# Great Basin Unified

Air Pollution Control District

DRAFT

2013

Annual Air Quality Monitoring Network Plan

July 15 , 2013

Prepared by Christopher Lanane Air Monitoring Specialist

Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District

157 Short Street Bishop, California 93514 (760) 872

- 8211 (760) 872

- 6109 Fax www.gbuapcd.orgii 

## Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction....................................................................................... 1

2.0 Public Comments................................................................................. 1

3.0 Network Design................................................................................. 1

Definition of Terms..................................................................... 9

Monitored Pollutants and Meteorological Variables ........................... 11

4.0 Special Progra ms................................................................................. 15

5.0 Recent or Proposed Modification s to Network............................................. 15

6.0 Minimum Monitor ing Req uirements......................................................... 18

Appendix A. Site Information ............... ......................................................... 19

Appendix B. NCORE Monitori ng Plan ............................................................... 23

Tables and Figures

Figure 1. Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District map................................. 3

Figure 2. Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District map, Owens Lake Detail......... 4

Figure 3. Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District map, Mono Lake Detail ......... 5

Table 1. List of Monitoring Sites and Variables Monitored.......................................... 6

Ta ble 2. Criteria Pollutant Monitoring Objectives and Spatial Scales.............................. 7

Table 3. Criteria Pollutant Monitor ing Purposes...................................................... 8

Figure 4. Owens Lake Map: Dust Identification Program Detail ................................. 13

Figure 5. Mono Lake Map: Dust I dentification Program Detail ................................. 14Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

1 

### 1.0 Introduction

An annual review of all national air quality monitoring networks is required by Federal regulations as a means to identify needs for addition, relocation, or termination of monitoring

stations or instrum entation. The Annual Monitoring Network Plan (AMNP) prepared by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) , the primary quality assurance organization of which

the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control Distri ct (District) is a part, includes the area encompassed by the District. With this document, the District has sought to develop a more comprehensive and District

- specific plan for submit tal it the U.S. Environmental Protect ion Agency (EPA). This plan descr ibes the network of ambient air quality monitors to be operated by the District during the 2013 calendar year. It includes a review of actions taken in the mo nitoring network during the 2012

- 2013 fiscal year and plans for actions in the years ahead. This d raft plan addresses the requirements for an annual network plan as listed in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, Part 58, Section 10 (40 CFR 58.10). These r egulations require that the

AMNP be submitted to the EPA by July 1 of each year after a 30

- da y public comment period. The comment period for this plan began on June 14, 2013, and close d on July 15 , 2013, after which the plan, along with the comments received during the comment period

, will be submitted to EPA for approval.

The District staff, al ong with the CARB and EPA Region IX conducted a comprehensive review of the air monitoring stations throughout the District in 2007. State and Local Air Monitoring Station (SLAMS) designations, monitoring objectives, and spatial scales of representativenes s were assigned to the criteria pollutants monitored by site. Each year, District staff conducts an annual review of the air monitoring network to evaluate whether the current monitoring strategies are meeting the needs of the District, to determine compli ance with all current Federal and State regulations, and to aid in the development of future monitoring strategies. When monitoring station additions or relocations are warranted, site reports are written and/or updated locally and in the EPA ’ s Air Quality System (AQS) database to document compliance with established monitoring criteria.



### 2.0 Public Comments

Pursuant to Federal regul ations, this draft plan was made available for public inspection and comment for at least 30 days prior to submission to the E PA . Notice of availability of the document was published in local newspapers and t he document was posted to the District's

websi te (www.gbuapcd.org) on June 14, 2013 , under the link, “ What's New. ” The public review period provides an opportunity for the public, the EPA, and any other interested parties to provide comments on the plan

. Comments received during the comment period will be included

with the plan in the submission

. Following the review period ending July 15, 2013 , the plan will

be submitted to EPA for approval of any SLAMS network changes.



### 3.0 Network Design

The District operates eighteen (18) air quality monitoring stations in four planning areas and in the general environs of the District’s three counties : Alpine, Inyo, and Mono. The plannin g areas in the District are: Coso Junction (formerly Searles Valley)

, Southern Owens Valley, MonoDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

2 Basin, and Mammoth Lakes

. Figures 1

- 3 present maps of the entire District indicating the planning areas, three of which are PM 10 nonattainment areas, the mo nitoring stations currently in operation, and those stations planned for installation this year . Note that three monitoring stations, North Beach, Mill Site, and Dirty Socks, were shut down due to the cancelation of leases in November 2012, by the Los Ang eles Department of Water & Power, the land owner and the air polluter responsible for the dust emissions from Owens Lake . These sites are noted in Figure 2 by the site name in outline text. District staff is working to relocate these stations onto public lands administered b y the California State Lands Commission and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management by the end of 2013. The new locations are within approximately 500 meters

of the former locations.

Table 1 provides a list of the monitoring stations, the pollutants measured at each station, the EPA Air Quality System (AQS, the EPA's national air quality data base) site codes, and the start

date for each station

.

Table 2 presents the monitoring objective and spatial scale for each monitor at each site

. A list of the monitoring objectives and a description of them is provided in this document

. Porti ons of these monitoring objectives and their descriptions are adapted from the C ARB annual network plan for 2011

.

After consultation with the District Board a nd District monitoring specialists, the APCO determines monitoring locations in the District, as delegated by the CARB. Monitoring locations are then added to or removed from the network monitoring plan that is assembled and presented annually to the publ ic for comment. This plan is then submitted to EPA for review. The EPA Region IX administrator has the final authority on the configuration of the monitoring network.

Multiple purposes for monitoring a pollutant at a particular site are possible

. There is some overlap between monitoring objectives as defined by EPA, presented in Table 2, and the monitoring purposes presented in Table 3. A brief description of the network for each criteria pollutant monitored is provided here. Further site

- specific info rmation is presented in Appendix

A.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

3 Figure 1 . Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District Ma pDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

4 Figure 2

. Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District Map, Owens Lake detailDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

5 Figure 3

. Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District Map, Mono Lake detailDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

6 Table 1. List of Monitoring Sites and Variables Monitored

* Monitor down temporarily due to lease cancellation by property owner.

** PM10 monitoring ended at Flat Rock May 2011 when monitor was mo ved to Mill Site. Flat Rock now used for meteorological monitoring and video capture only.

*** Special purpose monitoring stations. PM10 monitoring ended July 9, 2012, for T4 and August 22, 2012, for T23. † PM10 monitoring ended August 2 008; meteorological monitoring ended June 2011. †† District's Portable Monitoring Station berth, adjacent to District's NCORE station.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

7 Table 2. Criteria Pollutant Monitoring Objective s and Spatial Scales

MONITORING OBJECTIVE SPATIAL SCALE

HC

- High est Concentration MI

- Microscale

PO

- Population Oriented MS

- Middle Scale

SI

– Source Impact NS

- Neighborhood Scale

BK

- Background Level US

- Urban Scale

PT

- Pollutant Transport RS

– Regional Scale

VI

– Visibility Impacts NaS

– National Scale

SPM

- Special Purpose Monitor GS

– Global Scale

* Monitor down temporarily due to lease cancellation by property owner.

** PM10 monitoring ended at Flat Rock May 2011 when monitor was moved to Mill Site. Flat Rock now used for meteorological monitoring and video capture only.

*** T

- 4, T

- 23 were special purpose monitors that were shutdown July and August 2012, re spectively. † T

- 7 and T27 are special purpose monitors that began operation in July and August

2012, respectively. †† PM10 monitoring ended August 2008; meteorological monitoring ended June 2011.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

8 Table 3. Criteria Pollutant Monitoring Purposes

MONITORING PURPOSE

BK

- Background Level RC

- Representative Concentration

HC

- High Concentration SO

- Source Impact

TP

- Pollutant Transport TR

- Trend Analysis

EX

- Populati on Exposure CP

- Site Comparison

SPM

- Special Pu rpose Monitor

* Monitor down temporarily due to lease cancellation by property owner.

** PM10 monitoring ended at Flat Rock May 2011 when monitor was moved to Mill Site. Flat Rock now used for meteorological monitoring and video capture only.

*** T

- 4, T

- 23 were special purpose monitors that were shutdown July and August 2012, respectively. † T

- 7 and T27 are special purpose monitors that began operation in July and August 2012,

respectively. †† PM10 monitoring end ed August 2008; meteorological monitoring ended

June 2011.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

9 Definitions

Background Level monitoring is used to determine general background levels of air pollutants.

Core

- based Statistical Area (CBSA) is defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as a statistical geographic entity consisting of the county or counties associated with at least one urbanized area/urban cluster of at least 10,000 population, plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration. The two categories of CBSAs are metropolitan statistical areas and micropolitan statistical areas.

High Concentration monitoring is conducted at sites to find the highest concentration of an air pollutant in an area within a given monitoring network

. A monitoring network may have multiple high concentration sites as a result of varying meteorology, source area variability, etc.

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is defined by the EPA and by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as areas having at least one ur banized area of 50,000 or more population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured by commuting ties.

Micropolitan Statistical Area (MiSA) is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U. S. Office of Management and Budget as an area heaving one urbanized area or urban cluster of between 10,000 and 50,000 population.

Monitoring Objectives are the measures for determining the level of pollutant impacts from particular sources at particular sites, i.e., to determine the high est concentrations (HC) affecti ng specific places from sources; t he impact from a particular source or set of sources (SI) in a given area; the impact caused by concentration s affecting specific populations (PO), communities, etc.; background level (BK ) concentratio ns measured upwind of sources or not impacted by sources; areas impacted by transport of pollution (PT) generated from distant sources; measuring impacts to visibility, plants, or other welfare affects ( VI)

.

Monitoring Planning Area (MPA) is defined by the EPA as a contiguous geographic area with established, well

- defined boundaries, such as a metropolitan statistical area, county, or State, having a common area that is used for planning monitoring locat ions for PM2.5. MPAs may cross political boundaries, e.g., State, County, etc. MPAs are generally oriented toward areas with populations greater than 200,000.

Nonattainment Area is any area that does not attain the standard for at least one of the pollu tants for which there are National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

Pollutant Transport is the movement of pollutant(s) between air basins or areas within

an air basin

. Pollutant transport monitoring is used to assess and address sources from upwind areas when those transported pollutant(s) affect neighboring downwind areas

.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

10 Transport monitoring can also be used to determine the extent of regional pollutant
transport.

Population Exposure monitoring is conducted to represent the air pollutant

concent rations to which a populated area is exposed.

Representative Concentration monitoring is conducted to determine pollutant concentrations over a homogeneous geographical area

. These sites do not necessarily indicate the highest concentrations in an area fo r a particular pollutant.

Site Comparison monitoring is used to assess the effect of moving a monitoring location a short distance (approximately 2 miles or less) on measured pollutant levels

. Some monitoring stations become unusable due to development, c hange of lease terms, eviction, etc

. In these cases, attempts are made to conduct concurrent monitoring at both the old and new monitoring locations for a period of time in order to compare pollutant

concentrations at both.

Source Impact monitoring is use d to determine the impact of particular and significant sources of pollutant emissions on the air quality

. Air pollutant sources may be stationary

or mobile.

Spatial Scales define the concentrations within a given area that has relatively uniform

land use and reasonably homogeneous geography. These scales are defined as follows:

Microscale

- defines an area with dimensions ranging from several meters up to about 100 meters (several yards up to 100 yards).

Middle Scale

- defines an area of up to several city blocks in size, with dimensions ranging from about 100 meters to 0.5 kilometers (100 yards to 1/3 mile) Neighborhood Scale

- defines an area with dimensions in the 0.5 to 4.0 kilometer range (1/3 mile to 2.5 miles). Most of the District's sites have been determined to be neighborhood scale sites.

Urban Scale

- defines an area with dimensions on the order of 4 to 50 kilometers (2.5 miles to 30 miles). Regional Scale

- usually defines rural areas and extends from tens to hundreds of kilometers (or miles).

National and Global Scale

- these measurement scales represent pollutant concentrations characterizing the nation and the globe as a

whole.

Special Purpose Monitors are used for surveys to determine whether a perman ent monitor need be installed. They are also used to determine whether an existing monitoring network provides sufficient coverage to an area for determining pollutant impacts to that area.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

11 Trend Analysis monitoring is useful for comparing and analyzing air pollution

concentrations over time

. Trend analysis can show the progress or lack thereof in improving the air quality for a given area over a period of many years.

Monitored Pollutants and Meteorological Variables

PM 10 Medium

- volume size selective inlet filter

- based PM 10 monitors (Rupprecht &

Patashnick /Thermo Partisol Plus 2025) are or will be operated at four (4 ) sites

. Monitoring at the

sites is conducted on either the Federal one

- in

- three

- day schedule or on a daily schedule . Filter

based monitor s typically measure integrated 24

- hour

- average PM concentrations.

Continuous PM 10 and PM 2.5 monitors (Rupprecht & Patashnick TEOM 1400a AB monitors ) are operated in conjunction with filter

- based monitors at three of the four filter

- based sites.

Continuous PM 10 monitors alone are operated at an additional 12 fixed sites and an additional

two continuous PM 10 monitors in portable stations

. The advantage of continuous PM 10 monitors is that they are capable of measuring hourly pollutant concentrations

. These co ntinuous PM 10 monitors are concentrated in areas of high PM 10 impact: e.g. around the shoreline of Owens Lake, in the Town of Mammoth Lakes, at the site of maximum impact on the north shore of

Mono Lake

. Hourly resolution of PM 10 concentrations enables the District to more accurately determine the source of the emissions, especially in short

- term wind

- event driven emissive areas

like Owens and Mono Lake s

.

PM 2.5 The District operates one collocated PM 2.5 monitoring station at the Keeler monitoring site

. The

monitors are medium volume filter

- based Federal Equivalent Method (FEM) samplers ( Rupprecht & Pata shnick Partisol Plus 2025 with a very sharp

- cut cyclone (VSCC) for PM 2.5 ). The primary monitor operates on the Federal 1

- in

- 3

- day schedule and the collocated monitor operates on the Federal 1

- in

- 12

- day schedule. The District also operates one continuous PM 2.5 monitor at the Keeler station that collects hourly PM2.5 concentrations. It should be noted that, as the entire District’s population is less than the minimum requirements (50,000) for a metropolitan statistical area under 40 CFR 58 Appendix D, Section 4.7, no additional PM2.5 monitoring locations are required. The Keeler site monitors the highest concentrations of PM10 for a populated community in the District and state and local staff determined that the District’s PM2.5 station should be located this site, which provides data for population

- oriented representative PM2.5 particulate concentrations.

Meteorology The District operates meteorological sen sors at nearly all permanent fixed monitoring stations

. Meteorological variables measured include wind speed, wind direction and ambient temperature

. In addition, a t some locations relative humidity, barometric pressure and precipitation are also

monitored

.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

12 Network Description

Owens Lake The Owens Lake monitoring network consists of a combination of twelve (12) ambient air monitoring stations: seven (7) stations ring the lake along the historic shoreline, one of which is a population

- based station, located at Keeler; two other population

- oriented sites are located in the communities of Lone Pine north of the lake and Olancha, south of the lake. An additional monitor is located 20 miles south of the lake at Coso Junction. This station is used for modeling of Owens Lake plume trajectories and is used to monitor local source impacts in the Coso Junction Planning Area. Each station utilizes an R&P TEOM continuous monitor for PM10 measurements. Ten (10) of the ambient air monitoring stations in the Owens Lake network are designated as SLAMS sites.

Dust Identification Program In addition to the ten SLAMS stations around the Owens Lake, the District operates two air quality stations: one at the locations designated T7 on the south end of the lake, and another, designated T27 toward the east central area of the lake; and four meteorological stations. These are special purpose monitors used to determine dust source areas requiring mitigation and are part of the District's Dust Identification Program. In addition, the program consist s of a se ries of approximately 175 sand motion sensors (Sensits) and accompanying sand collection devices (Cox Sand Catchers (CSCs)) operated by the District as well as 48 Sensit/CSC sites operated by the City of Los Angeles. The network also utilizes dust observa tions made by District personnel

d

uring wind events and eleven (10 ) camera stations with a total of 16 cameras collecting images of the lakebed every thirty seconds during daylight hours. This system coupled with the model

and the SLAMS stations described above enables the District to pinpoint emissive areas of the lakebed that may cause or contribute to exceedances of the Federal PM 10 standard. A map detailing the locations of the monitoring sites used for the Dust ID program is presented in Figure 4. P lease note stations that are temporarily down due to lease cancelation by the landowner are marked with a horizontal line through the site name.

Mammoth Lakes The Mammoth Lakes monitoring network consists of one monitoring station located in the Town

of M ammoth Lakes. This station utilizes an R&P TEOM for hourly

- resolved PM 10 concentrations and an R&P 2025 Partisol Sequential Sampler operating on the one

- in

- three

- day

schedule for 24

- hour integrated PM 10 concentration data. This station is used by the Dis trict to determine compliance with the Federal PM 10 standard for this previously nonattainment community. The hourly resolved data allows Town personnel to forecast and determine "no

burn" days for wood stove operators in order to maintain compliance with the Federal PM 10 standard.

NCORE The District has also been asked by EPA to install and operate a rural NCORE station. This station has been installed at the District's White Mountain Research Station monitoring site. The

station was online April 1, 20 11. Further details on the station are contained in Appendix B, which contains a standalone monitoring plan for the District's NCORE station.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

13 Figure 4. Owens Lake Map: Dust Identification Program DetailDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

14 Mono Lake The Mono Lake monitoring network cons ists of three monitoring stations: Lee Vining, Simis Ranch, and Mono Shore. Through August of 2008, PM 10 concentrations were collected using BGI PQ200 monitors located at Simis Ranch and Mono Shor e . PM 10 concentrations at Lee Vining, a population

- based s ite, are also collected using an R&P 2025 Partisol Sequential Sampler. The BGI monitors at Simis Ranch were removed and not replaced due to the fact that no exceedances had been measured there since 1996, and a point

- of

- maximum

- impact site, Mono Shore, be ing outfitted with a PM 10 monitor in 1999. The BGI monitors at Mono Shore were replaced in 2008 with an off

- the

- grid solar

- powered R&P TEOM PM 10 continuous monitor. The TEOM provides hourly

- resolved PM 10 concentrations and has provided the District with the opportunity to develop a Dust ID program at Mono Lake. This Dust ID network consists of
twenty

- five (25) sites with CSCs. Ten (10) of those sites have collocated Sensits associated with

them. This network is used to measure the mass of saltating par ticles to estimate sand flux rates

across a 2km 2 area. The Mono Lake Dust ID network is presented in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Mono Lake Map: Dust Identification Program DetailDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

15 

### 4.0 Special Programs

The District periodically conducts special monitoring program s for rule compliance and pollutant

level assessment

. The data gathered are for informational purposes initially and may lead to designation of special purpose monitors, as defined under Title 40 CFR 58.20, or to permanent monitoring loca tions in the District ’ s network, or to nothing beyond the initial purpose of information gathering

. During the 2013 monitoring year, the District will be conducting the special programs listed below.

Portable PM10 Monitoring

Staff determined there was a n eed for small portable TEOM monitors that could be transported to monitoring locations and set up for short

- term episode

PM 10 monitoring. Staff has constructed two portable TEOM stations each of which utilizes a propane

- fired generator for power. The sta tions can operate for more than five days on two small tanks of propane. The stations have been successfully operated during several episodes on and around Owens Lake from February 2010 to t he present. Most recently these stations have been in operation at the Boulder Creek RV Park and Duck Pond stations

around Owens Lake.



### 5 .0 Recent or Proposed Modifications to Network

Owens Lake

Two on

- lake PM 10 monitoring stations, designated T4 and T23 , were removed from the network in July and August 2012, respectively . Two additional on

- lake PM10 mo nitoring stations, designated T7 and T27 , were installed in the Owens Lake Network in July and August 2012, respectively, as well. Each of these stations consisted of one T EOM 1400ab continuous PM 10 monitor in a temperature

- controlled shelter and meteorological sensors for wind speed and

direction . The purpose of these special purpose monitors (SPMs) is to measure PM 10 emissions near the remaining source areas on the lakebed and to further refine the District ’ s Dust Identification Program model.

During May 2011, the PM10 monitoring system was shut down at the Flat Rock station and moved to the Mill Site. The Flat Rock station was being impacted by dust emitting areas

betw een the station and the 3,600

- foot regulatory shoreline. An analysis was conducted and District staff determined that source areas from the lakebed impacted Flat Rock infrequently and that the Shell Cut station would also typically monitor those lakebed s ource areas. The District had a critical need to fill a gap in the network on the east shore of the lake south of Keeler in order to measure lakebed emission impacts caused by winds from the west, thus the PM10

monitor at Flat Rock was moved to the Mill S ite location. Within the week after the move, the

Mill Site monitor measured an exceedance of the Federal PM10 standard from lakebed sources driven by winds from the west.

In November 2012, the leases for the Dirty Socks, Mill, and North Beach monitori ng stations were canceled by the owner, the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. These stations, marked, “ Station, ” on the Dust ID map (Figure 4), and “ Station ,” on the Owens Lake detailDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

16 map (Figure 2) , were removed from their locations and, thus, are temporarily down due to this lease cancellation. The District is in the process of securing new leases, for monitoring locations within 300 meters of the old locations, on lands administered by the California State Lands Commission (CSLC) and by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It is anticipated that monitoring will begin at these new locations by the end of 2013.

Coso Junction The Coso Junction monitoring station serves to measure both locally

- produced PM10 for the Coso Junction Management Area , and as a transport site for windblown PM10 from Owens Lake to the north. When the Area was designated, “ in attainment,” in 2010, it was noted that the station could be affected by local sources around the monitoring station. In order to address this

c oncern, monthly reports were produced for the first year of operation after the designation took place. During that period, the local sources were covered with gravel and/or cinders and the areas where vegetation had died off were watered and replanted wi th native plant species. Additionally, a camera was installed at the s ite to help with monitoring emissions from local

sources. Collection of valid data resumed August 1, 2010, at the Coso Junction PM10 monitoring station.

Mammoth Lakes No changes or modifications are anticipated for the 2013 monitoring year.

Mono Lake The District has operated monitoring stations in the Mono Basin area for approximately 18 years

. Over the last year, District staff assessed the Mono Lake monitoring network and determined that some changes needed to be made. First, staff determined it was necessary to collect hourly

resolved PM 10 data at the Mono Lake North Shore site, especially during the episodic dust

storm s at the Lake. Second, it was determined that staff needed to operate the network and utilize resources more efficiently.

In order to address the first determination, a continuous TEOM PM 10 monitor was installed in May 2008 at the Mono Lake North Shore site to facilitate the collection of hourly

- resolved PM 10 data. An additional goal was set for the Mono Shore site to operate the continuous PM 10 monitor through the entire year, rather than seasonally as had been done with the filter

- based monitors.

In addressing the second determination, staff noted th at no PM 10 violations had been measured at the Simis Ranch site since August 31, 1996. The District had collected 12 years of data subsequent to that measured violation. As a result, the decision was made to cease the collection

of PM 10 data at the Simis Ranch site as of August 2008. Meteorological monitoring at the Simis Ranch site was suspended in July 2011.

The North Shore site is off the power grid and consists of a large solar power array and battery
system . In order to minimize power consumption, the TEOM is housed in a custom

- designed Zomeworks Cool Cell. The Cool Cell regulates the temperature of the Cell housing the TEOM passively using a water radiator and reservoir system to regulate the Cell temperature. The

continuous monitor and the seaso nally (non

- winter) operating filter

- based medium volume PM 10 monitors (BGI PQ200) were operated side

- by

- side from May through August 2008 in order to provide comparison data between the two different monitoring methods

. After that comparisonDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

17 period, the fi lter

- based monitors were shut down and removed from service, leaving the

continuous PM 10 monitor as the primary monitor for that station.

Future changes to the Mono Lake network include the installation of a continuous TEOM PM10 monitor in the community o f Lee Vining. The District has operated a filter

- based PM 10 monitor in Lee Vining, located on the southwest side of Mono Lake, for over 15 years

. Plans are to install

a continuous TEOM PM 10 monitor in Lee Vining station in 2013

- 14

.

National Core Multip ollutant Monitoring Station (NCORE) The District was chosen by EPA Region IX staff to install and operate one of the EPA NCORE monitoring stations. The NCORE network consists of 75

- plus monitoring stations around the nation that will be used by EPA for de termining national monitoring and regulatory strategies. Seven monitoring stations are to be placed in Cali fornia and the District was chosen to operate one of them: a rural NCORE site. These sites will be funded by EPA for capital equipment and operatio n and maintenance.

The first phase of funding began with the 200 8 calendar year. Funds were received for the procurement of the prescribed monitoring equipment which includes: a low

- level carbon monoxide monitor (CO), a low

- level sulfur diox ide monitor (SO2), a low

- level reactive nitrogen compounds monitor (NOy), a low

- level ozone monitor (O3), and a calibration system for the monitors. The EPA also provided the District with funds for the procurement of a monitoring

station enclosure in which to house the NCORE monitoring equipment. The District's NCORE site is located at the White Mountain Research Station, east of Bishop, near the current berth of the District's Portable Monitoring Station. Final approval of the site by EPA headquarters was given in mid

- 2009. Installation of the station and procurement and installation of the r emaining equipment took place throughout 2012

. Data of record have been collected since January 1,

2013. The station is scheduled for completion September 1, 2013

.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

18 

### 6 .0 Minimum Monitoring Requirements

The District ’ s jurisdictional boundaries encompass no Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and the U. S. Census Bureau (population greater than 50,000)

. The District doe s, however, contain Monitoring Planning Areas defined as

“ areas determined to be (potentially) in violation of the PM2.5 NAAQS. ” The District is also required to operate at least one monitor in each of the three (3) PM 10 nonattainment areas and in

the one (1) attainment area (the Coso Junction Area was designated attainment in October 2010).

The District ’s network meets or exceeds the minimum monitoring requirements for criteria pollutants as detailed below. Plea se note that the Coso Junction Management Area (formerly the Searles Valley Nonattainment Area) encompasses the northern portion of the Searles Valley, immediately north of Pioneer Point, as well as the Rose Valley in the southwestern portion of Inyo County.

PM 10 Min. No. No. of

Nonattainment Monitors Monitors

Area Monitors Required Active

Coso Junction 1 1

Owens Lake 1 7*

Mammoth Lakes 1 2

Mono Basin 1 2

PM2.5

Min. No. No. of

Monitors Monitors

MPA Required Active

Keeler 1 2 +1 collo.

* Number excludes the three stations down temporarily due to lease cancellation

.

7.0 Data Certification and Reporting CARB, as the District’s PQAO, has delegated the responsibilities for data collection, validation

and reporting to the District, as the monitoring organization. District staff ensures that all data and statistical reports are submitted to the Air Quality System, the EPA’s national air monitoring database, and that the data are certified annually , as requ ired by regulation. Precision and accuracy reports are generated annuall y by the District and submitted to AQS. The 2012 District dataset in AQS was certified by the District on April 25, 2013.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

19 

## APPENDIX A

Site Information Summaries

Site ReportsDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

20 Table A.1

* Monitor down temporarily due to lease cancellation by property owner.

** PM10 monitoring ended at Flat Rock May 2011. Flat Rock now used for meteorological monitoring and video capture only.

*** T

- 4, T

- 23 were special purpose monitors that were shutdown July and August 2012, respectively. † T

- 7 and T27 are special purpose monitors that began operation in July and August 2012, respectively. †† PM10 monitoring ended August 2008; meteorological monitoring ended June 2011.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

2 1 Table A.2

* Monitor down temporarily due to lease cancellation by property owner.

** PM10 monitoring ended at Flat Rock May 2011. Flat Rock now used for meteorological monitoring and video capture only.

*** T

- 4, T

- 23 were special purpose monitors that were shutdown July and August 2012, respectively. † T

- 7 and T27 are special purp ose monitors that began operation in July and August 2012, respectively. †† PM10 monitoring ended August 2008; meteorological monitoring ended June 2011.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

2 2 Table A.3Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

2 3 

## APPENDIX B

NCORE Station Monitoring PlanDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

1 

# Great Basin Unified

Air Pollution Control District

2013 Ambient Air Monitoring

Network Plan

For National Core (NCORE) Monitoring Station

located at

White Mountain Research Center Bishop, California

July 15 , 2013

Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District

157 Short Street Bishop, California 93514Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

2 National Core (NCore) Multi

- pollutant Monitoring Stations:

In October 2006 the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final amendments to the ambient air monitoring regulations for criteria pollutants. These amendments are codified in 40 CFR parts 53 and 58. The purpose of the amendments was to enhance ambient air quality monitoring to better serve current and future air quality needs. One of the most significant changes in the regulations was the requirement to establish National Core (NCore)

multi

- pollutant monitoring stations. These stations will provide data on several pollutants at lower detection limits and replace the National Air Monitoring Station (NAMS) networks that have existed for several ye ars. The final network plan was to be submitted to EPA by July 1,

2010 and the stations we re to be operational by January 1, 2011. Delays in funding and procurement of equipment have resulted in a delay of the star t o f monitoring at the District’s

NCore station until January 1, 2013

.

The NCore Network addresses the following monitoring objectives:

• timely reporting of data to the public through AIRNow, air quality forecasting, and other public reporting mechanisms

• s upport development of emission strategies through air quality model evaluation and other

observational methods

• accountability of emission strategy progress through tracking long

- term trends of criteria and

non

- criteria pollutants and their precursors

• support long

- term health assessments that contribute to ongoing reviews of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

• compliance through establishing nonattainment/attainment areas by comparison with the NAAQS

• support multiple disciplines of scie ntific research, including; public health, atmospheric and ecological

In 2007, 2010, and 2011, EPA provided funding to the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (the District) to establish an NCore station in the Eastern Sierra region of Calif ornia. After evaluating the existing network, historical data, meteorology, and topography the District recommends the following changes to its air monitoring network to become effective July 1, 2009, and implemented by January 1, 2010:

1) Establish an NCore m ulti

- p ollutan t monitoring station in the Eastern Sierra region at the White Mountain Research Center (formerly Station) (WMRC ), 3000 East Line Street, Bishop, California. The location meets the objective for a rural NCore site and meets regional scale

c riteria for PM 2.5 , PM 10 , ozone (O 3 ), total reactive nitrogen compounds (NO y ), and carbon monoxide (CO).

2) For the near

- term, collocate the NCore station with the District's existing Portable monitoring station, which collects data for PM10 (continuous), win d speed, wind direction, ambient temperature, and relative humidity.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

3 Monitoring Objective Determine compliance with NAAQS; observe pollution trends for national data analysis, provide pollution levels for daily index reporting; and provide data for scien tific studies.

Table 1 Monitors

Monitor Type Designation Analysis Method Frequency of Sampling

Carbon Monoxide (CO) NCore Automated Reference Method utilizing

trace level non

- dispersive infrared analysis. Continuously

Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) NCore Automated Equivalent Method utilizing trace level UV fluorescence analysis Continuously

PM 10 TEOM SLAMS Automated Equivalent Method utilizing

T apered E lement O scillating

M icrobalance/gravimetric analysis Continuously

Total Reactive Nitrogen (NO y ) NCore Automated trace level chemiluminescence analysis. Continuously

Meteorological SLAMS Air quality measurements approved instrumentation for wind speed, wind direction, humidity, temperature Continuously

Ozone (O 3 ) NCore Automated trace level Equivalent Method utilizing an Ultraviolet

Photometer Continuously

Quality Assurance Status All Quality Assurance procedures shall be implemented in accordance with 40 CFR 58, App endix A. Quality Assurance Project Plan s from the CARB and the District cover PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and meteorological measurements. Fo r the trace level instruments, the qualit y assurance project plan and standard operating pro cedures (SOPs) utilized currently by the CARB will be used for each new

instrument in the project. The first annual perfo rmance evaluation of the District’s NCORE station is scheduled for September 2013, and will be conducted by CARB QA staff.

Area of Representativeness 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix D provides design criteria for ambient air monitoring. The monitoring objective for the NCore site is to produce data that represents a large area and therefore the spatial scale of the site is important. The spatial scale defines the physical dimensions of the air parcel nearest to a monitoring site throughout which actual pollutant concentrations are reasonably similar. It is determined by the characteristics of the area surrounding the air monitoring site and the site’s

distance from nearby air pollution sources such as roadways, factories, etc. In the case of rural NCore stations, which are to be located to determine general background concentrations levels, the spatial scales to be used are regional or larger. Table 2 shows th e area of representativeness for each pollutant for the WMRC site.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

4 Table 2: Spatial Scale s for Each Pollutant

Pollutant Spatial Scale Comments

NO y Regional Scale Same scale as used for O 3 CO > Middle Scale No Regional scale for CO

SO 2 > Neighborhood Scale No Regional scale for SO 2 PM 10 > Neighborhood Scale No Regional scale for PM 10 O 3 Regional Scale Same scale as used for NO y

For regional scale the area covered is tens of kilometers to hundreds of kilometers.

There are no MSAs within t he District's current monitoring network due to the sparse population in this high desert setting, approximately 2 people per square mile. On a 10 km scale the land use varies from riparian areas along the Owens River 0.6 kilometers west of the si te to light industry, small commercial, and residential in the Cit y of Bishop (population 4,000) 5 kilometers west of the site. The topography of the area varies from high desert to mountain peaks.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

5 The White Mountain Research Center ’s Owens Valley Laborat ory, where the NCore monitoring station is located, is in the Owens Valley, a high

- desert valley, the floor of which is at an average elevation of 4,000 feet above mean sea level. The valley is open north to south and is bordered on the east by the White Mountains that rise from the valley floor to an elevation of 10,000 feet, with peaks up to 14,000 feet. The valley is bordered on the west by the Sierra Nevada range, which rises in elevation up to 14,000 feet. As can be seen from the District map and th e area

- wide view below, the NCore site is located East of the City of Bishop and east of the developed area around the City. The wind rose above indicates the prevailing wind directions of north and south, up and down the Owens Valley. The placement of t he NCore site east of Bishop provides an excellent location for measuring background pollutant concentrations as there are no major pollution sources, other than particulate matter, for 100km.

White Mountain Research Center (formerly Station) Regio nal Pollutant Scale 50 and 100 km radiiDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

6 The Owens Valley, Mono Basin, and Mammoth Lakes Nonattainment areas have been designated as such due to PM 10 concentrations that exceed the Federal standard of 150 μ g/m3.

The sources of these concentrations are wind

- blown dust from the exposed lakebeds of the Owens and Mono lakes and wintertime wood smoke and road cinders, in the case of Mammoth

Lakes. The PM 10 influence around Mono Lake is largely restricted to the immediate basin by the topography. The influence around Owens Lake is mostly caused by north winds driving the dust south. Occasional south wind storms will drive the dust northward, but the impact s generally reach only to the community of Independence, 20 miles north of Owens Lake and 40 miles south

of the station at the White Mountain Research Center

. During north wind events, occasional dust may impact the station from the Chalfant and Hammil Va lleys from agricultural fields not properly mitigated.

White Mountain Research Station Topographic Regional Map (90 km radius shown)Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

7 Site Description and Spacing:

Site Name: White Mountain Research Center AQS ID: 06

- 027

- 0002

Location: ( WMRC

- 3000 East Line Street ) NCore Station

– 200 Poleta Road County: Inyo

GPS Coordinates: 37°21'38" North Latitude, 118°19'50" West Longitude

Date Established: April 7, 2006 Inspection Date: August 20, 2009 Inspection By: Catherine Brown, EPA IX

Site A pproval Status: Approved

___________________________________________________________________________Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

8 White Mountain Research Center Compound

The station is located on the grounds of the University of California White

Mountain Research Center. The location is in the northeast portion of Inyo County and is approximately 0.6 km east of the Owens River and 5 km east of Bishop, California.Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

9 NCore and PM 2.5 SLAMS Siting Criteria

Appendix E to 40 CFR Part 58

- Probe and Monitoring Path Siting Criteria for Ambient Air Quality Monitoring contains specific location criteria applicable to NCore and SLAMS siting. The following measurements and data were obtained for evaluation of compliance with the

criteria.

1. Horizontal Placement of Sampling Probes : The gaseous instruments are located in an 8’w x 8’ h x 20’l air monitoring shelter located in an open area. The nearest building is the WMRC maintenance building approximately 150 meters east of the station. The sample probe inlets are i nstalled approximately 4 meters above the ground. The Districts Portable monitoring station is placed next to the NCore air monitoring

shelter and includes a 10

- meter telescoping meteorological tower.

Manual particulate samplers to be used for the NCore program will be placed on the metal monitoring platform adjacent to the NCore shelter. The height of the inlets of the filter

- based partic ulate samplers above ground is approximately 5 meters. The inlet for the continuous PM 10 monitor in the Portable stat ion is approximately 1.5 meters above the roof and approximately 4.25 meters above the ground. Inlets for the continuous particulate samplers in the NCore station will be placed on the roof of the air monitoring shelter with the sample inlets 1 meter abov e the roof (4 meters above ground). The control units will be located inside the temperature

- controlled

shelter.

2. Spacing from Obstructions:

There are no obstructions to air flow around the site. The WMRC maintenance building is located 150 meters east of the proposed NCore station location and is 4 meters in height. This potential obstruction is 37 times the height of the obstruction away from the station and is not in a quadrant where it would affect th e prevailing wind direction.

3. Spacing from Roadways:

Tables E

- 1, E

- 2, and Figure E

- 1 of 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix E list the minimum distances from roadways a monitoring probe needs to be based on the average daily traffic (ADT) counts. Table

3 summarizes t he findings and includes the minimum separation distance from roadways for each pollutant. ADT counts were obtained from traffic count data from the California Department of Transpor tation's (CalTrans) website, at: http://traffic

- counts. dot .ca.gov/2011 allDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

10 Table 3 Spacing from Roadways Analysis

Minimum Distance Required (meters)

Roadway ADT Distance from site (meters) Ozone

Table

E

- 1 NO/NO y Table E

1 CO

Table

E

- 2 PM Figure

E

- 1 US Highway 395 15,200 (2011 ) 5,7 00 40 30 45 80

East Line Street

, Poleta Road <1000 (estimated) 85 40 30 45 80

4. Spacing from Minor Sources:

The closest source to the site is the co mmunity of Bishop, California, 5 kilometers east of the site. The greater Bishop area has a population of approximately 12,6 00 (2010 US Census Bureau) . Pollutant sources are limited to small businesses, residential home heating, vehicular traffic (15,2 00 per day) along US Highway 395. There are two permitted sources near the site:

7/11 Materials 4.5 km to the west and Standard Industrial Minerals 5 km to the north . These sources are listed below (Table 4) along with their em ission rates. The first source is a concret e batch plant and the second is a non

- metallic minerals (primarily kaolin clay) processing plant. These plants' oper ating schedules are limited to 3 to 5 days per week and to a certain number of weeks per year, usually in the summer months.

Table 4

Minor Source Emissions

Emissions Rates

Source Emissions Type Hours of Operation

Per day Pounds

Per Hr. For Op Pounds per hour 24hrs/day , 365 days/yr.

7/11 Materials particulate 14 5.7 0.26

Standard Industrial

Minerals p articulate 8 4 .2 2 0.19Draft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

11 N

W E

S

Direction Description Distance from Site

North Power line along Line Street/Laws

- Poleta Road 124 meters

North East White Mountains 14 kilometers

East WMRC Maintenance Building (maintenance and repair shop) 150 meters

South East Owens Valley, open land

South Owens Valley, open land

South west Owens Valley, open land

West Bench above Owens River 600 meters

North West Owens Valley, open landDraft Air Qualit y Monitoring Network Plan

– July 2013

12 Site Details:

The Google Earth tm image on page 7 indicates where the air monitoring shelter is located on the White Mountain Research Station compound. The shelter is 8’ w x 8’h x 20’ l. The roof of the shelter is flat to support the sample inlets for the continuous particulate samplers and has additional room for other samplers if the need arises. Immediately adjacent to the shelter is the sampling platform that provides a 10 ’ x 20 ’ area elevated to the level of the shelter roof where

future monitors can be installed. The 10

- meter meteorological tower and the District's Portable monitoring station are placed north of the NCore shelter and sampling platform (See photos in the NCore Site Report) . The me teorological tower is a telescoping type that provides for easy servicing an d calibration of the meteorological instruments. The shelter is wired for 200

- amp service and has internet and cellular telephone connections. The shelter has a heating and air conditioning system that maintains indoor temperatures between 20

- 30 o C, as r equired for the operation of the pollutant gas analyzers

.