Category: Air Quality

November 2, 2022, Agenda: Air Quality Board Meeting

Meeting Agenda Call-to-Order Date of the Next Air Quality Board Meeting: December 7, 2022 Approval of the Minutes for the September 15, 2022, Board Meeting Five-Year Review: R307-304. Solvent Cleaning. Presented by Bo Wood Propose for Public Comment: Amend R307-123. General Requirements: Clean Fuels and Vehicle Technology Grant and Loan Program. Presented by Bo Wood. …

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image of downtown SLC with smoke

The Salt Lake Regional Smoke, Ozone and Aerosol Study (SAMOZA)

The University of Washington, Utah State University and the University of Montana will conduct a detailed study of ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the Salt Lake Valley (SLV). Using new VOC observations, plus existing measurements of NOx, CO and PM2.5, they will use a variety of analyses to understand O3 formation and the sources of PM2.5 in the SLV during the summertime season. In addition, they will conduct photochemical modeling and statistical/machine learning analyses to improve our understanding of O3 photochemistry. We expect to gain significant new policy-relevant insights on what controls high concentrations of O3 in the SLV during both smoke-influenced and non-smoke conditions.

  • Principal Investigator: Dan Jaffe (University of Washington)
  • Funded by Science for Solutions Research Grant: $280,516
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Smoke plume from the wildfire in Parleys Canyon, Utah on 14 Aug. 2021.

Improving Smoke Detection and Quantifying the Wildfire Smoke Impacts on Local Air Quality Using Modeling and Machine Learning Techniques

Though it can be easy to tell that wildfire smoke has negative impacts on urban air quality, there is no tool to quantitatively measure wildfire impacts, nor to identify whether exceedance days are due to wildfire smoke or other emissions. The first scope of this work will develop a new plume rise model to estimate the plume injection heights for larger wildfires, which will improve simulations of smoke transport and downwind air pollution concentrations. The second scope of this work is to use CTM (chemical transport model) ensemble simulations to determine wildfire smoke contributions to local air quality using source apportionment techniques. The last scope of this work is to develop a fast-response tool to identify federal standards (NAAQS) exceedance days with large contributions from wildfire smoke.

  • Principal Investigator: Heather Holmes (University of Utah)
  • Funded by Science for Solutions Research Grant: $61,738
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Improved Vegetation Data for the Biogenic Emission Inventory of Wasatch Front

Improved Vegetation Data for the Biogenic Emission Inventory of Wasatch Front

The goal of this project is to improve numerical predictions of regional ozone and aerosol distributions in the Wasatch Front by developing more accurate estimates of biogenic volatile organic carbon (BVOC) emissions for the urban areas within the Northern Wasatch Front. Specifically, this project will upgrade modeled MEGAN (Model of Emissions of Gasses and Aerosols from Nature) BVOC emission estimates by analyzing high-resolution satellite imagery using machine learning, object-based classifications that are calibrated and assessed by field observations. Such techniques have already successfully been applied in Texas and California. These techniques will improve MEGAN landcover inputs for the Wasatch Front region including time-varying Leaf Area Index (LAI), growth form fractions (tree, shrub, crops, herbaceous plants) and tree species composition (e.g., relative abundance of oaks, poplars, pines, spruce, etc). The benefit of this project will be an improved MEGAN emission model for the Wasatch Front that is available for use in air quality models that are critical for our scientific understanding and the development of effective regulatory strategies.

  • Principal Investigator: Tejas Shah (Ramboll US Consulting)
  • Funded by Science for Solutions Research Grant: $124,797
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September 15, 2022, Agenda: Air Quality Board Meeting

Meeting Agenda Call-to-Order Annual Election of Chair and Vice-Chair. Date of the Next Air Quality Board Meeting: October 6, 2022 Approval of the Minutes for the July 6, 2022, Board Meeting Five-Year Review: R307-214. National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. Presented by Bo Wood. Propose for Final Adoption: Amend R307-401-14. Used Oil Fuel Burned …

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Methodology: Vehicle Miles Traveled Compared to 2-Stroke Lawn Equipment Use

Comparison infographics for ChargeYourYard.utah.gov and the 2-stroke rule were created using the following methodology, using NOx + Volatile Organic Compounds emission for an average 2019 model year passenger vehicle in the Northern Wasatch Front geographic area. Emission Modeling System MOVES version: 3.0.4 MOVES database: movesdb20220105 For Passenger Car: MOVES Onroad Default Scale Time Spans: 2019 …

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July 6, 2022, Agenda: Air Quality Board Meeting

Meeting Agenda Call-to-Order Date of the Next Air Quality Board Meeting: September 7, 2022 Approval of the Minutes for the May 4, 2022, Board Meeting Five-Year Review: R307-230. NOx Emission Limits for Natural Gas-Fired Water Heaters. Presented by Bo Wood. Propose for Final Adoption: Amend R307-506. Oil and Gas Industry: Storage Vessel; R307-508. Oil and …

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May 4, 2022, Agenda: Air Quality Board Meeting

Meeting Agenda Call-to-Order Date of the Next Air Quality Board Meeting: June 1, 2022 Approval of the Minutes for the April 6, 2022, Board Meeting Five-Year Reviews:R307-105. General Requirements: Emergency Controls.R307-401. Permit: New and Modified Sources.R307-403. Permits: New and Modified Sources in Nonattainment Areas and Maintenance Areas.R307-406. Visibility.R307-410. Permits: Emissions Impact Analysis.R307-414. Permits: Fees for …

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Inland Port Monitoring

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has been tasked with establishing baseline conditions for stormwater and air quality within the statutorily defined area of Utah Inland Port (UIP) Authority. In addition, DEQ has been a part of land remediation and clean-up efforts at the North Temple Landfill Redevelopment site. Data collected by DEQ through …

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Lead-Based Paint Program

Lead-Based Paint (LBP) was banned for use in houses in 1978, however, in houses built before 1978, there is a possibility that LBP is still present. Dust from LBP is the leading cause of lead poisoning in children which is a serious and preventable environmental health problem for both children and adults. In children, elevated …

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