NSR

1
NSR Class I Redesignation (Background)

• Darrel Harmon
• U.S. EPA

2
Key Topics

• What are Class I areas?
• How do PSD permits/increments protect them?
• Why redesignatewhat does it accomplish?
• What are air quality related values (AQRVs)?
• How are state/tribal disputes resolved?

3
What are Class I Areas?

• Areas of special national or regional worth
• Natural value
• scenic value
• Recreational value
• Historic value
• Cleanest air and smallest increments
• Allow least air-quality deterioration
• PSD regulations give them special protection

4
What are the different types of Class I Areas?

• Three kinds
• Mandatory Federal Class 1
• Federal Class 1
• Non-federal Class 1

5
Mandatory Class I Areas

• International parks
• National wilderness areas lt 5000 acres
• National wildlife refuges
• National monuments
• National seashores
• National memorial parks gt 5000 acres
• National parks gt 6000 acres
• Automatically designated 1977 under CAA
• Can never be reclassified
• See manual for listings by state

6
Federal Class I Areas

• States/tribes may designate additional Class I
  areas
• States may reclassify state or federal lands
• Tribes may reclassify reservation lands only
• Federal lands so reclassified by a state

7
Non-Federal Class 1 Areas

• State or Indian lands redesignated Class I
• None from states thus far
• Several Class I Indian reservations
• Rulemaking in progress
• 35 parcels of Forest County Potawatomi Community
  (Wisconsin)

8
Why redesignate?

• Health protection for tribal members
• Subsistence
• Bioaccumulation of toxins
• Protect air quality
• Protect sensitive ecosystems
• Preserve culture heritage/traditional lifestyles
• Proximity to federal Class I areas

9
Disadvantages

• Impacts economic growth/development
• Limits new construction
• Consumes tribal resources
• Legal issues
• Court challenges
• Conflicts between state and tribe

10
Resolving Disputes

• Governor or Indian governing body may
• Request that EPA establish intergovernmental
  negotiations
• If negotiations fail, EPA resolves dispute
• EPA must then consider if area
• Will allow effective AQ management
• Has AQ-related values (AQRV)

11
PSD Regulations and Class I

• Class I increments limit air degradation
• Federal land manager required to protect AQ
• AQRV protected from all known pollutants
• Permits require adverse impact analyses,
  including
• Cumulative impacts
• AQRV impacts
• BACT minimizes emissions

12
What are AQRVs?

• Attributes adversely affected by deteriorating AQ
• Features or properties of true wilderness
• Scenic, cultural, physical, biological,
  ecological, recreational resources
• Examples
• Flora and fauna Archaeological sites
• Water quality Historic sites
• Visibility

13
What are adverse impacts?

• Any impact that
• Diminishes areas national significance
• Impairs ecosystem structure/function
• Impairs quality of visitor experience

14
Measuring AQRV Impacts

• Specific parameters that reflect AQRV status
• Example if AQRV water, pollution increased
  acidity
• Measure total alkalinity
• Monitor pH

15
Who manages AQ/protects AQRVs in federal Class I
area?

• Federal Land Manager (FLM)
• Secretary U.S. Dept. of Interior
• Secretary U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

16
Who manages AQ/protects AQRVs in non-federal
Class I areas?

• State or Indian governing body
• Define AQRVs at own discretion
• No obligation to identify AQRVs
• No affirmative responsibility to protect AQRVs
• May ask EPA to resolve disputes

17
Federal Land Manager

• Class I AQRV expert
• Responsibilities include
• Aggressively protecting AQRVs
• Identifying DQRVs for permit applicants
• Identifying adverse impact assessment parameters
• Making ambient monitoring decisions

18
Federal Land Manager (cont.)

• Responsibilities (cont.)
• Making permit-application decisions
• No adverse impacts on SQRVs
• Will have adverse impacts
• Incomplete (cannot determine impacts)
• Suggesting permit changes/conditions
• Recommending permit approval/disapproval

19
FLM Actions if Permit Applicant will adversely
impact AQRV

• Recommend denial
• Recommend permit conditions to mitigate impacts
• Example ongoing monitoring

20
PSD Applicant Procedures if Source May
Adversely Impact Class I Area

• Identify all Class I areas within 100km
• Perform Class I increment analyses
• Perform AQRV adverse-impact analyses
• Provide all information necessary to conduct AQRV
  impact analyses
• Including cumulative impact analyses
• Perform monitoring as required

21
Key Points

• Definition of Class I areas
• Class I PSD permit requirements
• Benefits/disadvantages of redesignation
• Definition of AQRV
• Methods of AQRV protection
• Intergovernmental dispute resolution procedures