Measurement Data is Crucial To Understanding Ozone NonAttainment Issues in Houston

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Measurement Data is Crucial To Understanding
Ozone Non-Attainment Issues in Houston

• Walt Crow
• Shell Center for Sustainable Development Seminar
• October 6, 2004

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Background

• HRVOCs participate in the rapid and efficient
  formation of ground-level ozone in Houston
• Reductions in both emissions of NOx and VOC will
  be necessary to achieve attainment of both the
  1-hour and 8-hour ozone standards in Houston
• Carefully crafted measurements are needed to
• understand ozone formation mechanisms
• characterize the complex meteorology of the
  region
• better understand emission source and reactivity
  profiles
• help validate photochemical and meteorological
  model performance
• validate emission inventory estimates
• assess impact of transport of photochemical
  oxidants
• develop effective emission control strategies
• document improvements in air quality and
• ensure compliance with proposed regulations.

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What New Monitoring Initiatives Are Planned or
are Underway?

• TexAQS II will focus on both urban and regional
  ozone formation and transport processes needed to
  develop effective strategies for complying with
  the
• 1-hour ozone and 8-hour ozone standards in Texas
• The EISMN (Enhanced Industry Sponsored Monitoring
  Network) has added seven new automated GCs to HGB
  region to gather information needed to
• develop reactivity source profiles
• help reconcile differences in reported emissions
  inventories
• help verify emission reductions of certain
  reactive VOCs
• New rules require real-time monitoring of HRVOCs
  from Flares, Cooling Towers, and uncontrolled
  Process Vents

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What New Monitoring Initiatives Are Planned or
are Underway (Continued)

• EMRS (Environmental Monitoring and Response
  System) - a TCEQ/Industry initiative to use
  near-real-time monitoring data to alert industry
  participants when elevated pollutant levels are
  detected in the atmosphere. EMRS will
• prompt the investigation of facility of
  activities
• file routine notification reports to the agency
• will lead to best management practices to reduce
  emissions industrial pollutants
• Expanded ground-based ozone monitoring network in
  Houston area
• TCEQ is evaluating new remote sensing methods for
  monitoring real-time destruction efficiencies
  from industrial flares

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Automated Gas Chromatograph
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Passive Radiometric-FTIR System
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Passive FTIR At Flare Test