41% of the
particulate emissions studied in the inventory.
Automobiles are
the primary source of carbon monoxide emissions in Chittenden
County.
Electric power generation and space heating account for
the bulk of sulfur oxide emissions in the County.
A variety of
activities contribute equally to the particulate emissions.
In
terms of percentage contribution to total emissions studied, Rutland
follows Chittenden with 33% of the carbon monoxide emissions, 28%
of the sulfur oxide emissions, and 34% of the particulate emissions.
Franklin County ranked third in percent contribution to total
emiss ions.
"
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~8
CANADA
ORLEANS
BENNINGTON
MASSACHUSETTS
N
o
I.-
MILES
15
--I
FIGURE 4
CARBON MONOXIDE
(tons per
mile per
EI'tISS IONS
square
year)
II
e:w
w
EJ
more than 50;
20 to 50;
less than 20;
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,--
CA
" A
..
A
oJ
ORLEANS
19
N
o
L
15
...
MILES
FIGURE 5.
SULFUR OXIDE EMISSIONS
(tons per square
mile per year)
MASSACHUSETTS
~:
III more than 2;
...-.-
.:.:.:
1 to 2;
[ill less than 1;
'.
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20
CA
,
ADA
ORLEANS
N
o
l
15
MILES
FIGURE 6.
PARTICULATE EMISSIONS
(tOIlS per square
mile per year)
r::::~ more than 1.,
W
BENNINGTON
E]less than 1;
MASSACHUSETTS
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TABLE V.
EMISSIONS IN THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY AREA
COUNTY
SOURCE TYPE
AD!ill.Q!i
Space Heating
Industrial
Residential
Conunercial
Solid Waste Disposal
Transportation
Industrial Processes
Total, all sources:
County-wide Density (tons per
square mile per year):
Addison County as percent of
five-county totals:
CHITTENDEN
Space H.eating
Industrial
I Residential
I Conunercia1
Electric Power
Solid Wa.ste Disposal
Transportation
Industrial Processes
Total, all sources:
County-wide Density (tons per
square mile per year):
Chittenden County as percent
of five-county totals:
FRANKLIN
Space Heating
Indu13tria1
Res idential
Conunercia1
Solid Waste Disposal
Transportation
Industrla1 Processes
Total, all sources:
County-wide Density (tons per
square mile per year):
Franklin County as percent
of five-county totals:
,:..-
CARBON
MONOXIDE
119 tons per
8 year
309
177
6,958
neg.
7,571
9.66
8%
1,039 tons per
33 year
1,351
208
772
35,048
neg.
38,451
72 . 14
43%
60 tons per
18 year
455
280
13,693
neg.
14,506
21. 95
16%
....
I
, .
SULFUR
OXIDES
127 tons per
106 year
357
neg.
27
neg.
617
0.79
6%
1,107 tons per
462 year
1,560
1,600
neg.
189
neg.
4,918
9.23
52%
440 tons
244 year
526
neg.
54
~.
1,264
1.91
13%
21
PARTICULA:rES
17 tons per
32 year
40
33
36
~
158
0.20
7%
145 tons per
139 year
176
83
144
254
~
941
1.77
41%
per 169 tons per
74 year
59
49
71
~
422
0.64
17%
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1\
I
[:
22
COUNTY SOURCE. TYPE CARBON SULFUR PARTICULATES
MONOXIDE OXIDES
GRAND
ISLE Space Heating
Industrial 11 tons per 17 tons per 2 tons per
Residential 1 year 11 year 3 year
Commercial 30 34 4
Solid Waste Disposal 17 neg. 3
Transportation NA NA NA
Industrial Processes ~ neg. ~
Total, all sources: . 59 62 12
I'
I
i
I
County-wide Density (tons per
square mile per year):
0.71
0.75
0.14
Grand Isle as. percent of
five-county tot~ls:
0%
1%
1%
RUTLAND
Space Heating
Industrial
Residential
Commercial
Solid Waste Disposal
Transportation
Industrial Processes
Total, all sources:
57
11
716
409
29,160
neg.
30,353
tons per
year
1,530 tons per
155 year
827
neg.
114
-~
2,626
93 tons per
47 year
93
46
152
356
787
County-wide Density (tons per
square mile per. year): 32.74 2.83 0.85
Rutland as percent of
five-county totals: 33% 28% 34%
FIVE-COUNTY TOTALS:
90,940 tons per
year
9,487 tOilS per 2,320 tons per
year year
I
Note: Emission estimates were based on partial returns of industrial
questionnair~.
NA means the data. were not available.
..
~.. ,
;" ..
-./
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23
Topography and Meteorology
Topography and meteorology control the direction and degree of
transport of pollutants from sources to surrounding areas.
This
section will present some general information on the topography
and meteorology of the Champlain Valley in order to indicat,e the
impact of these two factors on transport of pollution.
A previous section noted that the valley is about 100 miles
long and about 40 to 50 miles wide.
The Champlain Valley leads
into the other valleys formed by Lake George and by the Hudson
River to the south.
The eastern edge of the Champlain Valley is
defined by the Green Mountains, which rise to about 4,000 feet above
the level of the Valley.
Valleys tend to aggravate pollution problems resulting from
sources within the valley.
The sides of the valley restrict transpurt
of the pollution out of the valley.
Some valleys tend to reduce the
wind speeds within the valley, thereby reducing the potential for
dispersion and transport of the pollution.
Valleys form a natural
"cup" within which pollutants will accumulate whenever an inversion
seals the top.
Valleys promote the occurrence of ground fog, which
can increase the impact of pollution upon health and visibility.
The Lake Champlain Valley is relatively wide.
Therefore, its
impact upon pollutant transport and dispersion is somewhat less
pronounced than would be the case for a more narrow valley.
It seems
reasonable to assume that almost none of the pollution generated by
sources in the Champlain Valley travels eastward across the Green
Mountains.
This assumption is supported not only by the fact that
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24
the mountain ridges are nearly 4,000 feet above the valley level,
but also by the fact that winds ip the Burlington area are
channeled by the valley into a north-south orientation.
The wind
rose, Figure 7, shows that winds are most frequent from the south-
south-west and south.
Winds from the north are next most frequent.
In general, wind speeds are slightly higher during the winter than
during the summer; the annual average of hourly wind speeds is about
9 miles per hour.
These data indicate wind speeds in the
Burlington area are substantial.
The existence of Lake Champlain
in the center of the Champlain Valley promotes the occurrence of
fog, especially during the months of April, October, and November.
In conclusion, topog~aphic and meteorological factors in the
Champlain Valley area tend to limit transport of pollutants in the
east-west direction, and to promote transport in the north-south
direction.
RECOMMENDATION BY VERMONT FOR THE CHAMPLAIN 'VALLEY AIR QUALITY
CONTROL REGION
The State of Vermont proposes a five-county intrastate air
quality control region encompassing the counties of Grand Isle,
Franklin, Chittenden, Addison, and Rutland ba~ed on the following
justification:
1) Manufacturing activities are expected to expand in the
industrial centers of Rutland and Burlington. Presently,
these source areas are the major contributors to air
pollution in the region and are expected to have the
greatest projected populations, a prime index for future
air pollution.
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FIGURE 7.
WIND FREQUENCIES;
BURLINGTON
SUMMER
N
E
W
N
W
,S
ANNUAL
E
WINTER
N
S
25
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26
2) The lack of air monitoring data makes it impossible to
determine the amount o~ air pollution that transcends
county boundaries. The topographic factor of the
mountain boundary to the east is a prime engineering
determinant in the cohesive single valley air pollution
control region.
3) All indications reflect that the tourist and recreational
industry will experience significant economic growth within
this region. This will coincide with the highway corridor
of Route 7 and Interstate Route 89. Any degradation to
the atmosphere would have detrimental effect on this
industry.
4) The "new Vermonter" has settled in this State to escape
from many of the urban ailments including air pollution.
This group of individuals certainly does not want to
witness the regression of the quality of the State's
environment.
5) The native Vermonter has been accustomed to a relatively
pollution free environment and does not want to have a
degradation of the air quality.
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