SELECTION OF NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PEDCo ENVIRONMENTAL QOQQQ ------- PEDCo ENVIRONMENTAL SELECTION OF NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Prepared by PEDCo Environmental, Inc. 11499 Chester Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 Contract No. 68-02-2513 Project Officer: Thomas Curran U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711 11499 CHESTER ROAD CINCINNATI. OHIO 45246 (513) 782-4700 Prepared for December 30, 1977 BRANCH OFFICES CHESTER TOWERS ------- This report was written for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by PEDCo Environmental, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, under Contract No. 68-02-2513. An accompanying technical report has been prepared. The contents of this report are reproduced herein as received from the contractor. The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ii ------- ACKNOWLEDGMENT This report was prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by PEDCo Environmental, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. Charles E. Zimmer was the Project Director. David W. Armentrout was the Project Manager, principal investigator, and author. Dr. Thomas Curran was the Project Officer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We wish to thank him for his assistance throughout this project. We also wish to thank the staff members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Offices for their cooperation and assistance. iii ------- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENT iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1-1 2.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 2-1 2.1 Establishing New Sites 2-1 2.2 Site Evaluation Procedures 2-1 2.3 Quality Assurance and Data Validation 2-2 2.4 Background Sites 2-3 2.5 Guidelines for Nitrogen Dioxide Monitors 2-3 3.0 PROCEDURE: LOCATING THE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY 3-1 TRENDS SITES 4.0 PROBLEMS AND CONSTRAINTS 4-1 4.1 Site Evaluation Data 4-1 4.2 Quality Assurance 4-2 4.3 Establishing New Sites or Reorienting 4-2 Existing Sites 4.4 Carbon Monoxide Sites 4-3 4.5 Nitrogen Dioxide Sites 4-4 iv ------- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 INTRODUCTION At the present time, air quality trends are difficult to measure or to compare among major population centers because siting standards, quality assurance procedures, and sampling methods differ among air quality monitoring sites. Recognizing this problem, the Standing Air Monitoring Work Group (SAMWG) encouraged the development of a network of National Air Quality Trends Sites (NAQTS) from which consis- tent air quality data could be gathered and subjected to trends analysis. Establishing the NAQTS will provide com- parable air quality data from nationwide monitoring sites, data that will form the basis for an accurate assessment of air quality problems. SAMWG determined generally how many monitoring sites for each of the criteria pollutants should be located within each urbanized area in the United States. Under contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PEDCo determined tentatively the number and the location of the monitoring sites. This tentative list of NAQTS will be reviewed by the EPA Regional Offices and by the States before a final list 1-1 ------- of NAQTS is established. The NAQTS monitoring sites will be maintained by the states as a subset of their monitoring systems established under the State Implementation Plans (SIPS) mandated by the Clean Air Act. The states will be required to submit only data from the NAQTS monitors to SAROAD, the EPA air quality data bank, reducing by perhaps 65 percent the amount of data the states must now submit to SAROAD. Data collected at the State and local level that is not submitted to SAROAD will be maintained by the States or else by the EPA Regional Offices. The proposed NAQTS should decrease the time interval between data generation and data entry into SAROAD, pro- viding more current data for trends analysis than the data now available for that purpose. User confidence in the data should increase, since information on the location and operation of each monitoring site should be more comprehen- sive and more current. Continuity of the data base should improve because anomolies at each NAQTS will be easier to track. Year-to-year changes in the list of sites that contribute to the data base should become minimal. 1-2 ------- 2.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 ESTABLISHING NEW SITES A total of 103 new monitoring sites should be estab- lished to complete the tentative NAQTS: 1. TSP - 28 sites 2. S02 - 27 sites 3. CO - 22 sites 4. N02 - 8 sites 5. 03 - 18 sites The general geographic locations of these monitors have been identified. Any changes must take into account the location of currently operating tentative NAQTS sites. 2.2 SITE EVALUATION PROCEDURES The site information in SAROAD is inadequate for com- paring sites. It has been collected by the EPA Regional Offices in variable formats. In addition, increased knowl- edge of factors affecting pollutant concentration measure- ments has increased the requirement for more detailed site information than is currently available in the data base. Standard site evaluation procedures should be developed to provide more comprehensive site information, and the agencies responsible for NAQTS should be required to follow these procedures. 2-1 ------- Site evaluation data should be reported in a standard format. Effective filing techniques should be developed to reduce the time required for updating site information files. Annual site evaluations should be required as part of the EPA Regional Office quality assurance audits. 2.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE AND DATA VALIDATION The implementation of formal quality assurance pro- cedures in all agencies responsible for NAQTS should be given a priority second only to the final selection of NAQTS. The tools for implementing quality assurance pro- cedures have been developed over a period of several years and consequently the extent of quality assurance procedures differs among agencies. The EPA should specify some minimum recommended level of quality assurance procedures and encourage the agencies to implement them immediately. The potential cost of operating without these procedures out- weighs the cost of implementing them. The EPA must be directly involved in implementing quality assurance procedures that meet minimum requirements. The EPA will also need to perform total system audits, including field review of procedures and data to ensure that quality assurance procedures are being used effectively. Quality assurance procedures should include data vali- dation techniques that quickly identify and correct monitor- ing and data handling problems. The primary data validation 2-2 ------- task should reside at the state and local agency level, not at the EPA Regional Office level. Current procedures often do not identify and correct problems until months after the problems occur, which significantly delays entering data into SAROAD and complicates the procedures for identifying and correcting the causes of invalid data. 2.4 BACKGROUND SITES It is important to examine the role and need for back- ground trends sites. The recommended trends sites in this study primarily are urban oriented. 2.5 GUIDELINES FOR NITROGEN DIOXIDE MONITORS Guidelines for siting nitrogen dioxide monitors are not comprehensive enough to support the establishment of per- manent NAQTS. The EPA should concentrate on developing guidelines for monitoring this pollutant. Until the guide- lines can be completed, permanent NAQTS for nitrogen dioxide should not be established. 2-3 ------- 3.0 PROCEDURE: LOCATING THE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES On the basis of population statistics and air quality data, SAMWG determined how many NAQTS to recommend for each pollutant for each urbanized area in the United States, and developed criteria for estimating the range of the number of trends monitoring sites necessary for each pollutant within each urbanized area. Table 3-1 shows the criteria for determining the number of trends monitoring sites in an urbanized area for total suspended particulates (TSP) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Table 3-1. CRITERIA FOR RECOMMENDED NUMBERS OF NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES FOR TOTAL SUSPENDED PARTICULATES AND SULFUR DIOXIDE Recommended number of sites per area3 High conc. Medium conc. Low conc. High population 500,000 00 i vo 4-6 0-2 Medium population 100,000-500,000 4-6 2-4 0-2 Low population 50,000-100, 000 2-4 1-2 0 a High TSP - National Ambient Air Quality Primary Standard exceeded by 20% or more. Medium TSP - National Secondary Standard exceeded. .Low TSP - Ambient concentrations lower than National Secondary Standard. High S02 - National Primary Standard exceeded. Medium SO? - National Primary or Secondary Standard exceeded by 60%. Low S02 - Ambient concentration less than 60% of National Primary or Secondary Standard. 3-1 ------- Table 3-2 shows the criteria for determining the number of monitoring sites in an urbanized area for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and photochemical oxidants (as ozone). Table 3-2. CRITERIA FOR RECOMMENDED NUMBERS OF NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES FOR CARBON MONOXIDE, NITROGEN DIOXIDE, AND PHOTOCHEMICAL OXIDANTS (AS OZONE) Pollutant Criteria CO Two sites in urbanized areas where: 1. Population exceeds 500,000 2. Transportation control plan in effect or under development3 3. Area probably will not meet the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) by 1980 no2 Two sites in urbanized areas where: 1. NAAQS are either not met or are met marginally 2. NAAQS may not be met by 1980a 3. Population exceeds 1,000,000 °3 Two sites in urbanized areas where: 1. NAAQS exceeded anytime in last three years and population exceeds 250,000 2. O3 concentrations have been shown to be an urban-related problem3 a Requirement was included in original SAMWG recommendations but is not part of proposed NAQTS regulations. Table 3-3 compares the national totals of NAQTS re- commended by SAMWG with the number of sites currently re- porting data to the EPA. 3-2 ------- Table 3-3. TOTAL RECOMMENDED NUMBERS OF NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES VERSUS TOTAL SITES CURRENTLY REPORTING TO THE EPA Pollutant Sites currently reporting Recommended NAQTS SO TSP 2 * 4100 ~ 2650a 172-448 535-920 CO 450 120 80-136 168 a 750 continuous, 1900 bubbler, k 270 continuous, 1200 bubbler. A summary of the SAMWG recommendations for the number of monitoring sites in an urbanized area for each pollutant was sent to the EPA Regional Offices. Representatives from each of the Regional Offices were contacted directly to review current monitoring sites in each urbanized area and to develop a tentative list of the location of the NAQTS for each state. Population coverage and geographic distribution were the major criteria for choosing the tentative NAQTS locations in each urbanized area. Conformity to SAMWG criteria for siting each type of monitor was stressed in order to eliminate biased sites and to encourage uniform site characteristics. Most of the sites in the tentative NAQTS list will monitor single pollutants. Combined trends monitoring sites, where several pollutants will be monitored at a 3-3 ------- single site, are suggested only at those locations which meet all the siting requirements for monitoring each pollu- tant individually. Table 3-4 compares by pollutant the total number of monitoring sites originally recommended by SAMWG with the total number of monitoring sites on the tentative NAQTS list. Table 3-4. TENTATIVE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES COMPARED BY POLLUTANT WITH STANDING AIR MONITORING WORK GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS Number of sites TSP S02 CO no2 °3 Recommended by SAMWG 535-920 172-448 120 80-136 168 Tentative NAQTS list 576 226 127 69 141 Many of the monitoring sites on the tentative NAQTS list have not yet been established, or if they have been established, they have not been operating long enough to produce sufficient data for trends analysis. These are called "future trends sites" in Table 3-5, which compares them with the number of "current trends sites" on the ten- tative NAQTS list, i.e. those sites at which two or more consecutive years of data has been accumulated. Sites which require reorientation or other technical modifications are included as future trend sites. 3-4 ------- Table 3-5. CURRENT AND FUTURE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TREND SITES COMPARED BY POLLUTANT Number of sites TSP S°2 CO CM O z °3 Current trends sites 537 188 96 59 117 Future trends sites 39 38 31 10 24 The distribution of the tentative NAQTS corresponds to the percentage distribution of the U.S. population among the 10 regions. Table 3-6 compares each region by the percent of total U.S. population, and the percent of the total urban U.S. population. Figures 3-1 through 3-5 show the numbers of tentative monitoring sites for each pollutant distributed nationally by state. Table 3-6. POPULATION DISTRIBUTION VERSUS TENTATIVE NATIONAL TRENDS MONITOR SITE DISTRIBUTION BY REGION Region Percent U.S. population Percent tentative NAQTS Total Urban TSP S°2 CO no2 °3 I 6 7 5 10 7 7 8 II 13 16 9 15 12 5 7 III 11 12 5 10 8 17 7 IV 16 10 14 9 11 7 13 V 22 22 26 32 17 25 21 VI 10 9 13 7 13 14 16 VII 5 5 8 5 2 2 7 VIII 3 2 5 3 5 7 3 IX 11 15 11 7 18 12 15 X 3 2 4 2 7 4 4 3-5 ------- Figure. 3-1. Nationwide distribution of tentative National Air Quality Trends Sites for total suspended particulates. ------- Figure 3-2. Nationwide distribution of tentative National Air Quality Trends Sites for sulfur dioxide. ------- Figure 3-3. Nationwide distribution of tentative National Air Quality Trends Sites for carbon monoxide. ------- Figure 3-4. Nationwide distribution of tentative National Air Quality Trends Sites for nitrogen dioxide. ------- Figure 3-5. Nationwide distribution of tentative National Air Quality Trends Sites for photochemical oxidants (as ozone). ------- In some cases, the use of Standard Metropolitan Statis- tical Areas (SMSA's) in addition to the urbanized areas used by SAMWG enhances the distribution of NAQTS. The SMSA's represent 70 percent of the total U.S. population. Each SMSA contains at least one urbanized area, and the SMSA's cover approximately 2,387,940 square miles, compared with the 35,080 square miles covered by the urbanized areas. Some NAQTS are tentatively located outside the urbanized area, but still inside the SMSA. In some areas the SMSA population tends to be spread evenly throughout the SMSA as opposed to being concentrated mostly within the largest urbanized areas of the SMSA. The Boston SMSA population density, for example, is 2,791 people per square mile as opposed to 3,992 people per square mile in the Boston urbanized area. In contrast, the Columbus, Ohio SMSA population density is 613 people per square mile as compared to 3,369 people per square mile for the urbanized area. In the areas with greater SMSA to urbanized area population ratios it is desirable to disperse monitoring sites through- out the SMSA to provide adequate population coverage and to allow for future population growth trends. Tables 3-7 through 3-16 show the number of tentative NAQTS for each pollutant in and around the urbanized areas in each Region. 3-11 ------- Table 3-7. NUMBER OF TENTATIVE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES IN REGION I Urbanized Sites recommended by SAMNG Tentative NAOTS sites area TSP so2 CO no2 °3 TSP so2 CO no2 °3 Connecticut Bridgeport Bristol Danbury Hartford Meriden New Britain New Haven New London Norwalk Stamford Waterbury Derby* Greenwicha Harwich9 0-2 0 0 2-4 1-2 2-4 0-2 0-2 2-4 2-4 0-2 0 0 0-2 4-6 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 2 2 2-4 2-4 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ] 1 Total 9-24 4-18 4 4-8 6 16 7 3 6 Maine Bangor Lewiston- Auburn Portland 0-2 0 0-2 1 1 1 1 Total 0-2 0-2 1 1 1 1 Kaaaachuaetta Boston Brockton Fall River Fitchburg- Leominster Lawrence- Haverhill Lowell New Bedford Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke Worcester 6-8 0-2 0 0-2 0-2 0-2 6-8 4-6 4-6 0-2 0 0-2 0-2 0-2 6-8 0-2 2 4 2-4 2-4 2 2 5 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 3 1 Total 16-30 L0-24 6 4-8 4 11 10 3 3 4 New Hampshire Manchester Nashua 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 Total 0 0 1 1 1 2 Rhode Island Providence- Pawtucket- Warvick 4-6 4-6 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 Total 4-6 4-6 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 Vermont Burlington 1 1 1 1 Region I Total 29-62 18-50 12 8-16 11 32 21 10 4 IS * Not an urbanised area. 3-12 ------- Table 3-8. NUMBER OF TENTATIVE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES IN REGION II Urbanized New Jersey Allentown, Pa.a Atlantic City New York- Northeastern New Jersey*1 'Philadelphia, Pa-C Trenton Vmeland- Millville Wilmington, Del.3 Total New Yorke Albany- ¦ Schenectady- Troy Binghamton Buffalo New York/ Northeastern New Jersey Rochester Syracuse Utica-Rome Total Puerto Rico San Juan Ponce Total Virgin Islands St. Croix Total Region II Total Sites recommended by SAMWG TSP S02 CO NO2 O3 0-2 2-4 2-4 4-1C 2-4 0-2 6-8 6-8 4-6 4-6 0-2 22-36 26-46 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-6 4-6 0-2 4-6 6-8 4-6 2-4 0-2 20-34 20-40 2-4 2-4 4-8 4-8 11 13 Tentative NAQTS sites TSP S02 CO NO2 O3 13 4 (4 1(« 9 tt) 2 4 & AIL to +3 If 13 2^ 1 (c 5(1] 8W, 1 (J 2 20 33 (0 m 2(3) 1 u ce & ft 12 11>] ' n 3 (') 1 w> 1 10) 110) 31 (Jl) 18) y 7 6 'H V A''1 10 Phillipsburg, New Jersey will provide a TSP, S07, and 0, monitor to provide data for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton SMSAT Newark is in the New York-Northeastern New Jersey urbanized area. Camden, New Jersey and the immediately surrounding area will pro- vide TSP, SO,, CO, N0-, and 0, monitoring for the New Jersey Portion of tne Philadelphia SBSA. Sites at Penns Grove will provide SO- and CO monitoring for the New Jersey portion of the Wilmington: Delaware SMSA. One TSP site in each of Jamestown, Newburg, and Poughkeepsie were also suggested. One SO, site and one TSP Bite were recommended *" N°n*.of thi»e areas was included in the orignal SAMWG recommendations. 3-13 ------- Table 3-9. NUMBER OF TENTATIVE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES IN REGION III Urbanized Sites recommended by SAMWG area TSP SO 2 CO I z o KJ °3 TSP so2 CO no2 °3 Delaware Wilmington 4-6 0-2 3 2 1 1 Total 4-6 0-2 3 2 X 1 District of Columbia Washington 6-8 4-6 2 2-4 2 6 4 2 3 Total 6-8 4-6 2 2-4 2 6 4 2 3 2 Maryland Baltimore 6-8 4-6 2 2-4 2 3 4 2 3 1 Total 6-8 4-6 2 2-4 2 3 4 2 3 1 Pennsylvania Allentown- Bethlehem- Easton ' Altoona Erie Harrisburg Johnstown Lancaster Philadelphia Pittsburgh Reading Scranton York 2-4 2-4 2-4 2-4 2-4 6-8 6-8 2-4 2-4 4-6 2-4 0-2 0 0-2 6-8 6-8 0-2 0-2 2-4 2 2 a-. 2-4 2 2 1 2 4 1 3 3 10 4 4 4 2 2 1 2 1 1 7 1 1 1 7 2 4 2 2 Total 30-50 L6-32 4 4-8 4 38 23 9 6 2 Virginia Lynchburg Newport News- Hampton Norfolk - Portsmouth Petersburg- Colonial Heights Richmond Roanoke 0-2 4-6 4-6 0-2 2-4 0-2 0 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 2 2-4 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 3 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 Total 10-22 0-8 2 2-4 6 11 7 4 3 2 West Virginia Charleston Huntington- Ashland Wheeling 4-6 4-6 2-4 2-4 0-2 1-2 2-4 2 4 2 2 2 1 1 2 Total 10-16 3-8 2-4 2 8 4 2 4 Region III Total 66-110 27-62 6 L2-24 16 69 44 18 17 12 Tentative NAQTS sites 3-14 ------- Table 3-10. NUMBER OF TENTATIVE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES IN REGION IV Urbanized Sites recommended by SAMWG Tentative NAQTS sites area TSP S°2 CO NO 2 °3 TSP so2 CO no2 °3 Alabama Birmingham Gadsden Huntsville Mobile Montgomery Tuscaloosa 6-8 0-2 0-2 4-6 0-2 0 0-2 0-2 2-4 0 2 2 2 6 1 1 3 2 1 2 2 2 Total 10-20 2-8 2 4 13 1 2 4 Florida Fort Lauderdale Gainesville Jacksonville Miami Orlando Pensacola Tallahassee Tampa - St. Petersburg West Palm Beach 6-8 0 4-6 6-8 0-2 0-2 0-2 2-4 0-2 0-2 0 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 2 2 2 2-4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 4 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 Total 18-34 0-12 6 2-4 L2 12 6 2 2 2 Georgia Albany Atlanta Augusta Columbus Macon Savannah 0-2 0-2 2-4 0-2 0-2 4-6 0-2 4-6 0-2 0-2 0-2 2-4 2 2-4 2 4 1 1 3 1 1 2 2 2 Total 6-18 6-18 2 2-4 2 9 2 2 2 2 Kentucky Cincinnati® Lexington Louisville Owensboro 0-2 6-8 2-4 0-2 4-6 0 2 2-4 2 1 1 6 1 4 2 3 Total 8-14 4-8 2 2-4 2 9 4 2 3 Mississippi Biloxi-Gulfport Jackson 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 1 1 1 Total o--: 0-4 2 1 a Refers to the Kentucky portion of the Cincinnati, SMSA. 3-15 ------- Table 3-10 (continued). Urbanized Sites recommended by SAMWG Tentative NAQTS sites area TSP s°2 CO NO 2 °3 TSP S02 CO N°2 °3 North Carolina Aiheville Charlotte Durham Fayetteville Greensboro High Point Raleigh Wilmington Winston-Salem 1-2 4-6 2-4 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 0 0-2 0 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 0 0-2 0 0-2 2 2 1 2 1 i 1 1 1 2 2 Total 7-22 0-12 2 2 7 1 2 2 South Carolina Charleston Columbia Greenville 4-6 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 4 1 2 1 Total 4-10 0-6 7 1 Tennessee Chattanooga Knoxville Memphis Nashville- Davidson 4-6 2-4 6-8 2-4 0-2 0-2 0-2 4-6 2 2-4 2 2 4 2 5 3 1 2 2 2 2 Total 14-22 4-12 2 2-4 4 14 1 4 4 Region IV Total 67-144 16-80 16 8-16 26 73 17 14 7 14 3-16 ------- Table 3-11. NUMBER OF TENTATIVE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES IN REGION V Urbanized Sites recommended Tentative NAQTS sites by SAMWG area TSP so2 CO no2 °3 TSP so2 CO no2 °3 Illinois Aurora-Elgin 0-2 1 Bloomington- Normal 0 0 Champaign-Urbana 0-2 0-2 1 Chicago-North- west Indiana CO 1 4-6 2 2-4 2 5 4 2 3 2 De Kalba 1 Decatur 0 0 2 Joliet 2-4 0-2 4 1 Peoria 4-6 2-4 5 2 Rockford 0-2 0-2 1 1 Springfield 2-4 0-2 2 Total 14-28 6-18 2 2-4 2 22 8 2 3 2 Indiana Anderson 2-4 0 1 Chicago-North- west Indiana 3 3 1 1 Evansville 4-6 0-2 4 1 1 Fort Wayne 0-2 0-2 1 1 Indianapolis 6-8 4-6 2 2 7 4 2 2 Lafayette-West Lafayette 1-2 0 1 Muncie 0 1 South Bend 2-4 0-2 2 3 1 1 Terre Haute 1-2 0 1 Total 16-28 4-12 2 4 21 11 2 1 5 Michigan Ann Arbor 0-2 1 Bay City 0 0 Detroit 6-8 4-6 2 2-4 2 5 4 2 2 2 Flint 2-4 0-2 2 2 1 1 Grand Rapids 2-4 0-2 2 Jackson 0 Kalamazoo 0-2 0-2 1 Lansing 2-4 2-4 2-4 2 2 1 Muskegon-Muskegon Heights 2-4 4-6 2 2 Saginaw 2-4 0-2 2 1 Total 16-32 10-24 2 4-8 6 15 10 2 3 3 Minnesota , Duluth-Superior 2-4 0-2 1 Minneapolis- St. Paul 4-6 4-6 2 2-4 2 9 5 4 3 1 Rochester 1-2 0 1 1 Total 7-12 4-8 2 2-4 2 10 5 5 3 2 4 Not an urbanized area. 3-17 ------- Table 3-11 (continued). Urbanized Sites recommended by SAMWG area TSP SO 2 CO no2 °3 TSP S°2 CO no2 °3 Ohio Akron 6-8 4-6 2 2 7 2 2 Canton 2-4 0-2 2-4 2 1 1 Cincinnati 6-8 4-6 2 2-4 2 5 3 3 1 Cleveland 6-8 4-6 2 2-4 2 8 4 1 2 3 Columbus 6-8 0-2 2 2 6 1 2 2 Dayton 4-6 0-2 2 2-4 2 5 2 2 2 Hamilton 1-2 0 4 2 1 Lima Lorain-Elyria 2-4 0-2 4 Mansfield 2-4 4 1 Springfield 0 0 1 1 Steubenville- Weirton 2-4 0-2 3 2 1 Toledo 2-4 2-4 2 5 3 2 Youngstown- Warren 4-6 2-4 2-4 2 6 1 1 Total 43-66 1-6—36 10 10-20 14 60 24 8 6 14 Wisconsin Appleton 0-2 1 Green Bay 0-2 0-2 1 Kenosha 1-2 0 La Crosse 0 0 2 Madison 0-2 2-4 2 2 Milwaukee 4-6 4-6 2-4 2 4 4 2 2 Oshkosh 0 0 Racine Total 5-14 6-12 2 2-4 2 8 6 2 2 Region V Total 01-18C 46-1K 20 20-40 30 136 64 19 18 28 Tentative NAQTS sites 3-18 ------- Table 3-12. NUMBER OF TENTATIVE NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES IN REGION VI Urbanized Sites recommended Tentative NAQTS sites by SAMWG area TSP so2 CO no2 °3 TSP so2 CO no2 °3 Arkansas Little Rock- North Little Rock 2-4 0-2 3 1 1 Fort Smith 1-2 0 1 Pine Bluff 0 0 Total 3-6 0-2 4 1 1 Louisiana9 Baton Rouge 0-2 0-2 1 2 Lafayette 1-2 0 1 Lake Charles 1-2 0 1 Monroe 0 0 New Orleans 4-6 0-2 2-4 2 2 2 Shreveport 2-4 0-2 2 Total 8-16 0-6 2-4 2 7 4 New Mexico Albuquerque 4-6 0-2 2 2 4 1 2 3 Total 4-6 0-2 2 2 4 1 2 3 Oklahoma Lawton 1-2 0 1 1 Oklahoma City 6-8 0-2 2 2 4 2 2 Tulsa 2-4 0-2 2 2 1 2 2 Total 9-14 0-4 2 5 7 1 4 4 Texas Abilene 0 0 Amarillo 4-6 0-2 1 Austin 4-6 0-2 2 4 1 2 Beaumont 0-2 0-2 1 1 Brownsville 1-2 0 1 Bryan-College Station 1-2 0 Corpus Christi 4-6 0-2 4 2 Dallas 4-6 0-2 2 2-4 2 4 1 2 2 2 El Paso 4-6 0-2 2 4 2 1 Fort Worth 4-6 0-2 2 2 4 2 2 2 Galveston 1-2 1 Harlingen San Benito 2-4 2 Houston 6-8 0-2 2 2-4 2 6 1 2 2 2 - Laredo 1 Lubbock 2-4 0-2 2 McAllen-Pharr- Edinburg 2-4 1 An S02 site for Louisiana has not yet been determined. 3-19 ------- Table 3-12 (continued). Urbanized area Sites recommended by SAMWG Tentative NAQTS sites TSP so2 CO no2 °3 TSP so2 CO no2 °3 Midland Odessa Port Arthur San Antonio Sherman-Denison Texarkana Texas City Tyler Waco Nichita Falls 1-2 1-2 0-2 4-6 0 1-2 2-4 0 0-2 1-2 0 0 0-2 0-2 0 0 1-2 0 0-2 0 2 2 1 2 1 4 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 Total 49-86 1-26 8 4-8 12 49 10 9 8 12 Region VI Total 73-128 1-40 12 6-12 21 71 13 15 8 24 3-20 ------- Table 3-13. NUMBER OF NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES FOR URBANIZED AREAS IN REGION VII Urbanised area Sites recommended by SAMWG Tentative NAQTS sites TSP so2 CO N02 °3 TSP S°2 CO N°2 °3 Iowa Cedar Rapids Council Bluffs Davenport-Rock Island-Moline Oes Moines Dubuque Sioux City Waterloo 4-6 4-6 4-6 0 4-6 2-4 0-2 0-2 0-2 1-2 0-2 0-2 2 4 1 3 3 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 Total 18-28 1-12 2 15 3 i Kansas Kansas City Topeka Wichita 6-8 2-4 4-6 0-2 0-2 0-2 2 2-4 2 2 3 2 3 1 2 Total 12-18 0-6 2 2-4 4 8 1 2 Missouri Columbia Kansas City St. Joseph St. Louis Springfield 1-2 1-2 6-8 2-4 6-8 0-2 2 2-4 2 1 3 1 7 2 1 4 2 1 1 2 1 Total 10-16 6-10 2 2-4 2 13 5 3 1 3 Nebraska Lincoln Omaha 2-4 4-6 0-2 0-2 2 1 2 2 1 1 Total 6-10 0-4 2 1 4 1 1 Region VII Total 46-72 7-32 6 4-8 9 40 10 3 1 10 3-21 ------- Table 3-14. NUMBER OF NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES FOR URBANIZED AREAS IN REGION VIII Urbanized Sites recommended by SAKVtG Tentative NAQTS sites area TSP s°2 CO n°2 °3 TSP so2 CO NO 2 °3 Colorado Boulder Colorado Springs Denver Pueblo 0 4-6 6-8 4-6 0-2 2 2-4 2 1 8 3 1 2 2 3 Total 14-20 0-2 2 2-4 2 12 1 2 2 3 Montana Billings Great Palls Missoula® 0 1-2 1-2 0 1 1 1 Total 1-2 1-2 2 1 North Dakota Bismark Fargo-Moorhead 0 0 1 1 1 Total 0 0 2 1 South Dakota Rapid City Sioux Falls 0 1-2 0 0 1 1 ' Total 1-2 0 1 1 Utah Ogden Provo-Orem Salt Lake City 4-6 2-4 4-6 0-2 0-2 2-4 2 2-4 2 2 3 4 2 2 2 2 2 Total 10-16 2-8 2 2-4 2 9 2 4 2 2 Wyoming Casper b Cheyenne 1 1 Total 1 1 Region VI11 To^al 26-40 3-12 4 4-8 4 27 7 6 4 5 a Missoula was substituted for Great Falls at the State's suggestion. Missoula is not an urbanized area. b Cheyenne was substituted for Casper at the State's suggestion. Cheyenne is not an urbanised area. 3-22 ------- Table 3-15. NUMBER OF NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES FOR URBANIZED AREAS IN REGION IX Urbanized Sites recommended by SAMWG area TSP so2 CO N°2 °3 TSP S02 CO no2 °3 Arizona Phoenix 6-8 0-2 2 2-4 2 5 1 1 2 2 Tuscon 2-4 0-2 2 4 1 2 1 Total 8-12 0-4 2 1 PM 4 9. 2 3 2 3 California Bakersfield 4-6 1 2 1 Fresno 4-6 CM 1 O 2 2 2 1 2 Los Angeles- Long Beach 6-8 2-4 2 2-4 2 8 2 2 1 1 Modesto 4-6 1 Oxnard-Ventura- Thousand Oaks 2-4 5 Sacramento 4-6 0-2 2 2 1 1 3 1 Salinas 1-2 1 San Bernardino- Riverside 6-8 0-2 2 2 6 1 2 2 San Diego 4-6 0-2 2 2-4 2 6 2 2 2 3 San Jose 0-2 1 2 2-4 2 1 1 1 San Francisco- Oakland 2-4 2-4 2 2-4 2 4 2 3 2 3 Santa Barbara 2-4 2 Stockton 2-4 1 Total 41-66 <* 1 H GO 14 8-16 14 40 9 14 5 13 Hawaii Honolulu 2-4 0-2 2 2 3 1 2 1 Total 2-4 0-2 2 2 3 1 2 1 Nevada La8 Vegas 4-6 2 2 3 1 2 2 Reno 2-4 0 3 2 Total 6-10 0 2 2 6 1 4 2 Region IX Total 57-92 6-24 20 10-20 22 58 13 23 7 19 Tentative NAQTS sites 3-23 ------- Table 3-16. NUMBER OF NATIONAL AIR QUALITY TRENDS SITES FOR URBANIZED AREAS IN REGION X Urbanized area Sites recommended by SAMWG TSP SO, CO NO- Tentative NAQTS sites TSP SO. CO Alaska Anchorage Fairbanks Total Idaho Boise Pocatello 2-4 Total 2-4 Oregon Eugene Medford Portland Salem 2-4 4-6 0 0-2 0 Total 6-10 0-2 10 Washington Seattle- Everett Spokane Tocoma 6-8 2-4 2-4 0-2 0-2 0-2 2-4 Total 10-16 0-6 2-4 Region X Total 18-30 0-8 2-4 22 3-24 ------- 4.0 PROBLEMS AND CONSTRAINTS Information gathered during the EPA Regional Office visits provided the basis for a tentative list of NAQTS locations. State agency evaluations of these lists will be a key element in the final designation of tlie permanent NAQTS. Those few states that have already reviewed the tentative site lists indicated some of the general con- straints on -this study discussed in this section. 4.1 SITE EVALUATION DATA The form, content, and year of record of the site information on the tentative NAQTS locations differ widely among the regions. Some regions have comprehensive files with locator maps, information on proximate emission sources, and photographs of monitoring sites and the surrounding areas. This kind of comprehensive information is usually adequate to determine whether or not a site is suitable for NAQTS. Other regions have little site information, and some regions have not evaluated all of the sites or do not have current (i.e., less than 1 year old) information on the sites. This variability in site information makes the selection and comparison of sites for trends analysis diffi- cult. 4-1 ------- 4.2 QUALITY ASSURANCE The regions have put varying emphasis on the implemen- tation of quality assurance procedures for state air moni- toring programs. Guidelines for implementing quality assurance programs have become available over a period of several years, and the states have implemented varying levels of procedures as part of their air quality monitoring programs. Since quality assurance is a dynamic discipline in which standards and procedures can be expected to fluc- tuate continually, it is probable that the programs imple- mented by the states will continue to differ in their degrees of sophistication. Consequently it is important that EPA define a set of minimum quality assurance program requirements for the states to use as a target for imple- mentation. This base level of quality assurance procedures, once implemented among all the states, would be useful to data users when interpreting trends data. 4.3 ESTABLISHING NEW SITES OR REORIENTING EXISTING SITES In most cases in which new sites were recommended by this study exact locations of the sites have not been determined. However, the general geographic areas for the new sites have been suggested. Any new site locations will have to be documented in detail to determine that they conform to the SAMWG criteria and consequently are com- parable to the other NAQTS. 4-2 ------- Several tentative NAQTS require reorientation of the existing site to conform to the SAMWG criteria. This will not only require follow-up at the EPA Regional Office level, but also it could result in the reclassification of some sites from current trends sites to future trends sites (i.e. sites with less than 3 continuous years of data) if the reorientation or modification is extensive. 4.4 CARBON MONOXIDE SITES The SAMWG criteria require two carbon monoxide sites in urbanized areas designated for NAQTS. These sites should include a center city site to characterize heavy traffic in a commercial area and a corridor site to characterize the neighborhood ambient carbon monoxide levels of a relatively large portion of the urbanized area. Because of differences in city traffic patterns and differences in physical charac- teristics of city streets and buildings, the carbon monoxide sites should be carefully reviewed to ensure comparability and proper designation as corridor sites, street canyon sites, etc. In some urbanized areas on the tentative NAQTS list only one carbon monoxide site was designated because of potential funding problems or other operational problems at the state level. The absence of the paired sites required by the SAMWG criteria could restrict the applications of the NAQTS data on carbon monoxide. 4-3 ------- 4.5 NITROGEN DIOXIDE SITES Variability in the behavior of nitrogen dioxide among regions was noted during this project. Areas of maximum concentrations do not always occur where they might be expected according to siting guidelines. Also, the adoption of a short-term nitrogen dioxide standard could affect the siting of permanent trends monitor. Questions regarding a short-term standard and the areas of actual versus expected peak concentrations should be resolved before permanent NAQTS for nitrogen dioxide are established. 4-4 ------- TECHNICAL REPORT DATA (Please read Inslructions on the reverse before completing) 1. REPORT NO. 2. 3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSIOf*NO. 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Selection of National Air Quality Trends Sites - Executive Summary 5. REPORT DATE December 30, 1977 6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE 7. AUTHOR(S) David W. Armentrout 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO. P/N 3263 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS PEDCo Environmental, Inc. 11499 Chester Road Cincinnati, OH 45246 10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO. 11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO. 68-02-2513 12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS Monitoring & Data Analysis Division U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED Final 14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE 15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES EPA Project Officer: Thomas Curran 16. ABSTRACT Establishing a network of National Air Quality Trends Sites (NAQTS) will provide comparable air quality data from nationwide monitoring sites that will form the basis for an accurate assessment of air quality problems. This report summarizes the results of a survey conducted among U.S. EPA Regional Offices to determine tentative locations of NAQTS from which consistant air quality data can be gathered. Data summarized is from the final report, Selection of National Air Quality Trends Sites - Technical Report, and includes selection procedures, problems and constraints, and recommendations. 17. KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS a. DESCRIPTORS b. IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS c. cosati Field/Group Air Pollution Monitors Air Quality Data National Air- Quality Trends Sites 13B 14G 18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT Unlimited 19. SECURITY CLASS (This Report) Unclassified 21. NO. OF PAGES 33 20. SECURITY CLASS (This page) Unclassified 22. PRICE EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73) ------- |