Local Source Modeling Using AERMOD for the Birmingham PM_(2.5) Non-Attainment Area

摘要

Air quality modeling has been performed for the Birmingham Area Particulate Study (BAPS) that addresses both the regional and the local components of meteorology, emissions, and air quality assessment for the Birmingham PM_(2.5) non-attainment area. The State of Alabama was required to submit a PM_(2.5) State Implementation Plan (SIP) to EPA by April 2008 that included a control plan and demonstration that the area would attain the PM_(2.5) NAAQS by 2010. The highest PM_(2.5) measurements in Birmingham occurred at two monitors in central Birmingham, North Birmingham (NBHM) and Wylam (WYLM), comprising the Birmingham Community Monitoring Zone (CMZ). Both monitors violated the annual PM2.5 NAAQS of 15 μ/m~3. Modeling was performed at both the regional and local scale levels and used together in determining compliance. The BAPS modeling followed EPA recommended procedures and used data sources to perform local-scale PM_(2.5) modeling for the Birmingham nonattainment area. The combined regional-scale and local-scale modeling was used as the basis of the PM_(2.5). The focus of this paper is the modeling performed for the local-scale sources. Dispersion modeling of the local source primary PM_(2.5) emissions was performed using the AERMOD model along with SMOKE-generated hourly emission data for primary PM_(2.5). Nearly 1200 individual sources representing 45 industries within about a 10 km radius of the two non-attaining PM_(2.5) monitors in Birmingham were modeled. AERMOD results were used in a relative sense following EPA PM_(2.5) SIP and modeling guidance (to generate Relative Response Factors (RRFs). This paper presents the use of AERMOD within the context of a PM_(2.5) SIP analysis, a discussion of several meteorological data sets considered, and integration with CMAQ Model results to discern future year impacts, compliance, and control strategies.