Informal Questionnaire Used for the Review of the Implementation of Short Term Action Plans

Informal questionnaire on the preparation and implementation of short-term action plans under Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe

You are invited to give your views on the preparation and implementation of short-term Action Plans, your experience, or any problems and perhaps ideas for solutions. Each issue is briefly introduced by remarks and some questions that you are invited to answer. The questionnaire is also available on CIRCA at: http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/cafe_baseline/library?l=/thematic_strategy/02- studies_projects/02-short_action&vm=detailed&sb=Title

 Please use the white cells of the tables for filling in your replies.

1. General Introductory remarks: The Directive states that Member States must prepare, publish and regularly monitor short-term action plans if there is a risk of exceedance of the alert thresholds. Member States may prepare an action plan if there is a risk that the limit or target values will be exceeded.

1a. Do you have a short-term action plan in place? □ Yes No

Informal questionnaire on the preparation and implementation of short-term action plans Page 1 of 10 1. General Introductory remarks: The Directive states that Member States must prepare, publish and regularly monitor short-term action plans if there is a risk of exceedance of the alert thresholds. Member States may prepare an action plan if there is a risk that the limit or target values will be exceeded.

If Yes, please provide a copy or a link. not applicable 1b. Has there been an exceedance of alert thresholds (AT) and/or □ Yes, AT relevant limit or target values (LV/TV) in the past five years?  Yes, LV/TV □ Yes, both □ No If Yes, please provide details 1.2006 - annual evaluation of air quality showed exceedances of the allowed level of the suspended dust PM10 in 18 zones and the allowed level of nitrogen dioxide in one zone. 2.2007 - annual evaluation of air quality showed exceedances of the allowed level of the suspended dust PM10 in 5 zones and the allowed level of nitrogen dioxide in one zone. The target level of benzo(α)pyrene in all zones of the Mazowieckie Voivodship and the target level of ozone in the Mazowiecka Zone were exceeded 3.2008 - annual evaluation of air quality showed exceedances of the allowed level of the suspended dust PM10 in 10 zones and the allowed level of nitrogen dioxide in one zone. The target level of benzo(α)pyrene in all zones of the Mazowieckie Voivodship and the target level of ozone in the Mazowiecka Zone were exceeded 4.2009 - annual evaluation of air quality showed exceedances of the allowed level of the suspended dust PM10 in 10 zones and the allowed level of nitrogen dioxide in one zone. The target level of benzo(α)pyrene in all zones of the Mazowieckie Voivodship and the target level of ozone in the Mazowiecka Zone were exceeded 5.2010 - annual evaluation of air quality showed exceedances of the allowed level of the

suspended dust PM10 in the whole Mazowieckie Voivodship and the allowed level of the suspended dust PM2,5 and nitrogen dioxide in one zone. The target level of benzo(α)pyrene was exceeded in one zone of the Mazowieckie Voivodship. The analyses conducted in the documentation constituting the basis for determining the air quality plans showed that what decides on occurring the exceedances is the low surface emission, connected with heating residential housing, as well as the emissions from the transport.

1c. Have you identified a risk of exceedance of alert thresholds (AT)  Yes, AT and/or relevant limit or target values (LV/TV) in the past five years? □ Yes, LV/TV □ Yes, both □ No

If Yes, please provide details On 26 January 2010 within the Mazowieckie Voivodship there was a risk of exceedance of the alarm level for the dust PM10. In: Warsaw (Ursynów, Targówek), Radom and Żyrardów the exceedance of the allowed level of the suspended dust PM10 took place, in the result averaging period of 24 hours. The measurement station in Radom, ul. Tochtermana, registered the 24-hour concentration of dust PM10 at the level of 272.9 g/m3, and the maximum 1-hour concentration was 481,2 g/m3. The measurement station in Warsaw, ul. Kondratowicza, registered the 24-hour concentration of dust PM10 at the level of 250.1 g/m3, and the maximum 1-hour concentration was 366.1 g/m3. The measurement station in Warsaw, ul. Wokalna, registered the 24-hour concentration of dust PM10 at the level of 288.1 g/m3, and the maximum 1-hour concentration was 392.8 g/m3. The measurement station in Żyrardów, ul. Roosvevelta, registered the 24-hour concentration of dust PM10 at the level of 293.1 and the maximum 1-hour concentration was 483 g/m3. On 27 January 2010 the concentrations of the suspended dust PM10 fell down. It was mainly caused by weather conditions connected with the high staying over Poland, from Russia. Low temperature, low wind speed, lack of ascending air movement, and therefore

Informal questionnaire on the preparation and implementation of short-term action plans Page 5 of 10 1. General Introductory remarks: The Directive states that Member States must prepare, publish and regularly monitor short-term action plans if there is a risk of exceedance of the alert thresholds. Member States may prepare 2.an Risk action assessment plan if there is a risk that the limit or target values will be exceeded. Introductory remarks: Short-term action plans may be initiated prior to the alert threshold being exceeded. Determining the risk of exceeding the alert thresholds is thereforepoor a prerequisite conditions forto thepropagation preparation of short-term action plans. How important is the role of pollutioncaused forecasting the accumulation in the of the preparation and or initiation of the short-term action plan? pollution near the surface. 2a. Do you assess your risk of exceeding alert thresholds or relevant □In Yesconnection with the low limit and target values? temperature, No the emission of substances connected with the 2b. If Yes, what assessment methods do you use? Please supply details of combustionany method. of Please fuels for also heating state how regularly this assessment is made and in how far different spatialpurposes levels are was addressed. increased, Please also refer to note 2003/1 by the CAFÉ Working Group on Implementation Necessityat the simultaneous to prepare actionlack of plans to reduce the duration of exceedances of alert thresholds (Art 7(3), 96/62/ECascending ) as air well movement as Decision 2004/279/EC. the emissions from high emitters also had some influence on the concentration levels of not applicable substances, including the suspended dust PM10. 1d. Please briefly describe the national provisions regarding short-term action plans and provide the respective links. Art. 92 of the Act of 27 April 2001 - Environment Protection Law (Journal of Laws of 2008 No. 25, item 150, as amended) in the following wording: 1. In the case of the risk of exceedance of the allowed or alarm levels of substances in the air in the given 2c.area, Comment the local on parliament your practise of the of Voivodship, pollution forecasting; after obtaining accuracy an opinion of the pollutionof the relevant forecasting, starost, any will determine, problemsthrough a andresolution, ideas for a short-termsolutions. action plan, where the actions shall be determined, aiming at: 1) minimizing the risk of such exceedances; not2) limiting applicable the effects and the duration of the exceedances. 2. The short-term action plan should specifically contain: 1) a list of entities using the environment, obliged to limiting or ceasing the emission of gases or dusts from the installations to the air; 2) method of organisation, limitation or prohibition of traffic of vehicles and other devices powered with combustion engines; 3) acting procedures of bodies, institutions and entities making use of the environment and the behaviour of citizens in case of exceedances; 4) determining the mode and the method of announcing the exceedances. 2d.3. The How provisions did you predict of items the 1 likelyand 2 impact and Art. of 93your as short-term to the obligation action toplan determine on pollutant the short-termconcentrations? action Pleaseplan in caseprovide of exceedancesinformation about of your emission source apportionment analysis and respective spatial references,the allowed andlevels how of substancesthis is related in tothe the air choice and the of obligationthe measures. to implement these action plans do not apply to the areas mentioned in Art. 89 item 1 point 1 in reference to the substances, whosenot applicable levels are exceeded.

Informal questionnaire on the preparation and implementation of short-term action plans Page 6 of 10 3. Short-term measures: Types and sectors 1 Introductory remarks: The Directive defines objectives of measures and provides examples of sectors to be targeted with short-term action plans.

3a. Does the short-term action plan specifically aim at: reducing emissions □ Yes □ No If Yes, please provide details shortening duration □ Yes □ No If Yes, please provide details minimising exposure □ Yes □ No If Yes, please provide details

3b. Which types of measures are foreseen: education/information □ Yes □ No If Yes, please provide details technical □ Yes □ No If Yes, please provide details economic/financial □ Yes □ No If Yes, please provide details special protection of sensitive population groups □ Yes □ No If Yes, please provide details

3c. Which sectors are targeted by short-term measures? As short-term measures might also be integrated in air quality plans. Please give details of these short-term measures as well. Short-term measures within an air quality plan would be those measures which are not effective continuously but which become effective at times when there is a risk of high pollution levels (e.g. reduced speed limit during periods of high emission / high ambient air concentration levels).

Short-term action Air Quality Plan plan Motor-vehicle traffic □ Yes □ Yes □ No □ No If Yes, please provide details including expected quantified impacts Construction works □ Yes □ Yes □ No □ No If Yes, please provide details including expected quantified impacts Ships at berth □ Yes □ Yes □ No □ No If Yes, please provide details including expected quantified impacts Use of industrial plants/products □ Yes □ Yes □ No □ No If Yes, please provide details including expected quantified impacts Domestic heating □ Yes □ Yes □ No □ No If Yes, please provide details including expected quantified impacts OtherInformal questionnaire on the preparation and implementation of□ Yesshort-term action plans □ Yes Page 7 of 10 □ No □ No If Yes, please provide details including expected quantified impacts 4. Short-term action plans: Implementation strategy1 Introductory remarks: To implement the short-term action plan legal and administrative responsibility within the Member State should be clear. A precise implementation plan is required including times, stages and measures as well as set structures for monitoring implementation and evaluating impacts.

4a. Please describe all of these aspects of your implementation strategy below and comment on your experience and views.

4b. Has your short-term action plan been initiated? □ Yes □ No not applicable If yes, how often, in which situations? Please describe.

4c. Please describe your processes for monitoring and evaluation.

5. Short-term action plans: Communication strategy1 Introductory remarks: The Directive states that where Member States have drawn up a short-term action plan they shall make available to the public both the results of their investigations on the feasibility and the content of specific short-term action plans as well as information on the implementation of these plans.

5a. Have you made such information available to the public? □ Yes □ Internet □ Radio □ TV □ Changeable information signs □ Other □ No Please provide link to information or the information itself.

5b. Please describe your overall communication strategy including all relevant stakeholders.

6. Short-term action plans: Impact1 6a. Please provide quantified details on the impact and the effectiveness of measures by objective and sector (see 3a and 3b).

Informal questionnaire on the preparation and implementation of short-term action plans Page 8 of 10 6. Short-term action plans: Impact1 6b. Which measures were found to be the most effective? Please describe and explain why.

6c. Please provide links to reports and/or references.

7. Short-term action plans and air quality plans Introductory remarks: Where limit values are exceeded, short-term measures may also be included in air quality plans. Integration of air quality and short-term action plans is important.

7a. Have you included short-term measures to reduce, shorten the □ Yes duration of the exceedances or minimise the exposure, in your Air  No2 Quality plan?

7b. If yes, comment on your experience and views; do the short-term action plan and air quality plan complement each other or are there antagonisms? Which aspects of the overall air quality strategy are supported by the short-term action plan?

7c. If no separate short-term action plan has been in place - would you see additional benefit if a separate short-term action plan would have been set up? The short-term action plan would determine actions, which would be possible to execute immediately. Such activities would be complementary to the repair actions determined in the air quality plan. It does not matter, whether it would be a separate document or a part of the air quality plan.

8. Any other issues Please provide any other comments on issues not sufficiently covered. It should be clearly determined (in the "glossary" of the Act Environment Protection Law) what the term: "risk of exceedance of alarm, allowed and target level" means (e.g. through occurrence of the concentration of 90% of the level for three subsequent days). It will allow for avoiding interpretation disputes and for more efficient realization of actions determined in the plans.

Comments. 1. Points 3-6 have not been filled in, as the Mazowieckie Voivodship does not have short-term action plans. 2. Point 7a - at the moment, most of the air quality plans for the Mazowieckie Voivodship ceased to be binding on 12 June 2011. A procedure of drafting new plans commenced, where the short-term action plans are to be included.

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