I spoke with Sean Fitzsimmons at the DNR on Monday afternoon, the day of the high fine particulate levels in Muscatine. He noted that if the 24-hour average was over 35 mcg/cubic liter, it would be the ninth unofficial day of exceedance of the EPA standard for fine particulate pollution. From the news release, it appears that the ninth day has in fact occurred. It takes eight such days in a year for a county or portion of a county to be declared in nonattainment by the EPA.
These are unofficial for the time being because: (1) official exceedances are determined from air filter samples, not from the less accurate continuous monitors that are used for public alerts, and (2) nothing is official until the DNR declares nonattainment status, which will be sometime next year. In the meantime I know that both DNR and EPA are working in the Muscatine area with the major polluters, either through voluntary agreements (DNR, which may also take a voluntary agreement with one polluter and turn it into a consent order) or investigation and enforcement actions (DNR and EPA, with two separate emitters).
For more information on fine particulate matter pollution in a brief format, please visit the Iowa Environmental Council's web site (www.iaenvironment.org) and click on the link to the Fact Sheet in the righthand sidebar. Also there is information at the Air Quality page, using a link in the left sidebar.
Lee Searles
Air Quality Program Director
Iowa Environmental Council
521 E. Locust St., Ste. 220
Des Moines, IA 50309
515-244-1194 ext. 204
From: Press Releases from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 1:01 PM
To: Dana Wade
Cc: DNR CRD NRC Commissioners; DNR ESD EPC Commissioners
Subject: News Release: Air Quality Improves with Blustery Winter Weather
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 23, 2009
BLUSTERY WEATHER IMPROVES AIR QUALITY
MEDIA CONTACT: Todd Russell at (515) 281-8437
Windsor Heights – An advancing winter storm has produced higher winds improving air quality across the State.
Today average levels at Garfield School in Muscatine were 23 micrograms per cubic meter through the 9 o’clock hour and going down. The EPA’s 24-hour health threshold for fine particles is 35 micrograms per cubic meter. Yesterday, a 24-hour average of 59 micrograms per cubic meter was recorded at Garfield School in Muscatine. At these levels, asthmatics, the elderly and children may experience breathing difficulties.
Fine particles are emitted by vehicle traffic and other combustion sources and are also formed by chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Stagnant air masses do not allow the fine particles to disperse, and pollutant levels rise.
EPA’s national air quality map is available online at www.airnow.gov.
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