Air Quality in the San Joaquin Valley

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Air Quality in the San Joaquin Valley

• Brenda Turner
• Public Information Representative
• Valley Air District
• brenda.turner_at_valleyair.org (661)
  326-6981

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The Valley Air District

• Eight counties 25,000 square miles
• Regulatory, public health agency under the
  direction of a Governing Board (expanding from 11
  to 15 members).
• Primary responsibility for stationary sources
  60 reduction in emissions overall and 80 from
  stationary sources since 1980.
• More than 500 rules and amend-ments since forming
  in 1992 awarded more than 180 million in
  incentive funding.

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Air Quality Index
Index Level Cautionary Statement
0 to 50 Good No limitations.
50 to 100 Moderate
Extremely sensitive people, especially those with
respiratory diseases such as asthma, should
consider limiting prolonged outdoor activity.
101 to 150
Sensitive people, especially those with
respiratory diseases such as asthma, should limit
prolonged outdoor exertion.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
151 to 200 Unhealthy
Sensitive people should avoid outdoor exertion,
and everyone else should limit prolonged outdoor
exertion during peak periods.
201 to 300
Very Unhealthy
Everyone should avoid all outdoor exertion.
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Pollutants of Concern

• Criteria Pollutants
• Air basin meets all but two federal standards
• Ozone
• Averaged over an 8-hour period (previously 1-hr)
• Particulate Matter
• PM 2.5
• PM 10 now have attained federal standard
• Ozone and PM are two different pollutants with
  different causes, seasons and health effects

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Why does it matter?

• Health impacts, each year
• 460 premature deaths
• 325 new cases of chronic bronchitis
• 3,230 cases of acute bronchitis in children
• 260 hospital admissions
• 23,300 asthma attacks
• 188,000 lost school days
• 3,000 lost work days
• 3 billion/year in health related costs

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Ozone -- What is it?

• Smog
• Odorless, colorless gas resulting from chemicals
  cooking in sunlight and heat
• Made up of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile
  organic compounds (VOCs)
• These are produced by internal-combustion engines
  (mobile sources), industrial processes,
  agriculture, consumer products (lawnmowers,
  paints and solvents, etc.)

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Ozone Contributors

• Geography and topography
• Mountain barriers
• Bowl shape
• Climate
• Sunny, hot summers
• Strong inversions
• Large number of VOC NOx sources
• Fast-growing population Vehicle Miles Traveled
  (VMT) is rising
• 94 million miles/day in 2005, up from 86 million
  in 2002. Will reach 122 million miles/day by
  2015.
• Transport
• From other air basins, within the air basin (27
  in north, 11 in central and 7 in south is
  transport from outside SJV). Currently being
  re-evaluated as a result of recent fires.

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Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)
22.5 million VMT in 2005
36.3 million VMT in 2020
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Estimated Summer Emissions Oxides of Nitrogen
(2005)
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Estimated Summer Emissions Reactive Organic
Gases (2005)
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Particulate Matter
Many things produce it Two sizes are measured
PM10 and PM2.5
PM-10, 2.5
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Particulate Matter

• PM10
• Fall problem, more dust, larger particles, also
  includes PM2.5
• PM2.5
• Winter problem, emissions from burning, more
  dangerous than larger particles.
• In winter, wood-burning is a significant source
  of PM throughout the Valley
• Triggers heart attacks, makes asthma and
  bronchitis worse. Can cause respiratory
  infections.

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Valley Challenge

• Valley topography and meteorology
• Surrounding mountains inversion layers trap
  pollution
• Episodes of poor air quality can last several
  days
• PM builds up
• 2008 PM2.5 Plan calls for major reductions in
  emissions by 2014

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8-Hour Ozone Improvement
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District Ozone Data
Violations of the 8-hour national standard 109
in 2004 72 in 2005 86 in 2006 65 in 2007
8-hour std
1-hour std
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Kern County Ozone Data
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Estimated Days Over PM10 Standard
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PM2.5 Historical Data
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Ozone Carrying Capacity
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Needed Reductions from Mobile Sources
Stationary Area Sources Other Off-road, incl.
Trains Off-road Equipment Farm Equipment Passenger
Vehicles Heavy Duty Trucks
NOx, 2005
Mobile Sources
Attainment Goal
160 tons/day
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HEALTHY AIR LIVING
A Valley-wide initiative to accelerate the path
to cleaner air. www.valleyair.org
www.healthyairliving.com
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New Billboards with Healthy Air Living Theme
Coming in November
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Work Events
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