ClimateFriendly Actions with CoBenefits

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Climate-Friendly Actions with Co-Benefits

• Julie McNamee
• NPS Air Resources Division
• February 21, 2007

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Overview

• Co-benefits introduction
• CAPs explained
• Impacts of CAPs
• How CAPs and GHG are related
• The Co-Benefits Concept
• Co-Benefit Examples

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Co-benefits

• When reduce one type of pollutant you reduce
  another so there are co-benefits
• GHG reduction and CAP reduction go hand-in-hand

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What are CAPs?

• Criteria Air Pollutants
• Cause or contribute to air pollution which may
  reasonably be anticipated to endanger public
  health or welfare
• Result from numerous, diverse mobile and
  stationary sources

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Regulations exist
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CAP regulation the Clean Air Act

• Primary standards are to protect human health,
  including sensitive populations
• Secondary standards are to protect public welfare
• National Ambient Air Quality Standards are
  established for six criteria pollutants (nitrogen
  oxides, sulfur oxides, ozone, particulate matter,
  carbon monoxide, and lead)

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Primary v. Secondary standard objectives

• Health
• Welfare

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Impacts of CAPs NOx

• Nitrogen oxides
• React with volatile organic compounds to form
  ozone (smog), a respiratory irritant
• Contribute to acid deposition (acid rain and
  nutrient overload)
• Significant player in visibility reduction,
  primarily (through formation of ammonium nitrate)

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Impacts of CAPs SOx

• Sulfur oxides
• Cause respiratory illness
• Primary factor in acid deposition
• Primary cause of visibility reduction in eastern
  U.S. (through formation of ammonium sulfate)

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Impacts of CAPS 03

• Ozone
• Triggers a variety of respiratory health problems
• May cause permanent lung damage
• Injures plants and ecosystems

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Ozone continued
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Impacts of CAPs PM

• Particulate Matter
• Causes respiratory illness
• Contributes to acid deposition
• Causes aesthetic damage to culturally important
  objects
• Contribute to visibility reduction

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Impacts of CAPs CO

• Carbon Monoxide
• Cardiovascular and nervous system effects stem
  from reduced lung function

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Impacts of CAPs Pb

• Lead

• Serious health effects include damage to brain
  and nervous system (particularly in young
  children), damage to reproductive and other
  organs

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How are GHGs and CAPs Related?
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The Co-Benefits Concept

• Take ONE action, receive TWO benefits both CAPs
  and GHGs are reduced simultaneously
• Plus, the impacts associated with each form of
  emissions are reduced

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CAP-Reducing Measures with GHG Co-Benefits

• Replace boilers/ generators/heaters with less
  polluting versions
• Reduce vehicle idling
• Use alternative-fuel vehicles
• Carpool
• Encourage use of public transportation

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Example Institute a Visitor Shuttle

• CAP Action Restrict roadways to personal
  vehicles transport visitors via shuttle instead
• Glacier Natl Park
• Grand Canyon Natl Park
• Result Dramatically improve park air quality by
  reducing CAPs
• Co-Benefit
• GHG Less combustion of gasoline/diesel saves
  CO2 emissions
• GHG Reduced VMT saves CH4 and N2O emissions
• Economic incentive
• Decreased road maintenance costs

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Example Replace 2-stroke engines with 4-stroke
engines

• CAP Action Replace 2-stroke engines with
  cleaner, more efficient 4-stroke engines.
• Gateway National Recreation Area
• Glacier Bay National Park
• Result CAPs decrease significantly
• Co-benefits
• GHG Reduced VMT saves CH4 and N2O emissions
• GHG Decreased CO2
• Noise reduction
• Economic incentive

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GHG-Reducing Measures with CAP Co-Benefits

• Use energy-efficient appliances
• Use renewable energy
• Turn off lights/appliances when not in use
• Reduce, reuse, recycle
• Encourage alternate modes of transportation
  (walking, biking, etc.)
• Weatherize buildings

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Example Install Photovoltaic Panels

• GHG Action Install photovoltaic panels on
  buildings to meet building energy needs via solar
  energy
• Zion National Park
• Result Reduce energy consumption (and energy
  costs) and CO2 emissions
• Sometimes excess energy can be sent back to the
  grid, supplying emission-free electricity to
  other users
• CAP Co-benefit fewer emissions of CAPs at power
  plant

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Example Decrease solid waste

• GHG Action Implement an Integrated Solid Waste
  Alternative Plan (ISWAP).
• Everglades National Park
• Gateway National Recreation Area
• Result Decrease solid waste by 50 by 2010.
• Co-benefit
• CAP Power plants need to produce less energy,
• CAP Decrease transportation to the landfill
• CAP Decrease need to build new
  landfills-decreases transportation and
  construction emissions
• Economics decreased procurement costs.

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The take home message

• CAPs and GHGs are contributing to global climate
  change
• BUT
• There are things that you can do to help reduce
  your contribution of GHGs and CAPs!
• Follow the leaders NPS, EPA, USFS and others!

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• Any questions?

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THANK YOU!

• For future questions please contact me
• Julie McNamee
• julie_thomas_at_nps.gov
• [phone]
• or
• Liana Reilly
• liana_reilly_at_nps.gov
• [phone]
• National Park Service
• Air Resources Division