AIR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN WHITE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST Prepared By: Laura Hudnell, Meg Lindsey, Tamara Franklin Blett, and John McCarthy (1988-93) Updated and Revised By: Andria Holland-Sears (1998) Approval ___________________________________ Date______________ Forest Supervisor, White River NF Executive Summary The goals of this plan are to coordinate and provide guidance for protection of air quality and air quality related values in the management of the White River National Forest (WRNF). It includes a monitoring program, which is intended to assess current resource conditions, de- termine potential impacts to those resources, and coordinate monitoring being conducted by various entities. The plan is divided into six primary sections. Section I - This section is intended to summarize the legal basis and responsibilities for pro- tection of air quality on the WRNF. It includes summaries of applicable sections of both the Federal Clean Air Act and the Colorado Air Quality Control Act. Forest Service policy re- lated to management of the air resource in the National Forests is also summarized and refer- enced. Section II - This section addresses the Forest’s three Class I Air Quality Areas: the Flat Tops, Eagles Nest, and Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wildernesses. Included in this section are descriptions of the resources of each wilderness, existing and potential air quality impacts, and identification of the Air Quality Related Values (AQRV’s). Sensitive receptors which represent the air quality values are identified for each Class I Area. A review of existing in- formation and a monitoring strategy is included for each of the AQRV’s in each area. In- terim "Limits of Acceptable Change" in Sensitive Receptors are identified. Section III - This part of the plan addresses the remainder of the Forest, both wilderness and non-wilderness, which is classified as a Class II air quality area. The wilderness part of this section includes applicable Forest Service policy, descriptions of the Class II wildernesses, air quality related values, potential impacts, and monitoring needs. The non-wilderness por- tion discusses smoke sensitive areas, non-attainment areas, wildfire management, prescribed burning, gravel pits, roads, and other permitted National Forest uses. Section IV - This is a description of existing databases and procedures for storage and re- trieval of the data collected through the air resource monitoring program. Future needs and improvements are also discussed. Section V - Describes the roles of the various agencies and entities involved in air resource monitoring on the White River NF. Identifies opportunities and needs for future cooperation and coordination. Section VI - This section includes a budget summary/action plan, training needs for Forest personnel, and quality control procedures and requirements. It should be noted that preparation of this plan began in 1988 and has been updated in 1998. During the intervening time period, there have been numerous changes and developments, which influence air resource management on the WRNF and other National Forests. These changes will continue and will dictate future revisions and updates in this plan. WHITE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST AIR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN Plan Outline (Revised September 21, 1993) (Revised February, 1998) Page I. Introduction I-1 A. Applicable Air Quality Laws and Regulations I-1 1. Federal Clean Air Act I-1 2. Colorado State Clean Air Act I-4 B. Forest Service National and Regional Air Resource I-8 Management Policy C. White River National Forest Land and Resource I-9 Management Plan (Forest Plan) Direction Specific Management Objectives: 1. Federal Air Quality Standards I-11 2. State Air Quality Standards I-12 3. PSD Increments I-12 II. Class I Air Quality Areas A. Descriptions - Class I Air Quality Areas II-1 1. Flat Tops Wilderness II-1 2. Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness II-4 3. Eagles Nest Wilderness II-7 B. Existing and Potential Impacts II-10 Page C. Air Quality Related Values and Sensitive Receptors II-22 D. Monitoring of Air Quality Related Values II-25 1. Flora II-25 2. Fauna II-30 3. Water II-32 4. Visibility II-34 5. Soils II-38 6. Atmospheric Deposition & Ambient Air Quality II-40 7. Snowpack Chemistry & Snow Melt II-42 8. Meteorology II-43 E. Limits of Acceptable Change II-47 III. Class II Air Quality Areas - Wilderness and Non-Wilderness A. Wilderness - Class II Air Quality Areas III-1 1. Forest Service Policy III-1 2. Descriptions and Air Quality Related Values III-2 3. Potential Impacts and Monitoring Needs III-3 B. Non-Wilderness Areas III-6 1. Smoke Sensitive and Non-Attainment Areas III-6 2. Wildfire Management and Prescribed Burning III-9 3. Gravel Pits and Roads III-11 4. Other Permitted National Forest Uses III-12 Page IV. Air Resource Data Management IV-1 V. Coordination V-1 Description of the roles of other agencies and cooperators. VI. Work Load Analysis, Budgeting, VI-1 Training & Quality Control A. Budgeting VI-1 B. Training Needs VI-3 C. Quality Control VI-4 References Ref-1 Appendices A - Fish Stocked Wilderness Lake and Streams A-1 B - Pollution Sensitive Lichen B-1 C - EPA Western Lakes Survey C-1 Wilderness Lake Monitoring Data and Graphs D - Long Term Lake Sampling Protocols D-1 E - Visibility Monitoring Protocols E-1 Visibility Monitoring Data F - NADP Network Locations in Colorado F-1 NADP Data for Four Mile and Sunlight Peak Sites TABLES Page ..... Table 1.. Air Quality Related Values I-10 ..... Table 2.. Federal NAAQ Standards I-11 ..... Table 3.. PSD Increments I-12 ..... Table 4.. Annual Emissions - Existing Major Sources II-15 ..... Table 5.. Annual Emissions - Smaller Sources/County II-16 ..... Table 6.. Proposed Oil Shale Developments - Colorado II-20 ... and Utah ..... Table 7.. Location of RAWS sites in WRNF area II-45 ..... Table 8.. SNOTEL Sites on WRNF II-46 ..... Table 9.. NRCS Snow Course Sites on WRNF II-46 ..... Table 10 PM10 Exceedances for Aspen and III-8 ..... .............. Steamboat Springs ..... Table 11 Key to Pollutant Sources III-13 ..... Table 12 WRNF Air Resource Management Action Plan VI-2 ..... Table 13 Precision, Accuracy & Completeness for VI-7 Water Chemistry Parameters ..... ..... Table 14 Reporting Units & Detection Limits for VI-8 Water Chemistry ..... Table 15 Maximum Control Limits for Quality Control VI-9 Samples ..... Table 16 Preservation Method & Holding Time for VI-10 Water Sample Parameters FIGURES & EXHIBITS Page ..... Figure 1A - 1D Winds Aloft - Grand Junction, CO. II-11 ..... Figure 2 ... Location of Proposed Oil Shale II-19 . Developments - Colorado & Utah ..... Figure 3 ... Flow Diagram of Air Resource Monitoring VI-6 Organization - WRNF ..... Exhibit 1 ... Map of Flat Tops Wilderness II-2 ..... Exhibit 2 ... Map of Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness II-6 ..... Exhibit 3 ... Map of Eagles Nest Wilderness II-8 ..... Exhibit 4 ... Map of Wilderness Areas on the WRNF - III-5 Class I & II Air Quality Areas ..... Exhibit 5 ... Map of Smoke Sensitive Areas - WRNF III-8 WHITE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST AIR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN I. INTRODUCTION Known for its skiing, scenery, wildlife, and wilderness, the White River National Forest (WRNF) provides quality recreation experiences for visitors from around the world. Along with visibility, a variety of ecosystems in the WRNF have the potential to be affected by human-caused air pollution. The purposes of this management plan are to assess current resource conditions, to determine poten- tial impacts to these resources from man-caused pollution sources, and to coordinate and provide guidance to air resource management activities on the WRNF in accordance with the following laws,regulations, policies, and direction. A. Applicable Air Quality Laws and Regulations 1. Federal Clean Air Act Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1960 with major amendments to the Act in 1967, 1970, 1977, and 1990. The purpose of the Act is to enhance the quality of the nation’s air resources and to pro- tect public health and welfare. The Act established National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and gave the states primary responsibility for air quality management. States carry out this responsibility through a State Imple- mentation Plan (SIP), which is developed at the state level. How states achieve and maintain ap- plicable federal and state standards is described in the State Implementation Plan. Table 2, page I-11 lists the current NAAQS that apply both federally and throughout the state of Colorado. Several sections of the Act directly affect management of the National Forests: Section 109 - National Ambient Air Quality Standards - NAAQS have been established for particu- late matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, and lead. There are primary NAAQS established to protect human health and secondary NAAQS to protect welfare. The stan- dards are expressed in terms of different averaging times, e.g., annual, 24-hour, and 3-hour. "Non-attainment areas" are those geographical areas within the state that have air pollutant levels in excess of the NAAQS. If an area is not in attainment of an NAAQS, then a State Implementation Plan must be developed to attain the standard by a certain date by controlling the pollutant emissions from the responsible sources. Periodic review and revision of the NAAQS is required by the Clean Air Act. States must revise their State Implementation Plans to demonstrate attainment of new standards as they are developed. Section 116 - A state may adopt and enforce standards and regulations, which are more stringent than those required by the Clean Air Act (but never less stringent). Section 118 - In general, any State Implementation Plan applies to any federal facility emitting air pollution to the same extent that it applies to a non-governmental entity. Section 176(c) - A federal agency must not engage in, support in any way, license, or approve any activity, which does not meet all applicable requirements of the State Implementation Plan.