National Core NCore Network Program

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National Core (NCore) Network Program

• Tim Hanley EPA Office of Air Quality Planning
  Standards

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Why are we doing this?
Common sense initiative Most criteria
measurements (except O3, PM) are well below NAAQS
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National Themes and Goals

• Themes
• The strategy is an explicit effort to lay down a
  multiple pollutant measurement infrastructure to
  drive and support integrated air program
  management.
• The strategy shifts the nations networks from
  being a compliance dominated orientation toward
  greater support of public reporting, program
  accountability, and scientific needs.
• The overall approach and concepts have been
  endorsed by EPAs Science Advisory Board and
  recognized the National Academy of Sciences in
  their recent Reports on Air Quality Management
  and Particulate Matter.
• Goals for NCore Level II
• Establish a National Network of 75 to 100
  multi-pollutant sites
• Characterize the major components of the
  atmosphere and meteorology.

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Major NCore Level II Design Attributes

• Collocated multiple pollutant measurements
• Emphasis on continuously operating instruments
  and near real-time availability of data
• Diversity of representative locations at both
  urban and rural/regional locations
• Higher sensitivity measurements

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NCore Level II Multi-pollutant Sites

• What to measure
• Continuous
• CO, SO2, NO/NOy, O3, PM2.5, PMc
• Integrated
• PM2.5 FRM (1/3 day), Speciation,
• Need to develop methods for
• NH3 (ammonia), HNO3 (nitric acid), true NO2
  (nitrogen dioxide)
• Meteorology
• Ambient Temperature, Relative Humidity, Wind
  Speed, Wind Direction

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Data Uses, NAMS /SLAMS versus NCore
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Current and Planned Parameters for the AIRNow
Data Management Center
Current Parameters
Precursor Gas Parameters
Speciation Parameters
Meteorological Parameters
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Implementation Plan Summary

• Phased implementation now through 2007
• 2005 Pilot of precursor gas monitors with
  States/locals/Tribes
• Modifications in Regulations (proposal in 2005)
• Codification of NCore
• New criteria measurement minimums for Ozone and
  PM2.5
• Introduction of new performance based approaches
  for monitor approval
• Regional Approved Method for continuous PM2.5
  mass
• New national equivalency standards for PM2.5 mass
• Restructuring of QA.more DQO and PBMS emphasis
• Resource Support for NMS Implementation
• Redistribution/modifications in STAG 103 PM2.5
  Grants and PAMS 105
• Largely, but not entirely, across measurements,
  not States..
• Technology Transfer and Training
• Focusing on new technologies, QA
• In-house and outreach

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Reference and Equivalency

• Methods for PM2.5 speciation, NOy, HNO3, NH3 are
  not applicable to reference and equivalency
  program
• Methods for O3, PM2.5, PM10 (PM coarse) are
  required to be reference or equivalent
• Methods for CO, and SO2 are expected to be
  reference or equivalent unless alternative
  methods are approved by the administrator. What
  does this mean?
• We fully expect most of the deployed CO and SO2
  high sensitivity monitors will not initially be
  approved reference or equivalent methods.
• These methods should actually be an improvement
  over existing reference and equivalent
  technologies.
• Typically these methods will be existing
  reference or equivalent monitors that have been
  modified to enhance their sensitivity.
• PM2.5 continuous
• Not required to be an FEM however, this would be
  desirable if one or more methods ever became
  equivalent

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Funding
Planned Number of State and local Monitors

• Some initial funding for Precursor Gas Monitors
  at State and local agencies came from carryover
  PM2.5 funds
• Steve Page Memo on appropriate uses of carryover
  funds.
• For 2005 and 2006 specific funding for precursor
  gas monitoring was planned into the Section 103
  PM2.5 monitoring grants
• 2005 - 1.67M
• 2006 - 2.1M
• OAQPS and CASTNet projects came from internal EPA
  funds

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Monitor Costs
Estimated Costs per Instrument

• Capital acquisition costs were determined by
  pricing commercially available high sensitivity
  gas analyzers
• O/M costs were identified by examining latest
  available ICR and input from EPA Regional Offices

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Timetable

• 2004
• OAQPS laboratory study
• 2005
• OAQPS field Study
• CASTNet 3 site pilot
• State and local Agency Pilot
• 2006
• Additional State and Local Agencies come on line
• 2007
• First full year of NCore (based on a final
  monitoring regulation in 06)
• Phase I of NCore implementation
• 2008
• Phase II of NCore implementation

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NCore Level II Network Design Issues

• Design Issues
• Need sites that are representative of broad urban
  and regional/rural spatial scales
• Urban scale or larger
• Can be neighborhood scale if the site is
  representative of many similar neighborhoods.
• Do not want to be influenced by local sources
  that are not impacting entire urban area
• Approved by EPA Administrator
• Locations
• 1 per State with additional 1-2 sites in CA, FL,
  IL, MI, NY, NC, OH, PA, and TX
• Leveraged with other air monitoring program sites
• Urban - PAMS, NATTS, STN
• Rural CASTNet, IMPROVE, RPO type sites
• Logistical Issues
• Need to be long term sites
• Need room for multiple gas monitors and
  associated equipment, integrated samples,
  meteorology

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Summary and Next Steps for Implementation

• 2006 Grant Guidance continues movement towards
  realigning the networks
• Updated version of Grant Guidance on EPA Web
  Site
• http//epa.gov/ocfo/npmguidance/index.htm
• Monitoring Regulations
• Expect proposal of revised monitoring regulations
  in support of National Monitoring Strategy this
  year.
• Expect final revised monitoring regulations in
  2006
• Technology
• Pilot and training of precursor gas monitors this
  year
• Need to develop methods for Ammonia, Nitric Acid,
  true Nitrogen Dioxide
• Use of AIRNow to support sharing precursor gas,
  continuous speciation, and meteorological data
• New procedures for storing PM2.5 continuous
  monitoring data in AQS
• Communications and Outreach
• Working to engage EPA Air Division Directors and
  Air Program Managers
• Scheduling meeting with Ambient Air Monitoring
  Steering Committee, June 05
• Need to engage State Air Directors
• NCore Level II site selection
• Need to engage multiple clients of data with
  initial list