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SUMMARY OF EPA'S PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM: RESULTS THAT CAN BE USED TO PREPARE AND EVALUATE STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS (SIPS)
Citation:
SOLOMON, P. A. SUMMARY OF EPA'S PARTICULATE MATTER SUPERSITES PROGRAM: RESULTS THAT CAN BE USED TO PREPARE AND EVALUATE STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLANS (SIPS). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-06/154 (NTIS PB2007-103430), 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
The PM Supersites Program is an ambient monitoring program intended to address the scientific uncertainties associated with fine particulate matter. The main objectives of the Supersites Program are as follows: 1) characterize particulate matter in a way that contributes to the understanding of source-receptor relationships and supports development of State Implementation Plans (SIPs), 2) develop and test advanced measurement methods for potential use in national monitoring networks, and 3) support health and exposure studies by providing detailed chemical and physical data at one or more central monitoring sites.
The specific objectives of this task are to provide scientific review and coordination of the technical aspects of the Supersites Program. This includes coordination among all Supersites projects and other projects which support Supersites objectives, overseeing of the data management, and coordinating the communication of data analysis and modeling results to the scientific community and other stakeholders. Products include a number of peer-reviewed journal articles (approaching 200 or more), final reports from each project, a relational database than includes not only Supersites data, but most aerometric data collected in the continental US and SE Canada during the period July 2001 to August 2002, and a policy relevant findings synthesis entitled Key and Policy Relevant Findings from the Supersites Program and Related Studies. Also supporting the synthesis is a major international conference where results will be presented from air quality methods, measurements, modeling, and data analysis studies with similar objectives to the Supersites program and during the time period of the Supersites Program, i.e., the last 5-7 years.
Description:
In 1999, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a major air quality program referred to as the Particulate Matter (PM) Supersites Program. The PM Supersites Program is a multi-year, $27 million air quality program consisting of eight (8) regional air quality projects located throughout the US, each with differing atmospheric pollution conditions resulting from variations in source emissions and meteorology. The overall goal of the program was to elucidate source–receptor relationships and atmospheric processes leading to PM accumulation on urban and regional scales, and thus provide the scientific foundation for modeling and data analysis efforts to support the development of State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and more effective risk management approaches for PM. The program had three main objectives: 1) develop and evaluate measurement methods, 2) characterize ambient PM, and 3) support health and exposure studies. To facilitate communication of results to key stakeholders a synthesis of key scientific findings and based on those findings, policy- and health-relevant findings and knowledge gaps is being developed. Technical responses to these questions were addressed by Supersites Program PIs and their teams, each choosing two to address. The product described here summarizes the accomplishments of the Supersites Program and how they can be used in support of developing SIPs.
A major theme throughout all Supersites Projects was the evaluation and advancement of continuous and semi-continuous measurement methods for PM mass, components of mass, and physical properties of PM. With the inclusion of size distribution measurements and particle mass spectrometers at multiple sites, significant advancements were made towards understanding the formation and growth of ultrafine PM. Application of continuous methods also provided unique opportunities for improving our ability to link ambient concentrations of PM to their sources using advanced receptor-oriented models that integrated hourly data with meteorological variables, allowing source contributions to be apportioned not only to source categories but also to specific sources. While just in initial phases, it is already apparent that the use of continuous data collected in multiple locations can provide important datasets for evaluation and application of source-oriented models. Some results are already leading to changes in model formulations as well as indicating the effect of precursor controls on PM components and ozone. Overall, results from the Supersites Program and related studies have reduced the uncertainty associated with our understanding of the formation and accumulation of PM in air and the linking of ambient PM to its sources.
This report includes discussions on how the Supersites Program has already supported SIP efforts in several locations throughout the US. In the appendices, a series of detailed tables are provided as details and extensive references supporting the findings provided in this abbreviated report.