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The Regional Haze Rule, Part II

Characterizing Wildfire

In our previous post on the Regional Haze Rule (RHR), we briefly explored the history of the rule and how recent changes in the rules and accompanying guidance have implications for how wildland fires are handled during the planning process. Here, we will look more closely at the implications of wildland fire on regional haze planning, and how Air Sciences is assisting the Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP). WRAP is a voluntary partnership of states, tribes, federal land managers, local air agencies and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) whose purpose is to understand current and evolving regional air quality issues in the Western United States.

The Regional Haze Rule, Part I

Then and Now

Promulgated in 1999 in the wake of the bipartisan Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission’s recommendations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Haze Rule established visual (instead of health-based) criteria for air quality to address declining visibility. The areas subject to this rule span the larger Class I national parks and wilderness areas (156 in total) overseen by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and several Native American Tribes.

Air Quality at the United States Embassy in Cairo

In 2015 the United States (US) Department of State launched an Air Quality Monitoring Program with the primary goals of protecting US personnel and their families, obtaining sound data to reduce exposure, evaluating the Department’s enterprise risk, advancing scientific understanding, and highlighting US technology and leadership. This effort has contributed air quality reporting at many embassies and consulates around the world. Volunteer on-site Air Quality Fellows provide the scientific expertise behind this program. Air Sciences’ Dr. Katheryn Kolesar recently returned from such a trip to Cairo, Egypt.

New Publication Explores Role of Wildland Fire in Organic Aerosol Formation

Air Sciences principal scientist Matt Mavko is a contributing author on a new article published recently in Atmospheric Environment, with colleagues from the Carnegie Mellon University, Ramboll (formerly ENVIRON), and the Western Regional Air Partnership, examining the contribution of biomass burning organic aerosol (bbOA) to total organic aerosol (OA) concentrations in the continental U.S.
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Visualizing Data from Meteorological Station Networks

Meteorological station data remains one of the best tools for informing avalanche safety decisions. For recreationists and practitioners alike, everyone requires information specific to their plan for the day. But parsing through large station networks is often tedious, and information overload can actually limit the amount of information we internalize. Additionally, few recreationists understand the complexities at each station and looking at less than ideal data can be misleading.

All posts in “Project News”

The Regional Haze Rule, Part II

The Regional Haze Rule, Part I

Air Quality at the United States Embassy in Cairo

New Publication Explores Role of Wildland Fire in Organic Aerosol Formation

Visualizing Data from Meteorological Station Networks