Pollution Control

Air Program

Statewide Outcome(s):

Air Program supports the following statewide outcome(s).

A clean, healthy environment with sustainable uses of natural resources.

Context:

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA) strategic goals for the Air Program are:

·         Air quality meets federal standards established to protect the environment and human health.

·         Air quality meets human health benchmarks for toxics air pollutants.

·         Minnesota reduces its contribution to regional, national and global air pollution.

·         MPCA minimizes its environmental footprint and assists other public entities to do the same.

Clean and clear air is essential for Minnesota's environmental, social, and economic well-being. Pollution from transportation, energy production, manufacturing, and other activities affects the state's air quality. Federal and state law contains clean and clear air standards with which Minnesota must comply.

The federal Clean Air Act (CAA) is the foundation of Minnesota's air quality regulatory program. The CAA provides a variety of standards from the levels of pollution in the air to performance standards for the operation of industries, utilities, and transportation systems. The MPCA updates its Air Program in response to changes in the CAA at the national level. Program changes include the assessment of air emission fees, new permit and compliance requirements, meeting new air quality standards and activities to control emissions of hazardous air pollutants.

Citizens generate significant amounts of air pollution as a result of their daily activities. Mobile sources--automobiles, trucks, buses, recreational and lawn equipment-account for almost half of most air pollutants. The MPCA seeks preventative solutions to address these unregulated sources of pollution. The MPCA also applies for federal grants to partner with organizations and communities to address air pollution generated by mobile sources.

Authorized appropriations for the MPCA's Air Program in FY 2012-2013 is a mix of funding: 88 percent Environmental Fund, 11 percent federal and one percent other sources. See MPCA Spending by Program (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/jsri3d6).

Strategies:

The MCPA uses two levels of permits in its efforts to meet air quality standards. Smaller emitters may need “minor source” or registration permits from the state, while larger industries may need “major source” federal air permits, as defined by the federal program designed to standardize air quality permits and the permitting process for sources of emissions nationally. The MPCA issues joint federal and state permits to larger facilities, which must have their permits renewed on a five-year cycle. New facilities or those making significant changes in equipment or operations that would result in changed levels of emissions also need new permits. Currently the MPCA gives priority to issuing construction permits.

Many permits are more complex as a result of new rules and regulations. In the Air Program only 45 percent of the permits are current and 25 percent of the construction (priority) permits are issued within 150 days. The MPCA streamlined the air permitting process over the past five years using continuous improvement methodologies. Further, the public is more engaged over the sources of pollution and expresses concern over the impact of proposed projects in their community. Local land use decisions, such as concentrating industry in one area, can affect local air quality through cumulative impacts.

The MPCA seeks partners in areas with air quality problems to work on community-wide solutions that improve air quality and allow industrial development. The MPCA works with companies, non-profit and environmental partners to reduce mercury emissions from a variety of sources, including new or expanding sources. In addition, amendments to the CAA created programs to focus on small sources and vehicles that contribute significantly to air problems, such as wood burners and diesel fleets.

The MPCA reports daily air quality readings for the Twin Cities, Duluth, Rochester, Marshall, Brainerd, Detroit Lakes, Ely and St. Cloud and issues an alert when air quality is expected to exceed health benchmarks. Citizens with sensitive health, such as asthma, pay close attention to the daily index. Daily readings are available on the MPCA website under the Air Quality Index (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/r0pg4bd).

Results:

Past efforts by the MPCA and its partners have resulted in emission reductions for many key pollutants and, by most measures, air quality is improving. The MPCA has recorded significant reductions in emissions from industrial sources. More assessment is needed on diffuse sources of pollution, particularly for area and mobile sources. Improving information on how air pollutants impact human health has led to tighter federal air quality standards for several pollutants. The result is that Minnesota air quality is occasionally classified as unhealthy due to elevated ozone (smog) and fine particulate matter. The air quality in the Twin Cities closely mirrors the federal daily standards for fine particulates and ozone. Read more in the MPCA’s 2011 Air Quality Report (http://www.pca.state.mn.us/yhizb6a).

Performance Measures Notes:

1.     Fine level particles (PM 2.5) are reflective of the percent as it relates to the 2001 and 2011 standards. In this case, the change in percent above and below the standard is considered to be stable as it is not a significant, statistical change. The annual average concentrations have remained relatively stable, however, there were several short episodes of elevated particles in both 2009 and 2010.

2.     Ozone levels are reflective of the percent as it relates to 2001 and 2011 standards. The trend of the level of ozone being less than the standard is the right direction, meaning some improvement is occurring. However, with ozone levels in Minnesota so close to concentrations that have the potential to cause health concerns, MPCA will need to focus on reductions.

3.     The MPCA has recorded ten unhealthy Air Quality Index days in 2006 and 14 days in 2011.

4.     Mercury emissions from Minnesota sources measured 3,329 pounds in 2005 and 2,241 pounds in 2010. Projected mercury emissions are 789 pounds in 2025.

5.     Reduction in air pollutants (NOx, SO2 and VOCs) compares the tons of emissions in 2002 to tons in 2010. The numbers reflect a 45 percent reduction in emissions.