Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators, Federal Land Managers (FLMs), air-centric multi-jurisdictional organizations and regional planning organizations (RPOs), and other interested stakeholders converged this week in St. Louis, Missouri for the 2019 National Regional Haze meeting. The three-day event convened on October 28, 2019 and is set to adjourn today.
Topics discussed on each day consisted of the following sessions:
Monday, October 28, 2019
- Overview of EPA structure and introductions
- Understanding Science of Visibility, Natural and Baseline Conditions and Analysis of visibility trends
- Emissions and Modeling Update
- Modeling tools to support source selection for 4-factor analyses and visibility control analyses
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
- Rule and Guidance Update
- Source Selection and Four Factor Analysis PART 1
- Source Selection and Four Factor Analysis PART 1
- FLM Roles and Expectations
- Consultation
- Effective Resource Management
- Example SIP Walkthrough
- Communication Framework for Regional Haze Planning
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
- State/RPO Technical Updates
- SPeCS Regional Haze Module Demo
- Breakout sessions (for each RPO)
The RPOs in attendance included CenSARA, LADCO, MANE-VU, and VISTAS. Arkansas is a member state of CenSARA, the Central States Air Resource Agencies.
The Regional Haze program was established to eliminate manmade visibility impacts at national parks and wilderness areas. Arkansas has two such areas, the Caney Creek Wilderness Area and the Upper Buffalo Wilderness Area.
The first planning period of the Regional Haze program ended in 2018. The second planning period is now underway and requires states to examine all sources regardless of type and potential impacts on visibility and prepare Regional Haze state implementation plans by July 2021.
An agenda for the meeting can be downloaded here.
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