Description

The purpose of the WRAP Regional Haze Planning Work Group (RHPWG) is to prepare the framework to support regional planning for the 15 western states, so that needed elements will be available for RH SIP submissions in a timely fashion, to meet the July 2021 deadline for implementation plans to be submitted each of the 15 states and the City of Albuquerque within the WESTAR and WRAP region, for the second planning period of the federal Regional Haze Rule for visibility protection at 118 Class I areas. This includes a training element for new Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (RHSIP) writers, as evidenced by the webinars and resource links found on this webpage.

The RHPWG formed several topical subcommittees from among its members to coordinate and track work by other WRAP Work Groups and contractors, to address elements needed for State Implementation Plan preparation such as:

• Inventories: current and future (growth projections methodologies by source categories)
• Develop a transparent and complete monitoring data metric for planning and model projection purposes
• Database management (including the TSS database)
• 4-factor analysis for control measures
• Regional photochemical modeling
• Assessment of “unknowns” and uncertain categories (natural conditions, international emissions, fire and dust emission, et cetera)
• Development of Regional Haze SIP package content and progress report template
• Develop control strategies menu for major western state sources

Links to RHPWG Subcommittees

• Coordination and Glide Path
• Emissions Inventory and Modeling Protocol
• Control Measures

Work Products and Reference Material

RHPWG Membership (XLS, June 22, 2020)

U.S. Forest Service Regional Haze Contacts in the WESTAR-WRAP region (April 22, 2020)

Communication Framework for Regional Haze Planning Sept. 3, 2019 RHPWG consensus

Regional Haze Planning Readiness Assessment Project

• WRAP Regional Haze Planning Readiness Survey - Synthesis Report (final, January 2019)
• Summary of Recent Regional Haze Guidance and Planning Documents (Oct. 2018)
• Regional Haze Planning Readiness – Introduction (Oct. 2018)
• Survey Questions (Oct. 2018)

Calls and Meetings

April 7, 2020 (Notes)

1. RTOWG modeling - Ralph Morris (PDF)
2. March 16th 2028 Potential Additional Controls summary and next steps - David and Tom
3. Status Update to May 19-20 “WESTAR-WRAP Regional Haze Work Plan Completion & Results Meeting” – Tom
4. Mobile Source Emissions Inventory Projections project.- David/Jay/Tom (project wiki page: MobileSource Emissions Inventory Projections Project)
5. WRAP State Regional Haze Progress Website –Amber (http://westernregionalhaze.org/)

January 14, 2020 (Notes)

December 3, 2019 WebEx/call

Agenda

1. Welcome, Roll Call, Note-taking duties, Agenda Review – Jay Baker, Amber Potts, David Stroh (Notes)
2. TSS FAQ document review, request for approval – Elias Toon
3. ADA accessibility need for Washington DoE – Jean-Paul Huys
   • State input roundtable discussion – Amber Potts
4. Storyboard in the West demonstration / feedback process – Ed Merta
5. State outreach/planning and timeline update – David Stroh
6. TSS2 Delivery of modeling products for Regional Haze planning use – Pat Brewer
7. Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Regional Haze Regulations (Renewal)” FR notice at: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-11-27/html/2019-25810.htm. Due January 27th – RHPWG Co-Chairs
8. Action items / next call date and time – RHPWG Co-Chairs

October 3, 2019 Outreach webex/call recording (MP4 format)

Topics:

• Representative Baseline Fire emissions inventory - Matt Mavko, Air Sciences, Inc. for the FSWG
• FinalRound 2 Regional Haze Planning Guidance – Liz Etchells, EPA OAQPS
• Modeling: Internationalvs. US Contributions – Mike Barna, RTOWG
• Communication Framework for Regional Haze Planning – Jay Baker, RHPWG

Sept. 3, 2019

• Agenda
• draft August call notes
• Communication Framework August 28th draft – clean
• Communication Framework August 28th draft - redline
• Regional Haze SIP Modeling – Emissions Projections and Next Steps

August 6, 2019

• Agenda
• Storyboard outline
• Modeling Plan update
• Regional Haze Roadmap

July 2, 2019 Agenda

June 20, 2019 Outreach webex/call recording (MP4 format)

• Fire & Smoke Work Group: Update on Fire Emission Projections (PPTX)
• Point Source Emission Updates
  • Update on EGU Baseline and Projections (EGUEmissions Analysis Project for Regional Haze Round 2 planning)
  • Update on Representative Baseline Emissions (PDF) (PNG) (XLSX)
• Oil & Gas Work Group: Update on Operator Survey Results & Next Steps (PPTX)
• Updates from States on Source Screening & Analysis (PPTX)

May 7, 2019 Agenda RHPWG call minutes (DOCX format) Overview of Regional Haze Planning document for consensus approval (DOCX format)

March 20, 2019 Spring Outreach webex recording (MP4 format)

• Monitoring Data Trend Analysis using TSS
  • Cindy Hollenberg (PDF)
  • Brandon McGuire (PDF)
• Source Screening, Control Analysis, and Communication (PDF)

March 5, 2019 RHPWG call minutes (DOCX format)

2018 Calls and Meetings

April 4, 2018 RHPWG call minutes (DOCX format)

April 13, 2018 Regional Haze Monitoring vs. Modeling results comparison Audio Recording (MP4 format) Powerpoint (PPTX format)

Materials related to Monitoring Results (PPTX format) – added August 29, 2018

June 5, 2018 RHPWG call notes (PDF format)

August 7, 2018 RHPWG call notes (PDF format)

October 2, 2018 RHPWG bimonthly call agenda and notes

October 5, 2018 RHPWG Shared Database Subcommittee - TSSv2 Progress Report Audio Recording (MP4 format) Powerpoint (PPTX format)

December 11, 2018 RHPWG bimonthly call agenda and notes

December 12, 2018 RHPWG Control Measures Subcommittee / Regional Technical Operations WG – Single Source Identification / Analysis and Cumulative Regional Modeling Methods Audio Recording (MP4 format) Powerpoint (PPTX format)

2017 Calls and Meetings

June 29th

IMPROVE data and interpretation for Regional Haze planning

• IMPROVE – what is it, how does it work, how does it communicate with/support Regional Haze planners? – Scott Copeland (USFS rep, IMPROVE Steering Committee Chair) - Overview of the IMPROVE sampling program, network, QA, planned technical updates/responsibilities/timeline toward the July 2021 Regional Haze SIP due date and planning effort, current dataset availability
• Tracking Visibility Changes with Chemical Species and Regional Haze Planning - Comparison of 1985-present Worst Days’ and other metrics to 2016-proposed Most Impaired Days metric – Pat Brewer (NPS ARD) and Tom Moore (WESTAR and WRAP)
• Assessing Data provided by IMPROVE and EPA as the starting point for Regional Haze planning - Ryan Templeton (Arizona DEQ)

July 27th

Glide Path and Natural Conditions Teach-In #2 recording (MP4 format)

• Understanding the Uniform Rate of Progress / Glide Path – applications of this conceptual planning approach – Tina Suarez-Murias, (California ARB) and Tom Moore (WESTAR and WRAP) – baseline period for current Worst Days’ metric and changing to the Most Impaired Days’ average; what are the uncertainties and related effects on setting the 2028 planning milestone?
• Understanding Natural Conditions for Regional Haze Planning – Marc Pitchford, (Desert Research Institute) and Tom Moore (WESTAR and WRAP) – are these “regulatory” goals; are they realistic, what are the assumptions, and related issues such as accuracy, representativeness, limitations, and effects on setting Reasonable Progress Goals for the 10-year planning milestones?
• Data sources and ownership of monitoring data for Regional Haze planning analyses – Tom Moore, (WESTAR and WRAP) and Pat Brewer, (NPS ARD) – review pedigree of data from existing and planned data sources, explore transparency and consistency/comparability topics

August 31st

Emissions (categories and forecasting) Teach-In #3 recording (MP4 format)

• Emission inventories for regional modeling to support Regional Haze planning – where do we get the data, how is it collected and processed, how good and complete/representative are the data, et cetera? – Zac Adelman (Univ. of North Carolina / Intermountain West Data Warehouse) and Tom Moore (WESTAR and WRAP)
• Projecting base year emissions data to represent the 2028 milestone year and using those data in regional modeling for Regional Haze planning – process to project and priorities to consider - identifying sources for additional future controls, retaining information that states need for Regional Haze SIPs, what does the Regional Haze Rule require? – Zac Adelman (Univ. of North Carolina / Intermountain West Data Warehouse) and Tom Moore (WESTAR and WRAP)
• Case Study – Emissions Projections for the Round 1 Colorado Regional Haze SIP – Curt Taipale and Dale Wells, Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment – Air Pollution Control Division

October 19th

Modeling Teach-In #4 recording (MP4 format)

• How does regional-scale modeling work for Regional Haze analysis and planning? – Ralph Morris, Ramboll Environ – structure and sequence of regional modeling, emissions, meteorology, global model inputs, using projected emission changes in future year modeling, Relative Response Factors (RRFs), use of IMPROVE data to evaluate the base year modeling, interstate and international transport, strengths / weaknesses of modeling results
• Projecting future visibility conditions with modeling – techniques and uncertainties – Mike Barna, National Park Service – methodologies to project the future with emissions and modeling, Rules on the Books and on the Way, assessment of uncontrollable and natural sources, associated uncertainties and methods to test and bound them, effect of changing some emissions in the future year while holding other emissions constant and keeping the same base year meteorology on future-year regional modeling results for the Regional Haze metric
• Dynamic model evaluation for Regional Haze “Round 1” implementation progress and “Round 2” analysis and planning - Gail Tonnesen, EPA Region 8 – modeling to evaluate progress in reducing anthropogenic impairment through review of results from the 2002/2000-04 baseline period to the “Round 2” modeling base year (2014 or 2016) to the “Round 2” 2028 milestone year

November 16th

Source Apportionment & Source Control Evaluation (4-factor) Teach-In #5 recording (MP4 format)

• Identifying sources and species contributing to visibility impairment using regional modeling tools – Ralph Morris, Ramboll Environ
• Screening and Control Measure Analysis for the Second Regional Haze Planning Period - Frank Forsgren, Nevada DEP-BAQP
• Sources, Source Categories, Control Measures: California Case Study – Tina Suarez-Murias, California ARB
• Identification of significant sources and categories contributing to Regional Haze in Colorado – Curt Taipale, Colorado APCD
• FLM thoughts and expectations for Reasonable Progress and 4 factor analysis – Pat Brewer, NPS

December 5-7, 2017

Western and National Regional Haze Planning Workshop, Denver (final interactive agenda)

• December 5 recording (MP4)
• December 6 recording (MP4)
• December 7 recording (MP4)

Reference Material

• EPA memo - Recommendation for the Use of Patched and Substituted Data and Clarification of Data Completeness for Tracking Visibility Progress for the Second Implementation Period of the Regional Haze Program (June3, 2020)
• EPA memo - Technical addendum including updated visibility data through 2018 for the memo titled “Recommendation for the Use of Patched and Substituted Data and Clarification of Data Completeness for Tracking Visibility Progress for the Second Implementation Period (June3, 2020)
• EPA - Technical Support Document for EPA’S Updated 2028 Regional Haze Modeling (September 19, 2019)
• Guidance on Regional Haze State Implementation Plans for the Second Implementation Period (final August 2019)
• EPA - EPA Technical Guidance on Tracking Visibility Progress for the Second Implementation Period of the Regional Haze Program (December 20, 2018)
• 2018-19 WRAP Workplan Update (April 2019)
• WESTAR 2021 Regional Haze SIP Planning Update (RHPWGv2) draft of December 2017
• WRAP and WESTAR Regional Haze Planning Workgroup 2017 state survey results
• January 2017 revisions to Regional Haze Rule

Links to other Resources

• For Regional Haze Planning Data:
  
  
• For Information from the First Regional Haze Planning Period: