What's Happening? 

Dispersion Modeling Workshop
Tuesday, May 15, 1:00 - 4:00 pm or panel completion

The Upper Midwest Section of the Air & Waste Management Association invites you to a Dispersion Modeling Workshop, featuring perspectives from today's practitioners in this evolving field. 

Background: In the last few years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revised a number of national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), including standards for PM2.5 (2006), Lead (2008), and NO2 and SO2 (2010). While EPA (and in turn MPCA) recently reversed its policy to require 1-hr SO2 modeling of large sources in unclassifiable areas to support state implementation plan submittals, modeling remains an important regulatory tool for permitting and cost-effective ambient air quality predictions. In light of changing standards and tools, EPA is hosting/has hosted modeling conferences (March 13-15, RTP and April 30-May 4, Chicago) to encourage the exchange of ideas and technical information. This workshop summarizes and distills some of the most important developments from those conferences, and applies these to issues sources in Minnesota face.

Details
When: Tuesday, May 15
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 pm or panel completion
Place: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
520 Lafayette Road N, St. Paul, MN 55155, 651-296-6300 
Cost: Free to A&WMA members (but pre-registration is required, and on a first-come, first-serve basis)

  

Agenda for A&WMA-UMS Dispersion Modeling Workshop
12:45-1:00  Registration 
1:00-1:25 Welcome, Introductions, and Issues Framing – Clay Raasch, Trinity Consultants
1:25-1:50 SO2 1-hr SIP Modeling Reconsideration – What Changes, What Doesn't? – Catherine Neuschler and Ruth Roberson, MPCA
1:50-2:20  Conference Highlight: Effects of Met Data Processing on AERMOD Output Concentrations - Sergio Guerra, Wenck Associates Inc.
2:20-2:50 Conference Highlight: Use of Statistical, Probabilistic EMVAP to Avoid Unrealistic Predictions - Tony Colombari, Trinity Consultants 
2:50-3:00 Break - Refreshments Provided Compliments of Trinity Consultants
3:00-3:30 Getting Along with the Neighbors - Multi-party Air Quality Modeling Resolution - Shannon Olsen (Wenck Associates Inc.) and Jeffrey Bennett (Barr Engineering)
3:30-4:00 A Practical Approach to Addressing Secondary Pollutant Formation - Margaret McCourtney, MPCA 
4:00 Panel Discussion and Open Forum

Please help us reach others who may be interested in this topic by forwarding them this information. 

Register in advance with Kristie Bulthuis via email OR Register Online HERE 
  

Plan to attend the first forums in Environmental Initiative’s Clean Air Dialogue
3 Event Dates and Locations 

  • What do we know about air quality in Minnesota and its impacts on public health?

  • How might proposed changes to federal air quality standards impact Minnesota industries? What sectors are most likely to be impacted?

  • What can Minnesota businesses and communities do to proactively reduce emissions in order to avoid federal nonattainment designations?

Plan to attend the first forums in Environmental Initiative’s Clean Air Dialogue. 

Twin Cities Metro Event
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
11:30 am - 2:00 pm

Duluth Event
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
11:30 am - 2:00 pm

Rochester Event
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
11:30 am - 2:00 pm

More information and registration available at http://www.environmental-initiative.org/projects/
minnesotas-clean-air-dialogue/air-quality-series 

David Benforado Scholarship Fund

The A&WMA-UMS extends their thanks to Robert Polta, Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, for his contribution to this scholarship fund

Contribute to the David Benforado Scholarship Fund!

A&WMA-UMS Facts to Know 

See this fact sheet for information about A&WMA-UMS

Facts to Know (.PDF, 953 kb)

Suggestions?

Any ideas or suggestions for a program meeting topic for the Section are welcome.  Please call or e-mail Mike Hansel at 952-832-2878 or mhansel@barr.com.

Thanks to Barr Engineering Company for the design, development and hosting of this website.