Air Quality Management Plan
Pilot Areas
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.EPA is currently working with three pilot areas: New York, North Carolina and St. Louis, MO-IL. The areas have each agreed to develop a multi-pollutant focused AQMP that will involve appropriate stakeholders and will outline how the participating agency plans to address air pollutants in an integrated manner. Each area may include considerations of ecosystem impacts and air quality linkages to energy, land-use, transportation and other non-traditional policies. Each AQMP will include a set of pollution reduction strategies that demonstrate one or more of the following:
- attainment/maintenance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards,
- risk reductions from Hazardous Air Pollutants,
- improvements in visibility and ecosystem health, and
- integration with land use, transportation, energy and climate.
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New York
In addition to addressing current nonattainment for two criteria pollutants, particulate matter and ozone, New York's air quality multipollutant plan will include control measures to reduce greenhouse gases, air toxics from mobile sources and mercury deposition in New York's lakes and rivers. The plan will also include New York City's ongoing goal to reduce city residents' exposure to fine particulate matter.
The team of four staff from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation will design the plan using a variety of cutting-edge modeling tools. One of them will be the MARKAL model which examines in particular, the impact of various energy strategies on air quality, the economy, the environment and public health. The model will help determine which control measures will provide the most benefit at the least cost. The multipollutant plan strategy will address stationary, mobile and area sources of pollution.
Lay of the Land (PDF) (18pp, 66k) - This document provides a status check of today's air quality issues for this pilot area. Each area defines its current air quality issues and concerns and lays out its considerations for the Air Quality Management Plan.
Conceptual Models (PDF) (58pp, 219k) - This document takes this pilot area closer to developing the Air Quality Management Plan. In the conceptual models, each area maps out its considerations for addressing current and future air quality management issues.
Final AQMP (PDF) (70pp, 457k) - This document reflects the pilot area's Air Quality Management Plan, as of June 2010.
EPA Contact - Karen Wesson, wesson.karen@epa.gov , 919-541-3515
North Carolina
North Carolina will focus on the two pollutants for which they have areas designated nonattainment: ozone (1997 8-hour standard) and particulate matter (annual PM2.5). In addition to these pollutants, NC will consider other issues in their multi-pollutant approach. Their major air toxics concern is mercury, mainly from emissions of coal-fired power plants. They will also examine how climate and regional haze can be incorporated into a more comprehensive plan. North Carolina's main focus is examining the current air quality management process and determining ways to improve that process. North Carolina is looking to work with a large variety of stakeholders as part of this new process, including federal, state and local agencies, other state agencies, environmental groups, the regulated community and the general public.
Lay of the Land (PDF) (65pp, 752k) - This document provides a status check of today's air quality issues for this pilot area. Each area defines its current air quality issues and concerns and lays out its considerations for the Air Quality Management Plan.
Conceptual Models (PDF) (37pp, 1.9 MB) - This document takes this pilot area closer to developing the Air Quality Management Plan. In the conceptual models, each area maps out its considerations for addressing current and future air quality management issues.
Final AQMP (PDF) (82pp, 1.9 MB) - This document reflects the pilot area's Air Quality Management Plan, as of June 2010.
Final AQMP Appendices (PDF) (61pp, 3.5 MB)
EPA Contact - Liz Naess, naess.liz@epa.gov, 919-541-1892
St. Louis, MO/IL
In an effort to better characterize the public health benefits of air quality control programs and provide more opportunity for public input to air quality decision-making, a coalition of federal, state and local officials, working with the East West Gateway Council of Governments, for the St. Louis communities, is endeavoring to consolidate and improve the traditional approach towards air quality management. This multi-pollutant, “one atmosphere” approach, is designed to document a process that will integrate all existing State Implementation Plan requirements into a comprehensive plan along with the potential to address hazardous air pollutants. In addition, this type of effort will provide more certainty to the regulated community with respect to on-going changes in control requirements.
Lay of the Land (PDF) (24pp, 1.5 MB) - This document provides a status check of today's air quality issues for this pilot area. Each area defines its current air quality issues and concerns and lays out its considerations for the Air Quality Management Plan.
Conceptual Models (PDF) (10pp, 69k) - This document takes this pilot area closer to developing the Air Quality Management Plan. In the conceptual models, each area maps out its considerations for addressing current and future air quality management issues.
Final AQMP (PDF) (53pp, 1.5 MB) - This document reflects the pilot area's Air Quality Management Plan, as of June 2010.
EPA Contact - Tom Rosendahl, rosendahl.tom@epa.gov, 919-541-5314