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11-1-6-6
2011
09/01/2011
12/10/2013
Deterministic & Empirical Assessment of Smoke Contribution to Ozone (DEASCO3) - An Online Technical Resource to Support FLMs in Air Quality Planning
The DEASCO3 project will produce analytical results and a dynamic and accessible technical tool which enables Federal Land Managers (FLM) to participate more fully in ozone air quality planning efforts. We will turn complex technical analyses of a series of well-chosen historic events (Case Studies) into accessible and instructive tables, charts, and maps that describe how and to what extent fires contribute to ambient ozone concentrations. About 20 Case Studies will be developed to characterize the relationship of emissions from fire to ozone concentrations across a broad range of circumstances (e.g., geographic locations, fuel conditions, time of year; fire types) and contributions to elevated background levels and levels in excess of the proposed ozone NAAQS. This suite of Case Studies will characterize situations that are analogous to situations that FLMs may face with current conditions and in the future. The online tool will allow FLMs to survey, review, and grab the technical results and findings of the most analogous Case Study(ies) which FLMs can use to effectively contribute to the state and EPA processes of SIP Development, declaration of Exceptional Events, nonattainment area designations (NAA), establishing background levels of ozone, and others. Our Team is comprised of technical and policy experts from a regional air quality partnership organization (RO), technical consulting firms, and FLMs. The 18-month project will stay focused on the JFSPs objectives throughout. Work will include: (1) Emission inventory development for wildland and agricultural fires in 2002 and 2008; (2) deterministic (photochemical grid modeling [PGM] with source apportionment) and empirical analyses to better assess fires contribution to ozone; (3) development of an accessible online tool for FLMs to access results and technical products; (4) collaborative review and analysis by NPS and USFS and integration of the FLMs technical and policy needs and perspectives into the technical products; (5) essential documentation and summary report of methods and results; and (6) project management and coordination by a Principal Investigator. The Teams approach and schedule for the project will provide initial findings pertaining to fires contribution to elevated ozone in advance of EPAs NAA designations.

Three coordinated Task Teams (Emissions, Modeling, Air Quality Planning & Policy) will implement a surgical, smart approach that utilizes multiple layers of disparate data to zero in on Case Studies across the U.S. We will conduct extensive SIP-grade retrospective air quality analyses for these events. From these analytical results, the Team will develop a suite of lessons-learned pertaining to the contribution of wildland fire to ambient ozone concentrations. The Team will then develop the technical and policy bridges to enable these lessons-learned to be applied to current and anticipated future conditions of wildland fire and ozone NAA issues. The Team will use the technical and policy bridges to inform the integration of air quality and land-based data sets into the dynamic, web-based tool, as well as the content and design of maps, reports, and data outputs to support FLMs. The suite of instructive Case Studies, based on rigorous technical analyses, will put critical and useful information in the FLMs hands without the need for resource-demanding work. The FLMs can use these products as screening tools or to effectively inform the decisions made in ozone air quality planning. The cornerstone product of the technical tool(s) will be a ranked order of locations where fire emissions have the greatest potential to challenge attainment and the new ozone standard. Other deliverables will include a beta-tested online tool, associated user training, and summary reports (including a manuscript submitted to a refereed publication).
Charles T. Moore Jr.
Western States Air Resources Council

Other Project Collaborators

Other Project Collaborators

Type

Name

Agency/Organization

Branch or Dept

Agreements Contact

Linda M Davis

Western Governors Association

Air Quality Program

Budget Contact

Linda M Davis

Western Governors Association

Air Quality Program

Collaborator/Contributor

Ann L. Acheson

Forest Service

WO-Air Quality Program

Collaborator/Contributor

Bret A. Anderson

Forest Service

WO-Air Quality Program

Collaborator/Contributor

David M. Randall

Air Sciences, Inc.

Collaborator/Contributor

John Vimont

NPS-National Park Service

Air Resources Division

Collaborator/Contributor

Mark J. Fitch

NPS-National Park Service

NIFC-National Interagency Fire Center

Collaborator/Contributor

Michael G. Barna

NPS-National Park Service

Air Resources Division

Collaborator/Contributor

Michael H. George

NPS-National Park Service

Intermountain Regional Office

Collaborator/Contributor

Ralph E. Morris

ENVIRON International Corporation

Project Locations

Project Locations

Fire Science Exchange Network

Alaska

Appalachian

California

Great Basin

Great Plains

Lake States

Northern Rockies

Northwest

Oak Woodlands

Pacific

South

Southern Rockies

Southwest

Tallgrass

Level

State

Agency

Unit

NATIONAL

United States

Final Report

Project Deliverables

Title
 
DEASCO3 Project Updates to the Fire Plume Rise Methodology to Model Smoke DispersionView
DEASCO3 2008 Emissions Inventory MethodologyView
WRAP West-wide Jump-start Air Quality Modeling Study (WestJumpAQMS)View

Supporting Documents