Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Participation in the

2011 Passive Ammonia StudyConducted by EPA Region 6

• Previous 2007 Passive Ammonia Study• 2007 Participants• Methods• 2007 Results• 2011 Preliminary Results• Visibility Results vs. 2011 Preliminary

Results

Outline of Presentation

Photo by Jeremy Shockley Southern Ute Drum

2007 Passive Ammonia Study• In 2005,the Interim Emissions Workgroup of the Four

Corners Air Quality Task Force recommended to start an ambient monitoring program for gaseous ammonia in the Four Corners region 1

• To set a baseline of ambient gaseous ammonia (NH3) in the Four Corners region to compared with future monitored values after the implementation of certain NOx emission controls (e.g. NSCR) 1

• The use of such emission controls may increase NH3 emission in the area, but these emissions have not been quantified and may or may not significantly increase, or significantly affect visibility 1

1 Four Corners Air Quality Task Force Monitoring Report: http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/aqb/4C/Docs/4CAQTF_Report_FINAL_Monitoring.pdf

2007 Passive NH3 Ammonia cont.

• Five sites in the Four Corners area plus one reference site in Oklahoma participated

• Sampling period from 12/2006 to 12/2007

Sather, et al., “Baseline ambient gaseous ammonia concentrations in the Four Corners area and eastern Oklahoma, USA”, J. Environ. Monit., 2008, 10, 1319-1325

2 Sather, et al., “Baseline ambient gaseous ammonia concentrations in the Four Corners area and eastern Oklahoma, USA”, J. Environ. Monit., 2008, 10, 1319-1325

Methods• Ambient gaseous NH3

was sampled at the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Bondad, CO air monitoring site

• 3-week sampling periods from December 2006 through December 2007

• The Bondad site is surrounded by agricultural activities and oil and gas development

Methods cont.

• Ambient NH3 samples were collected using a Passive Sampling Devices (PSD)

• The PSD are clipped inside dome like shelters were mounted to a 1.5 meter pole

• The NH3 filter analysis was conducted by EPA’s Region VI Houston laboratory

• NH3 generally increase during winter months through summer months• 1) Southern Ute peak between the sampling period April 17-May 08, 2007, this

might be because of local agricultural activity• 2) Substation site peak during the sampling period Oct. 02-Nov 13, 2007, this site

is 7 miles from Four Corners Power Plant (2,040 megawatts) and less than 1 miles from San Juan Generating Stations (1,800 megawatts)

2007 Results

2 Sather, et al., “Baseline ambient gaseous ammonia concentrations in the Four Corners area and eastern Oklahoma, USA”, J. Environ. Monit., 2008, 10, 1319-1325

• The Farmington Airport had the highest annual mean of 1.5 ppb, followed by Substation with an annual mean of 1.1 ppb

• The Southern Ute site had an annual mean of 0.8 ppb • The Navajo Lake and Mesa Verde NP (rural areas) had an annual mean of 0.2

ppb

2007 Results cont.

2 Sather, et al., “Baseline ambient gaseous ammonia concentrations in the Four Corners area and eastern Oklahoma, USA”, J. Environ. Monit., 2008, 10, 1319-1325

2011 Preliminary Results

Jan

04

Jan

18

Feb 0

2

Feb 1

5

Mar

01

Mar

15

Mar

29

Apr 1

2

Apr 2

6

May

10

May

24

Jun

07

Jun

21

Jul 0

5

Jul 1

9

Aug 0

2

Aug 1

6

Aug 3

0

Sep 1

3

Sep 2

7

Oct 11

Oct 25

Nov 0

8

Nov 2

20

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Stillwell, OK Substation, NM Bondad, CO Mesa Verde, CO

Pa

ssiv

e A

mm

on

ia C

on

cen

tra

tion

(p

pb

)

• The preliminary results show a sharp increase in ambient ammonia concentration levels during the sampling period of July 5, 2011 to July 19, 2011

• Environmental factors that may have contributed to these significant increases in ammonia concentrations include several wild fires in the Four Corners area

2011 Preliminary Results

2011 Preliminary Results Cont.

• In the Four Corners area, Substation had the highest annual mean of 1.1 ppb• The Southern Ute site had an annual mean of 0.9 ppb • The Mesa Verde NP had the lowest annual mean of 0.4 ppb• In general annual means, min., and max. concentrations were higher with

one exception1. Substation have the same annual as 2007 results

Visibility Results• Results suggest ambient NH3 concentration above 1.6 ppb can contribute to

visibility degradation• Regional wildfires also contributed to a decrease in visibility • A final report on this second study in collaboration with EPA Region 6 will be

available in 2013

1/7/2011 3/18/2011 5/27/2011 8/5/2011 10/14/2011 12/23/20110

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Bondad Visibility Bondad NH3

Aver

age

Visib

ility

dur

ing

NH3

sam

ple

colle

ction

pe

riods

(mile

s)

Pass

ive

NH3

con

cent

ratio

ns (p

pb)

Thank You

Contact Information Southern Ute Indian TribeEnvironmental Programs Division

Air Quality Program

116 Mouache Drive-P.O. Box 737 MS # 84Ignacio, CO 81137Phone: (970)563-4705Fax: (970)563-0384

Photo by Jeremy Shockley Southern Ute Drum