Rocky Mountain News Blasts Inhofe

The Rocky Mountain News today ran a great editorial, pasted below, blasting Senator Inhofe for his cricisim of the use of infrared technology to detect ozone forming compounds (see past posts). The editors of the News are right on the mark on this one.

Let cameras map emissions

Senator's gripe disturbing

July 30, 2006

Who could possibly object to better methods of collecting data on air emissions? The U.S. senator who chairs the committee that handles environmental issues has, and that's disturbing.

With levels of ground-level ozone (a main component of smog) reportedly on the rise in and around the metro area, regulators and health officials need to find the sources of that pollution. Crafting effective measures to control harmful emissions requires accurate data, even if it comes from unusual methods.

It's encouraging to report that federal regulators are finding new uses for video technology to identify emissions that are not visible to the naked eye. Threats and bluster from lawmakers should not impede the creation of sound policy that protects public health.

After a News story published June 20 revealed that federal environmental regulators were using infrared cameras to view heretofore invisible emissions from gas and oil wells in Adams and Weld counties, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., fired off a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency demanding an explanation.

Inhofe's letter said the filming process - which recorded emissions from pipelines, valves and storage tanks - threatened the "trust" between the EPA and the oil and gas industry. It also questioned whether regulators had permission from oil and gas producers to gather that information, since the facilities are on private property.

Last we checked, air emissions did not necessarily respect property lines; they can travel many miles from their source. Moreover, part of the EPA's job is to detect these emissions. If the agency has found new ways to accurately track them, then what's the problem?

Over the years, figuring out the percentage of pollution contributed by different sources has been daunting - how much comes from motor vehicles, energy companies, agriculture, other businesses, homes?

Oil and gas producers have long grumbled that they have been targeted for producing more emissions than they actually pump into the atmosphere, and have paid higher regulatory costs than were necessary.

The industry may be right. One way to find out would be the more widespread adoption of video technologies like those the EPA tested in Adams and Weld counties. As the filtering technologies improve, and we learn where specific emissions originate, regulators can craft more effective pollution-control strategies.

This is crucial to Denver, which is battling to stay off the EPA's list of cities with the dirtiest air.

When the EPA formally responds to Inhofe's letter, we hope the agency will let the public know how far that technology has advanced. The technology could after all vindicate the oil and gas industry's assertions that it has been wrongly vilified in the battle to clean up the air.

Besides, better information should lead to more-effective policies. If "a clean environment" is Inhofe's goal, you'd think he would want the truth to get out.

Copyright 2006, Rocky Mountain News. All Rights Reserved.

Today's High Ozone Readings

Today's ozone levels again rose to unhealthy levels. Get this. As of 8 P.M., 12 of 15 ozone monitors in the Front Range region (from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs) reported ozone levels above 80 parts per billion, or levels that threatened human health. 7 of 15 monitors registered "technical" exceedances of the EPA's 8-hour ozone ambient air quality standard (which, due to an outdated rounding scheme, is 85 parts per billion).

In terms of the summer's overall ozone data though, today's ozone levels mark a milestone. Whether or not an area is meeting ambient air quality standards for the 8-hour ozone standard is based on whether the three year average of the fourth highest maximum daily value exceeds 85 parts per billion (again, this is the EPA's outdated rounding scheme at play).

Because of today's ozone levels, the fourth highest maximum value has exceed 85 ppb for this year at two additional monitors--Chatfield and Rocky Flats North. Previously, the fourth highest max exceeded 85 ppb at only the Ft. Collins west monitor. The most current data is presented below (red highlight shows a violation of 85 ppb):

Monitor	1st Max.	2nd	3rd	4th
Welby	81	70	69	69
Highland	85	82	82	81
S. Boulder Creek	87	86	86	82
CAMP (Denver)	70	65	63	61
Carriage	92	74	74	72
Chatfield	92	88	86	86
Colorado Springs	73	73	72	71
Manitou Springs	79	78	77	76
Arvada	83	83	82	81
Welch	96	87	82	81
Rocky Flats North	94	93	91	90
NREL (Golden)	94	89	84	83
Ft. Collins West	97	95	88	87
Ft. Collins	82	80	79	78
Greeley	90	87	84	82

VOC Emissions Exposed!

Below are some clips from the infrared imaging that Senator Inhofe has attacked. You can clearly see how, in visible light, volatile organic compound emissions (which react with sunlight to form ozone) are invisible. Yet using the infrared technology, the emissions look like billowing smoke from the condensate tanks. These images were taken by the state and EPA at a gas well in Weld County last June. You can see why the state wants to get a handle on this source of ozone forming pollution. If anyone would like the full movie, just e-mail at rmcleanair@gmail.com.

Inhofe Weighing in on Colorado Ozone?

An article on Thursday reports that Senator Inhofe has formally criticized local state and federal workers for using infrared camera technology to detect leaking equipment at oil and gas developments.

Inhofe's response here is not only off base, it's a slap in the face for Coloradoans. A Senator from Oklahoma, Inhofe has no business weighing in on local pollution control efforts. On top of that, the infrared camera technology he's criticizing is widely used by the oil and gas industry to detect leaks of ozone-forming compounds. The Environmental Protection Agency has even proposed a rule that would allow this technology to be used as a credible tool to detect ozone-forming compounds to meet regulatory requirements.

In other news, on Thursday the state held its fourth and final stakeholders meeting on its proposal to require stronger ozone controls at oil and gas developments not just in the Denver metro area, but statewide. For those that haven't seen, the state has some great materials online spelling out the problem in detail and why there's such a huge need to get a handle on uncontrolled ozone pollution from oil and gas developments.

Industry's response to the state's proposal is that there's no need for stronger controls because air quality is "good." Yet Air Quality Control Commissioner Bob Brady who was present at the meeting spelled things out pretty clearly--this is about being proactive, not reactive.

Although industry is wrong that air quality is "good" (Denver's ozone continues to rise and ozone levels in western Colorado are rising), this isn't about waiting for things to get bad. We can't afford to wait until a health crisis happens before we act. This just makes sense and it's the responsible course of action. I echo Commissioner Brady. We need to be proactive, not reactive.

Ozone Hovering at Dangerous Levels

It's been a week of elevated ozone levels. 80 parts per billion or lower (preferably lower) is what is needed to protect human health, yet this standard was exceeded 12 times in the last week. Based on the Environmental Protection Agency's outdated rounding scheme, only two exceedances of the 8-hour ozone standard occurred, both on the 22nd (highlighted below). Ozone levels have definitely been hovering at dangerous levels for the last week.

17-Jul-06
Monitor	8-hour ozone max. daily value (ppb)
Chatfield	82
18-Jul-06
Chatfield	82
Highlands	81
22-Jul-06
Arvada	82
Chatfield	86
Highlands	82
NREL (Golden)	89
Rocky Flats North	81
Welch	81
23-Jul-06
Greeley Tower	82
NREL (Golden)	83
Rocky Flats North	84

Ozone Sensitivity and Age

As you can see, with increasing ozone, there's a corresponding decrease in lung function. This decrease is dramatic among people 20 years old or less. The bottom line is that ozone, while dangerous for everyone, is an even more dangerous threat to children.

Letter to the Editor

The Rocky Mountain News today printed a letter to the editor from Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action on the ozone danger facing the Denver area. Anyone else have thoughts they'd like to add?

Nationwide Denver Ozone Coverage and News from NE Denver

In the wake of last week's suffocating ozone levels, there's been nationwide coverage on the issue of ozone pollution.

Associated Press reporter Chase Squires just did a story on Denver's ozone pollution that was picked up by news sources across the country. Here's one that was picked up by the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

The Rocky Mountain News also had a story today about how ozone levels have gone down last week. True, ozone levels are lower than last week now. The headline, "Ozone Levels Reduced," is a little disconcerting, though. While monitors aren't reporting ozone levels as high as last week, it's likely due to weather patterns, not actual reductions in ozone forming pollutants.

The Denver Post also had an editorial today regarding ozone pollution. The editorial called on those in the Denver area to do what they can to reduce ozone pollution. I think the Denver Post continues to miss the point here. Everyday people are doing a ton to address ozone pollution, including holding off on mowing the lawn and driving.

The Post needs to start pointing caution where it matters. We're all in this together, we all need to do our part to reduce ozone pollution. The oil and gas industry, however, is one sector that's not doing its part. The oil and gas industry needs to commit to reducing ozone, or else we're all going to suffer..

And now some great news from NE Denver. According to the Denver Post, the Asarco metal smelter in NE Denver is finally closing. Asarco, which is a notorious and complacent polluter not just in Denver, but in El Paso, Texas and other places, has poisoned peoples' homes, yards, and children. According to the Post, Asarco owes over $1 billion in in cleanup costs related to its operations throughout the country. It's about time this toxic polluter was shut down.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday Recap

Ozone levels skyrocketed to unhealthy levels across the Denver metro area last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Based on the state's data, there were 34 violations of the 8-hour ozone ambient air quality standard in this three day period. The 8-hour ozone standard is 80 parts per billion (ppb). Here's a list of the 8-hour ozone violations that occurred Thursday, Friday, and Saturday:

Thursday, July 13

Chatfield Reservoir Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
5 P.M.	86
6 P.M.	91
7 P.M.	92
8 P.M.	90
9 P.M.	86

Greeley Tower Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
6 P.M.	88
7 P.M.	90
8 P.M.	86

Highlands Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
8 P.M.	85

Welch Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
6 P.M.	87

Friday, July 14:

Fort Collins West Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
4 P.M.	85
5 P.M.	90
6 P.M.	94
7 P.M.	96
8 P.M.	97
9 P.M.	95
10 P.M.	92
11 P.M.	88

Rocky Flats North Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
4 P.M.	87
5 P.M.	89
6 P.M.	91
7 P.M.	90
8 P.M.	88
9 P.M.	85

South Boulder Creek Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
6 P.M.	86
7 P.M.	86

Saturday, July 15:

Fort Collins West Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
4 P.M.	86
5 P.M.	87
6 P.M.	86

Rocky Flats North Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
5 P.M.	89
6 P.M.	90
7 P.M.	87

South Boulder Creek Monitor

HOUR (MST)	8-hour O3 average (ppb)
5 P.M.	85
6 P.M.	86

Fort Collins Experiences Highest Ozone Pollution Ever, Six Violations in One Day

Fort Collins north of Denver has typically had lower levels of ozone pollution. All that is changing this summer.

Today is the third day this summer that the Fort Collins area violated the 8-hour ozone standard of 80 parts per billion. The Fort Collins area today has so far violated the ozone standard 6 times. 8-hour ozone concentrations at the Fort Collins West monitor tonight were reported at 85 parts per billion at 4 P.M., 90 at 5 P.M., 94 at 6 P.M., 96 at 7 P.M., 97 at 8 P.M., and 95 at 9 P.M. Earlier this summer, the same monitor reported ozone concentrations of 88 and 87 parts per billion. These levels of ozone pollution are the highest ever reported from the Fort Collins area and are a serious danger to children.

Below is the read out of hourly ozone levels today at the Fort Collins West monitor from the state's website. 8-hour averages are measured hourly.

Measurements for FTCW on 07/14/06

HOUR (MST)	O3 (ppb)
1	64
2	56
3	41
4	38
5	51
6	39
7	41
8	51
9	63
10	71
11	80
12	80
13	91
14	95
15	98
16	103
17	103
18	103
19	95
20	90
21	80

Ozone Information

Just a heads up that if you're looking for ozone air data for the Denver metro area, the Air Pollution Control Division maintains a spreadsheet of ozone readings. While the yellow highlights mean a violation occurred, it's important to point out that any value of 0.080 technically exceeds ambient air quality standards and does threaten human health. Due to an outdated rounding method, the state only counts readings of 0.085 or higher as violations.

Flawed Permits

Calculations of ozone from pollution sources in the Denver metro area often rely on what's on paper, rather than what's actually released into the air. We've seen this with emissions of ozone forming compound from oil and gas developments, but it's happening at many other sources.

Part of the problem is that the State fails to require monitoring of ozone forming compounds when they issue pollution permits for stationary sources. While many permits prescribe a limit, for example 100 tons per year of ozone forming compounds, the permits don't require monitoring to ensure the limit isn't violated.

In financial terms, this would be like setting a budget, then failing to do the accounting needed to keep on budget. In a sense, monitoring is accounting of air pollution. Without accounting, well, there's no accountability and no way to keep on budget.

Case in point is a permit that's out for comment right now on the Air Pollution Control Division's website. The State wants to allow a new wood products finishing facility to be built in Douglas County in the Denver metro area. According to the draft permit and permit analysis, the facility has the potential to release over 20 tons per year of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which form ozone. Although the draft permit limits VOC emissions to 20 tons per year, the permit doesn't actually require monitoring of VOCs. Without monitoring, there's no way to make sure the 20 ton per year limit is not violated. Even more disconcerting is that since there's no monitoring, the source could exceed the VOC limit without anyone ever knowing.

Despite this, the State asserts that VOC emissions will not exceed 20 tons per year because, well, the permit says that emissions will not exceed 20 tons per year. The State, however, won't really know what's actually released into the air. The State's estimates rely on paper, not what's actually released into the air.

Although this wood products finishing facility is a small source of VOC emissions, it's indicative of a larger problem. Many permits fail to require monitoring of actual VOC emissions and as a result, there's no real accounting of ozone pollution from many stationary sources. These flawed permits continue to be issued, despite rising ozone levels and the threat of nonattainment designation.

Denver Post Supports Stronger Ozone Controls, But Has Some Explaining To Do

The Denver Post got it right in a July 3 editorial, but has some explaining to do.

Recognizing the immense problem of rising ozone pollution in the Denver metro area, the Post stated:

"The possible wrath of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is the least of Colorado's worries - the real concern is that rising ozone levels could harm public health. High in the atmosphere, ozone protects the Earth from the sun's harmful rays, but close to the ground ozone damages human respiratory systems. Ozone is created when other air pollutants are 'cooked' by sunshine."

Exactly. This is our health that's at stake, and kudos to the Post for putting ozone pollution into the right context. The Post also voiced support for tougher controls on ozone pollution from oil and gas development in the Denver metro area. As we know, not only has booming oil and gas development released more ozone forming compounds than originally predicted, but many operators have refused to comply with existing and more-than-modest controls.

However, the Post has some explaining to do over the remainder of its editorial. The paper states:

"Of course, drilling companies should have to clean up their acts, but they're not the only ones responsible for Colorado's ozone woes. For example, older cars spew ozone-forming chemicals, so it may be worthwhile to find ways to get aging automobiles off the roads."

The Post closes its piece, stating:

"While tougher gas field rules are justified, Colorado ought to find ways to reduce ozone-causing chemicals from other sources, too."

Come on Denver Post, you're sounding a bit like the broken record that is the oil and gas industry. We can all point the fingers here, but let's get real. In taking on oil and gas development, the state is targeting the biggest (and biggest growing) source of uncontrolled ozone pollution in the Denver metro area. This is the responsible course of action. It doesn't mean the state or the EPA are turning their back on other sources of ozone forming compounds. It simply means that they're finally turning around to face the looming ozone beast that is the oil and gas industry.

But my biggest question is, what suggestions does the Denver Post have in terms of reducing ozone pollution from other sources? Getting older cars off the road? While older cars are certainly a problem, the amount of ozone forming compounds released from one natural gas compressor station annually in Weld County is equivalent to the amount of ozone forming compounds released from 90,492 automotibles each driven 12,500 miles a year. Is it any wonder the state is targeting oil and gas development?

Like the oil and gas industry, the paper seems to be pointing the finger, but not putting forth real suggestions for reducing ozone from other sources. What a shame, because there are other sources and many other options for ozone controls that the Post could have advocated for. Let's take a look at a few:

1. The state could require the installation of selective catalytic reduction controls at all Denver metro coal and gas-fired power plants to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, which also react with sunlight to form ozone;
   
2. The state could require the installation of monitors that continuously monitor emissions of volatile organic compounds, which form ozone, from all major sources of air pollution. That way the state could get reliable estimates of emissions and take action accordingly; and
   
3. More stringent flare efficiency requirements at landfills and refineries could be required.
   

The Post got it right, but a little more explanation would have been helpful. Rather than perpetuating the finger pointing, let's start offering real solutions. As we all know, this isn't a paper exercize, our health is on the line.