United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development National Exposure Research Laboratory Research Abstract Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) Goal #1 Annual Performance Measure, External APM - # 199, 2006 External APG # 189 Significant Research Findings: Supersites Integrated Relational Database: An Internet Accessible Database of PM Supersites Data for Model Evaluation and Integrated Analyses In 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated new National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5 (particulate matter in air with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less). States in areas exceeding the federal particulate matter (PM) NAAQS are required to develop State Implementation Plans (SIPs) that describe their approaches to reducing PM concentrations to a level below the NAAQS standards. At the time of promulgation of the 1997 PM NAAQS, there was significant uncertainty regarding the sources, atmospheric changes, measurement methods, and the health effects of PM 2.5. To help address this uncertainty, the EPA initiated the PM Supersites Program. (See http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/supersites.html) The Supersites program had three major objective areas: to characterize particulate matter; to support PM health effects and exposure research; and to test new and emerging measurement methods for PM. The PM Supersites Program consisted of monitoring activities in eight areas of the country (Atlanta, Baltimore, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis). These areas were selected to represent a wide range of environmental conditions for the formation of PM, including different types of sources and different meteorological conditions. The PM Supersites program was highly leveraged with other ongoing air quality monitoring programs. The timing of these many programs was such that several - intensive measurement efforts coincided during 2001 and 2002. These intensive measurement campaigns, referred to collectively as the Eastern Supersites Program, gathered surface air quality and meteorological data, as well as, data from higher altitudes using aircraft and continuous meteorological monitoring equipment. While permanent data storage from the PM Supersites is provided at the NARSTO Quality Systems Science Center (See http://cdiac.ornl.gov/programs/NARSTO/), a number of researches saw the need to compile the data from Eastern Supersites Program into a user-friendly, relational database available to atmospheric and health researchers and key stakeholders. EPA, in collaboration with the University of Maryland, designed and developed the Supersites Integrated Relational Database (SIRD). The database is available at http://supersitesdata.umd.edu/. The Eastern Supersites Program developed from initial efforts to coordinate the Scientific Problem and Policy Issues Research Approach 1 ------- research at the five Supersites Projects located in the eastern half of the United States into a comprehensive measurement program during July 2001. Other air quality monitoring programs in the eastern part of the US were asked to participate, resulting in a one month measurement period that included nearly 30 air quality and meteorological programs. This coordinated effort became known as the Eastern Supersites Program. Additional intensive measurement periods were conducted in January 2002 and again in July 2002. Eventually, measurement data was expanded beyond the Supersites Program to include almost all available air quality and meteorological data from across the United States for the time period from June 2001 to August 2002. Neither the University of Maryland nor EPA was directly responsible for the quality of the data contained in SIRD. However, prior to public release, the Supersites Program data within SIRD was validated by the Supersites Program principal investigators (Pis) for completeness and category labels. Much of the related studies data were validated by the appropriate Pis and also by the SIRD PI. Pis were asked to query their data and compare it to their original data sets. The database was purposely designed with high level metadata for use by data analysts familiar with relational databases and with air quality measurements. Links to contributing air monitoring projects have been provided if users wish to obtain additional information about a given study. Results and The data in the SIRD will be used by States and Regional Planning Organizations Impact (RPOs) such as Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association (MARAMA), Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), and Midwest to develop, analyze, and support the emission reduction strategies to be proposed in SIPs. More specifically, the SIRD will provide data for dispersion model development and evaluation, source apportionment analyses, and empirical data to describe atmospheric processes impacting PM formation and transport. Using the SIRD will strengthen the scientific basis of SIPs and will ultimately lead to effective control strategies for meeting the PM NAAQS and protecting public health and the environment. Preparation of the SIRD was supported by funding from EPA's ORD and OAR. The database was developed in collaboration with the University of Maryland. Over 30 organizations provided data to this database, including Meteorological Service of Canada, making this an international database. Contributing organizations included federal agencies (NOAA National Park Service, and DOE); private industry (e.g., Southern Company, Georgia Power Company, Tennessee Valley Authority, Mineral Management Services, Chevron); industrial consortia (e.g., EPRI); universities (Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Maryland, Clarkson University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, and NYU); several state agencies (e.g., Texas, Florida, North Carolina, California, Michigan, New York); multistate organizations (Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium (LADCO), MARAMA, NESCAUM, Central States Air Resource Agencies, Southeastern States Air Resource Managers); and RPOs (Midwest RPO, Mid-Atlantic Northeast-Visibility Union, Visibility Improvement State and Tribal Association of the Southeast, Central Regional Air Planning Association). The database is available at http://supersitesdata.umd.edu/. Research Collaboration and Research Products 2 ------- Other key stakeholders include EPA's Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), EPA's Office of Research and Development, EPA Regional Offices, other federal agencies (e.g., Department of Energy, NOAA, Department of Interior - National Park Service), and private industry and industrial organizations (e.g., EPRI). Future SIRD is a static database designed to cover a specific time period - July 2001 to Research August 2002 - although some data are available through December 2002 and beyond or others beginning before June 2001. The database will remain available on the University of Maryland Website through December 2006. The data will remain permanently available through the NARSTO Quality Systems Science Center. The database is a well-documented and comprehensive data resource for future research efforts, including: evaluating Air Quality models, on urban, regional, subcontinental, and national scales; developing improved source-receptor relationships; testing theories about the magnitude and composition of PM resulting from local and transported emissions; and assessing the impact of secondary particles on PM in non-attainment areas. Questions and inquiries can be directed to: Paul A. Solomon, Ph.D. U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development National Exposure Research Laboratory Process Modeling Research Branch 944 East Harmon Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89119 Phone: 702/798-2280 E-mail: solomon.paul@epa.gov The SIRD, as well as contacts for studies that submitted data to the SIRD, can be found at the SIRD web site (http://supersitesdata.umd.edu/) and the associated URL links. The U.S. EPA through its Office of Research and Development and the Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, funded and collaborated in the research described under cooperative agreement R82806301 as part of the Baltimore Supersites Project to the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). Contacts for Additional Information 3 ------- |