ALBUQUERQUE / BERNALILLO COUNTY
AIR QUALITY CONTROL BOARD
Martin J. Chávez, Mayor
NEWSLETTER Thaddeus Lucero,
City of Albuquerque Bernalillo County Manager
PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE AIR QUALITY DIVISION
Air Quality Division News
DECEMBER’S
Regional Air Quality Initiative Takes Shape ................2 AIR QUALITY INDEX:
Air Quality Control Board Report ...............................3
New Standards for New Motorcycles ............................4
Vehicle Pollution Management Report .........................4
Inspections Close the Circle ...........................................5
GOOD!
Radon– The Forgotten Household Hazard+s ...............6
Pollution Prevention Poster Tips ...................................8 FOR ACTUAL AQI VALUES,
SEE PAGE 5
December, 2003-January, 2004 Volume 4, Number 12
City of Albuquerque
Environmental Health Department
Mayor’s Air Quality Summit
Director - 768-2600
Bears Fruit
Albuquerque / Bernalillo County
Air Quality Control Board
768-2600
On Friday, December 19th, Mayor Martin J.
Air Quality Division Manager Chavez and Kirtland Air Force Base Com-
768-1930 mander Henry Andrews, Jr. signed an Intergovernmental Cooperative
Important Phone Numbers Agreement, to work together toward improving air quality in the region.
Air Quality Index & Pollen The agreement states that "clean and clear air is vital to the health, qual-
768-4731 opt 1 or 766-7664 ity of life and economic prospects of the people and businesses within
Burn/No Burn 768-BURN (2876) the Central Rio Grande Valley." Indeed, partnering with area govern-
ments and organizations is crucial to creating a healthy "airshed", as air
Ambient Air
obviously knows no boundaries nor does it respect political jurisdictions.
Monitoring - 768-1969
National Ambient Air Quality
Standards Kirtland is the first to sign on with the City of Albuquerque to imple-
AQI & Seasonal Pollen ment new air quality programs and maintain existing ones that have been
Compliance already working internally. Mayor Chavez is currently encouraging other
& Field Enforcement - 768-1930 governments to join in the "brown cloud" fight. The cooperative agree-
Facility Inspection ment is one of many action steps to come out of the Mayor's Air Quality
Topsoil Disturbance
Compliance Assurance Summit, which took place this past fall.
Asbestos Abatement
Open Burn Permits The picture below serves to illustrate the problem facing all the commu-
Woodburning Exemptions
nities in the middle Rio Grande region. Pollution (visible as a hazy band
Education, Outreach & Technical in the picture) from both mobile and stationary sources such as cars,
Assistance - 768-1970 trucks and industrial sources throughout the middle Rio Grande region
Pollution Prevention
Emergency Preparedness becomes trapped in the valley formed between the mountains and the es-
Community Outreach carpment. Often, especially in the fall and winter, a meteorological phe-
Small Business Assistance nomenon called a thermal inversion forms a “lid” over the valley, pre-
The Air Shed Newsletter
venting the pollution from dispersing. Stagnant air can persist for days
Permitting & Emission Inventories - or even weeks at a time.
768-1930
Application Review & Permit Issuance
Permitting Policy / Development Simply put, it will take a regional effort to solve this regional problem.
Ambient Air Dispersion Modeling Mayor Chavez and area decision-makers continue to work toward re-
Emission and Pollutant Inventories gional consensus on this very important issue.
Aerometric Information Retrieval
System [AIRS]
Control Strategies- 768-2600
Development of Air Quality
Regulations
Preparation of State Implementation
Plan elements
Air Quality Control Board
Review Federal environmental
assessments
Public Health
Initiatives - 767-5621
Air Quality Complaints
Indoor Air
Quality Assurance - 768-1963
EPA Reporting
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Review & Validation of Data
PAGE 2 T H E AI R SH E D
AIR QUALITY CONTROL BOARD REPORT
Summary of Activities* Albuquerque / Bernalillo County
December 17, 2003 Meeting of the Air Quality Control Board
Albuquerque/Bernalillo County
Board Members & Staff
Air Quality Control Board
Stephen Pilon (City) Chair
Members Present: Karen Wentworth (County) Vice Chair
Dr. Betty Chang
Paul Silverman - County
Dr. Stephen Pilon, Chair
Mr. Paul Silverman Sue Umshler - County
Ms. Karen Wentworth, Vice Chair Betty Chang - City
Vacant - City
Reports:
Vacant - City
Item #1)
The results of the recent audit of Air Quality Division Programs Alfredo Santistevan, Director
were presented to the Board by Carlos Abeyta. Recommenda- Environmental Health Department
tions include the hiring of an accounting staff member dedicated
to the Air Quality Division, and an increase in emissions fees to Isreal L. Tavarez
more accurately reflect program costs. The Board requested that Air Quality Division Manager/
a follow-up audit be conducted of FY2005 in 2006. Program Secretary to the Board
fees will be re-evaluated once the audit of FY2005 is complete.
Adelia Kearny
Action Items:
Assistant City Attorney
Action Item #2
Glen Dennis
Decision regarding Resolution #2003-8, Reasonable Notice of
Public Meetings of the Board. Motion made by Member
Vehicle Pollution Management Division Manager
Silverman to approve resolution as written. Seconded by Mem-
ber Wentworth. Passed 4-0. Elizabeth Begay
Environmental Planning Commission Liaison
Action Item #3
Decision regarding Resolution #2003-9 setting the Board’s 2004 Monthly Board Meetings
Calendar of Meetings. Member Silverman moved to approve Board meetings are usually held the second
Resolution #2003-9 as written. Seconded by Member Pilon. Wednesday of each month at 5:15 p.m. in the
Passed 4-0. Council/Commission Chambers, lower level, Albuquerque/
Reports continued: Bernalillo County Government Center,
1 Civic Plaza, 400 Marquette Avenue NW
Air Quality Division Report: Albuquerque, NM.
Israel Tavarez, Manager, Air Quality Division reported that the
Division has met with representatives from Los Lunas, Berna-
lillo, Corrales, Rio Rancho and Kirtland Air Force Base regard- Agendas, which will show the correct date and meeting
ing ozone and ozone transport issues and other issues of regional place, are generally available three days before the
importance. The Board expressed an interest in having the cur- meeting and can be obtained by contacting
rent vacancies on the Board filled by Members from adjacent
counties to give the Board a more regional membership. Mr. Neal Butt at 505-768-2660
or via e-mail at: nbutt@cabq.gov.
Vehicle Pollution Management Division Report:
Glen Dennis, Manager, Vehicle Pollution Management Division,
Notice to persons with disabilities: If you have a disability
reported on the implementation of the revised Part 100. Pursu- and require special assistance to participate in any
ant to those revisions, new BAR97 emissions analyzers with the Board meeting please call the Air Quality Division at
capacity to perform the revised vehicle emissions inspection will 505-768-2600 (Voice) or
be in place and running by June, 2004.
* Action items recorded from draft minutes still subject to Board approval at press time.
505-768-2482 (TTY)
PAGE 3 THE AIR SHED
New Standards for New Motorcycles
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adopting more
stringent emission standards for new highway motorcycles. Under the
current standards, which are over 20 years old, today’s motorcycles pro-
duce more harmful emissions per mile than a car or even a large sport
utility vehicle (SUV). These new standards will reduce the combined
hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions in the exhaust by 50 percent
as well as the harmful health effects of mobile source air toxics.
EPA has been working to reduce emissions from motor vehicles for
over thirty years, including emissions standards for highway motorcy-
cles that were adopted in 1978. In this final rule, EPA is adopting new
emission standards for exhaust and evaporative emissions from high-
way motorcycles.
Federal regulations currently define a motorcycle as “any motor vehicle with a headlight, taillight, and stoplight and
having: two wheels, or three wheels and a curb mass less than or equal to 793 kilograms (1749 pounds)” (see 40 CFR
86.402-98). Note that any motorcycle or motorcycle-like vehicle that falls outside that definition would be considered
a nonroad vehicle and be subject to different requirements.
EPA expects these standards to be met through an increased use of technologies already demonstrated as being effec-
tive on 4-stroke motorcycle engines, such as secondary air injection, electronic fuel injection systems, and catalytic
converters. The standards are not expected to result in the universal use of catalytic converters.
Vehicle Pollution Management Division News
Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program:
The Division hosted a meeting of the Air Care Station Owners Advisory Committee on De-
cember 18th which was attended by representatives of 20 different Air Care Stations. The
Committee discussed implementation of the amendments to Part 100 adopted by the Board on September 17th and
received copies of the specifications for the new BAR97 analyzers. The Committee voted to host a demonstration of
the analyzers by manufacturers on February 3, 2004. The next meeting of the Advisory Committee will be January
20th at 6pm at VPMD headquarters.
VPMD Manager Glen Dennis and Program Analyst Ron Latimer met at length with MVD Director Maria Martinez
and the MVD Executive and Programming staff regarding implementation of the Part 100 amendments into the MVD
database for selecting or exempting vehicles from emission testing. Implementation of the emission testing changes
was delayed by legislation passed in the recent Special Session of the Legislature to raise vehicle registration fees by
an average of approximately 33%. MVD expects to have program code changes for exempting new vehicles for 4
years and requiring testing of 1975-1985 vehicles on an annual basis in place by April. VPMD will manually process
waivers for new cars erroneously selected for testing in the interim.
Oxygenated Fuels Program:
The Division issued Notices of Violation for insufficient oxygenate content in gasoline to the Diamond Shamrock
station at 2nd and Menaul NW and to the City's Public Works Department for a tank in use at the Wastewater Treat-
ment facility. The mid-grade tank at Diamond Shamrock had approximately 1/2 the required level of oxygenate
while the oxygenate level in the tank at the treatment facility was at 2/3 the required amount. Violations in this pro-
gram are relatively rare and it appears that both of these cases were related to tanks with low throughput or usage (i.e.
they only received one oxygenated fuel load to date this season which was not sufficient to bring the existing pre-
season fuel up to the compliance level of 2.7% oxygen by weight or approximately 8% ethanol by volume).
PAGE 4 THE AIR SHED
AIR QUALITY DATA FOR DECEMBER, 2003
The Air Quality Index [AQI] values indicate how clean or polluted ambient air is, and if there are any health
concerns associated with a specific value. The AQI in Bernalillo County is measured for four [4] nationally
regulated air pollutants: Carbon Monoxide [CO], Ozone [O3], Coarse Particulate [PM10] and Fine Particulate
[PM2.5].
As shown by the graph below, AQI values were "Good" to "Moderate" in December, which means that
air pollutants at this level pose little or no health risks to our community, but those members of our
community who already have respiratory problems may be slightly affected. Thus, as the values increase into a
higher category, health risks will similarly increase. As you may have guessed, the last category, “Hazardous”,
with AQI values greater than 300, is very serious and can be detrimental to the health of the whole community
even if emergency health warnings are triggered. Call the Air Quality Information Line at 766-7664 or 768-
4731 Option 1 to get today’s AQI Values.
AIR QUALITY
INDEX 100
Hazardous
80
> 300
Very Unhealthy 60
201 - 300
40
Unhealthy
151 - 200 20
Unhealthy for 0
Sensitive Groups
101 - 150 12/1/2003 12/8/2003 12/15/2003 12/22/2003 12/29/2003
Moderate
51 - 100
Coarse Particulate Index Fine Particulate Index Ozone Index Carbon Monoxide Index
Good
0 - 50
Inspections Close the Circle
Well-rounded air quality control programs must include a vigor-
ous inspection process to ensure that all permitted sources oper-
ate within the limits established by their air quality permits.
Thorough inspections are an integral part of any viable air qual-
ity program and skilled inspectors are an invaluable asset.
Pictured here are Penny Avery and Matt Stebleton of the City of
Albuquerque’s Air Quality Division. They are shown validating
the emissions of one of two massive generators located at Albu-
querque’s sewage treatment facility. These huge en-
gines are capable of operating on the digester gases
released during the treatment process (as shown) or
on commercially available fuels.
Inspectors encounter cutting-edge technologies as
well as the mundane on a routine basis and must re-
ceive ongoing training to maintain their expertise.
Matt and Penny are among the best.
PAGE 5 THE AIR SHED
Radon, the Forgotten Household Hazard
The United States Environmental Protec-
tion Agency (EPA) recognizes January as
National Radon Awareness Month.. Since
exposure to radon is the second leading
cause of lung cancer in the U.S., it’s ex-
tremely important that you understand your
risks and are aware of steps that you can
take to minimize your exposure. It is esti-
mated that one in every fifteen homes in
the Unites States contains dangerous
amounts of radon. Between 15,000 and
22,000 lung cancer deaths each year are
radon-related. Because families spend more
time indoors where radon levels are at their
highest potential, January is a good time to
test for this radioactive, invisible, odorless
and tasteless gas.
Radon is a gaseous radioactive element
having the chemical symbol Rn, the atomic
number 86, and an atomic weight of 222.
There are between 20 and 25 isotopes of radon (20 cited in the chemical summary, 25 listed in the table of isotopes). It
is an extremely toxic, colorless gas that can be condensed to a transparent liquid and to an opaque, glowing solid. It is
derived from the radioactive decay of radium and is used in cancer treatment, as a tracer in leak detection, and in radiog-
raphy.
Radon can be a problem in all types of homes, including old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insulated homes, homes
with basements and homes without basements. Testing your home for radon is the only way for you and your family to
know if radon levels are dangerously high. Many people don’t know that reliable radon test kits can be purchased at
some local hardware stores and from the National Radon Hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON [1-800-767-7236].
MYTH: Scientists are not sure that radon really is a problem.
FACT: Although some scientists dispute the precise number of deaths due to radon, all the major health organi-
zations (like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Lung Association and the American
Medical Association) agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancer deaths every
year. This is especially true among smokers, since the risk to smokers is much greater than to non-smokers.
MYTH: Radon testing devices are not reliable and are difficult to find.
FACT: Reliable radon tests are available from qualified radon testers and companies. Active radon devices can
continuously gather and periodically record radon levels to reveal any unusual swings in the radon level during
the test. Reliable testing devices are also available by phone or mail-order, and can be purchased in hardware
stores and other retail outlets.
MYTH: Radon testing is difficult and time-consuming.
FACT: Radon testing is easy. You can test your home yourself or hire a qualified radon test company. Either ap-
proach takes only a small amount of time and effort.
Continued on next page.
PAGE 6 THE AIR SHED
MYTH: Homes with radon problems cannot be
fixed.
FACT: There are solutions to radon problems in
homes. Thousands of home owners have already
lowered elevated radon levels in their homes. Ra-
don levels can be readily lowered for $800 to
$2,500.
MYTH: Radon affects only certain types of homes.
FACT: Radon can be a problem in all types of homes,
including old homes, new homes, drafty homes, insu-
lated homes, homes with basements and homes with-
out basements. Local geology, construction materials,
and how the home was built are among the factors that
can affect radon levels in homes.
MYTH: Radon is only a problem in certain parts of
the country.
FACT: High radon levels have been found in
every state. Radon problems do vary from area to
area, but the only way to know the home's radon Zone 1 Highest Potential (greater than 4 Picocuries
per liter [pCi/L])
level is to test.
.Zone 2 Moderate Potential (from 2 to 4 pCi/L)
MYTH: A neighbor's test result is a good indication of whether your home has a Zone 3 Low Potential (less than 2 pCi/L)
radon problem.
FACT: It is not. Radon levels vary from home to home. The only way to know if your home has a radon prob-
lem is to test it.
MYTH: Everyone should test their water for radon.
FACT: While radon gets into some homes through the water, it is important to first test the air in the home for
radon. If your water comes from a public water system that uses ground water, call your water supplier. If high
radon levels are found and the home has a private well, call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791
for information on testing your water.
MYTH: It is difficult to sell a home where radon problems have been discovered.
FACT: Where radon problems have been fixed, home sales have not been blocked. The added protection could
be a good selling point.
MYTH: I have lived in my home for so long, it does not make sense to take action now.
FACT: You will reduce your risk of lung cancer when you reduce radon levels, even if you have lived with an
elevated radon level for a long time.
MYTH: Short-term tests cannot be used for making a decision about whether to reduce the home's high radon
levels.
FACT: Short-term tests can be used to decide whether to reduce the home's high radon levels. However, the
closer the short-term testing result is to 4 pCi/L (Picocuries per liter) the less certainty there is about whether
the home's year-round average is above or below that level. Keep in mind that radon levels below 4 pCi/L still
pose some risk and that radon levels can be reduced to 2 pCi/L or below in most homes.
PAGE 7 THE AIR SHED