Grantee Research Project Results
2001 Progress Report: Rapid Mapping for Clean Air in Commerce City
EPA Grant Number: R828577Title: Rapid Mapping for Clean Air in Commerce City
Investigators: Vogt, Richard L. , Wagner, Lynn Robbio
Institution: Tri-County Health Department, CO , University of Colorado Health Sciences Center , University of Colorado at Boulder , Metropolitan State College of Denver
Current Institution: Tri-County Health Department, CO , Metropolitan State College of Denver , University of Colorado Health Sciences Center , University of Colorado at Boulder , University of Colorado at Denver
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2002
Project Period Covered by this Report: January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2002
Project Amount: $400,000
RFA: Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) (2000) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Water , Air , Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration
Objective:
The overall objectives of this research project are to: (1) develop methods for integrating an atmospheric dispersion model with a geographic information system (GIS) for the purpose of describing the spatial and temporal distribution of selected air pollutants in the industrialized urban community of Commerce City, CO, located in the Denver Metro area; and (2) develop a Web site for providing public access to maps and animations of the dispersion model data, data from other monitoring programs, and spatially referenced data that are relevant to air pollution and public health. The project will be coordinated with community groups, and schools and universities to maximize educational opportunities for community residents. The anticipated users of the information generated by the project include community residents, public schools, university students, and governmental agencies at the local, state, and federal levels.
The specific objectives of this research project are to: (1) develop a resource for rapid mapping and reporting of the spatial and temporal distribution of air pollutants in the Commerce City area and store these data in a GIS; (2) link faculty and students at local universities with existing community outreach programs, community groups, local industries, and schools to work on a modeling and reporting program that will meet community needs and provide an educational resource to schools; (3) develop a Web site to provide rapid access to routinely reported atmospheric modeling data; and (4) explore ways to expand the Web-based resources and GIS for public education, research, and air pollution reduction.
Progress Summary:
Data Management System/Web Site. A project plan has been developed for the data management system that will support the acquisition of the meteorological data for the design and support of the Web site. For test purposes, the project server will be located at the University of Denver (DU). The meteorological data from TCHD will be transmitted via the Internet to the project server at DU. Year 1 of the project was spent identifying and documenting the data sources for the project. All source-term data have been acquired and converted into formats compatible with the atmospheric dispersion model. The dispersion modeling is progressing on schedule and preliminary output data are being produced.
Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling. The project is using AERMOD for the atmospheric dispersion model, which is a steady-state plume model designed to evaluate the short-range dispersion of air pollutants emitted from industrial facilities. The input data requirements for AERMOD include emissions rates and source geometry, meteorological data, and terrain characteristics. The meteorological data have been acquired from National Weather Service meteorological stations and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) air quality monitoring sites throughout the Denver metropolitan area. TCHD has provided surface meteorological data from six special study sites in Commerce City.
The acquired meteorological data for dispersion modeling include surface wind speed and direction, surface temperature, cloud cover, and the temperature profile from the morning vertical sounding. The upper air soundings were secured from the National Weather Service site at Denver International Airport. The AERMET component of AERMOD is being used to process meteorological data for use in the dispersion model.
We are evaluating the utility of data from the various meteorological sites and we then will determine the best sources for automatic accession. Methods are being developed for automatic access and how to implement them. Upon downloading, these data will be processed for incorporation into dispersion models and then used for making estimates of the spatial distribution of air concentrations of selected pollutants. The output from the dispersion models will be imported into the GIS for mapping.
Preliminary analyses have been run with 1 year of historical meteorological data (1990) and 1999 emissions estimates from the CDPHE using both AERMOD and the ISCST3 model, for purposes of comparing results. For the Commerce City area, emissions are treated in detail, with major point sources represented. Mobile and area source emissions are aggregated at the census tract level. The emissions information for major point sources in the Commerce City area has been forwarded to appropriate industrial members of the Northeast Metro Industrial Council for their review. Emissions data for the rest of the six-county Metro Denver area have been aggregated over grid cells approximately 10 km x 10 km in area, using a GIS system, and are input to the dispersion model at this resolution. Currently, we are updating the emissions inputs to year 2000 estimates, using information provided by the CDPHE.
Geographic Information System. The GIS that was developed under a previous EPA Environmental Justice grant for the TCHD has been modified for this project. The data sources have been documented and edited as needed. A prototype Web site has been developed. The implementation of the GIS software for the Internet access and display of output from the atmospheric model has taken more effort than originally planned. Currently, the top 10 benzene emitters are being geo-coded and the atmospheric dispersion modeling is being overlaid.
Two approaches have been tested to deploy the GIS function and data over the Internet. The first one makes use of Component Object Model objects (MapObjects IMS by ESRI Redlands, California) embedded into Visual Basic programs to read the AERMOD output. It is converted to a GIS compatible format, and the necessary GIS functionality (zoom in, zoom out, identify, turn layers on and off) then is developed and deployed over the Internet. This approach allows for more customization of the final product, but requires more programming skills and time. It would not require the use of specialized GIS-Web software (such as ArcIMS), but the administration of the GIS on the Web functionality would be more complicated.
The second approach tested involves the use of ArcIMS (a specialized software to deploy GIS on the Web from ESRI Redlands, California). Using this approach facilitates the creation and administration of the GIS functionality on the Web. It requires customization using JavaScript and XML to provide the required functions for the system. The software is expensive but facilitates the handling of the communication between clients and server and the administration of the GIS Web Site.
At this point, we are working on using the best parts of each of the previously mentioned approaches. This work will allow the creation of a Web site that will display pollutant concentrations for specific hours and dates, as well as averages (hourly and monthly) that are significant for health studies and environmental education.
Future Activities:
Future activities in Year 2 will be to integrate all of the hardware and software pieces for the modeling and development of the Web sSite. The integration activities are to: (1) develop the JavaScript and XML code to request the display of specific AERMOD simulations by hour, day, month, and year, as well as hourly and monthly averages; (2) create the memory resident program that will process the AERMOD output to prepare it for conversion to GIS compatible format; (3) polish the program that converts the pre-processed AERMOD output to a GIS compatible format; (4) create the memory resident programs that automatically will check for new output from AERMOD and run the above-mentioned programs to convert the output to a GIS compatible format; and (5) work on the GIS Web Site interface.
The dispersion model results will be compared with measured benzene concentrations. In addition, the model will be run for comparison with data from the monitoring undertaken during fall and winter 2002. General design of the Web Site will be completed, with emphasis on the educational components. The project participants will conduct a survey to evaluate how the community perceives and utilizes the model.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 7 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
innovative technology, decisionmaking, community-based, Rocky Mountain Region, air pollution, mapping., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Air, Toxics, Geographic Area, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Air Pollution, particulate matter, air toxics, Environmental Chemistry, HAPS, State, Monitoring/Modeling, Environmental Monitoring, tropospheric ozone, Ecology and Ecosystems, 33/50, EMPACT, atmospheric dispersion models, particulates, urban air toxics, stratospheric ozone, chromium & chromium compounds, community-based approach, diesel particulates, Rocky Mountain Arsenal, public information, benzene, Sulfur dioxide, chemical mixtures, air pollution models, urban air pollutants, web site development, industrial air pollution, Chromium Compounds, public outreach, rapid mapping, Colorado (CO), air quality, atmospheric chemistryProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.