Appendix 11.1 

Sunflower Visibility Analysis Performed by KDHE 
Sunflower Expansion – Alternative Visibility Analysis Using 

the CAMx Modeling System 

Prepared by: 

Kansas Department of Health and ENVIRONment 

1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 310 

Topeka, KS 66610 

June 19, 2007

Introduction 

On December 15, 2006 the KDHE received comments from the U.S. Department of the 

Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) concerning the potential visibility impact on 

the Wichita Mountains Wilderness Class I area from a proposed expansion of the 

Sunflower Holcomb plant. To address these visibility concerns, the Department and 

permit applicant representatives worked with the FWS and EPA in establishing a protocol 

to evaluate the impacts of this expansion on visibility in the Wichita Mountains. This 

protocol followed ENVIRONmental Protection Agency (EPA) and federal land manager 

(FLM) guidance in choosing CALPUFF as the tool to do this analysis. Unfortunately for 

this application, CALPUFF is being exercised beyond the normally recommended 

maximum source receptor distance of 300 km. Knowing that this potential problem 

could cause an overestimation of the visibility impacts, the KDHE did an additional 

alternative analysis using the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions 

(CAMx) model, which does not have this distance limitation. 

CAMx overview and datasets used 

CAMx version 4.42, available freely from ENVIRON Corporation www.camx.com, was 

used in this modeling analysis. CAMx is a photochemical grid model an Eulerian 

photochemical dispersion model that allows for an integrated “one-atmosphere” 

assessment of gaseous and particulate air pollution (ozone, PM2.5, PM10, air toxics, 

mercury) over many scales, ranging from sub-urban to continental (ENVIRON 2006a). 

CAMx simulates the emission, dispersion, chemical reaction, and removal of pollutants 

in the troposphere by solving the pollutant continuity equation for each chemical species 

modeled on a system of nested three-dimensional grids. 

This version of CAMx includes the implementation of the particulate source 

apportionment technology (PSAT) within the full-science plume in grid (PiG). This 

version of CAMx uses a full-chemistry PiG module for near-source plume chemistry and 

dynamics and a three-dimensional grid model for plume chemistry, transport, and 
dispersion at further downwind distances and contains all of the scientific advantages of 

both CALPUFF and a photochemical grid model. 

Because CAMx requires a very data and resource intensive meteorological and emissions 

inventory dataset, the KDHE relied on the work being done by the Central Air Planning 

Association (CENRAP) for the Regional Haze Rule. The Department obtained the 2002 

MM5 meteorological data and 2002 Base F emissions inventory from EPA Region 7. 

This emissions inventory data was then augmented with projected emissions from 

Sunflower’s proposed expansion along with the new stack parameters from the proposed 

expansion. The data used were very similar to those being used in the Texas BART 

determinations. Please see ENVIRON 2006b for addition description of the datasets 

used. 

For the PSAT setup KDHE used the PSAT/OSAT “point source override” feature 

(ENVIRON 2006b). This was done by having a source region map with one source 

region for the entire domain and assigning a separate source region value in the point 

source input file that will override the source region that the point source resides in. In 

addition, a negative flag was set for Sunflower stack diameters in order for this point 

source to receive the PiG treatment. An example of the CAMx script used is provided in 

Appendix B. 

Emissions Rates and Stack Parameters 

During the development of the CALPUFF modeling protocol KDHE, FWS, and 

Sunflower representatives discussed appropriate emissions rates to use in the modeling. 

It was determined that for visibility impacts an expected worst-case normal operating rate 

should be used. This worst-case normal operating rate excluded startups, shutdowns, 

malfunctions, and maintenance activities. It was determined that the rates would be 0.09 

lbs/MMBtu for SO2 and 0.05 lbs/MMBtu for NOx for each unit. Because these two 

pollutants dominate the visibility impacts no other pollutants were modeled. CAMx 

requires emissions to be speciated and expressed in moles/hour (ENVIRON 2006a), 

therefore, the emissions rates used in CAMx were NO – 5,769 moles/hour, NO2 – 641 

moles/hour, and SO2 – 12,427 moles/hour (note this represents all three proposed units 

operating). 

Additional information on the source characteristics can be found in the permit 

application and CALPUFF modeling protocol (Sunflower Electric Power Corporation. 

2006). 

Visibility Impacts - Methodology 

Visibility impacts were calculated at the Wichita Mountains Class I area using the PSAT 

tool in CAMx to first estimate the pollutant concentrations of Sunflowers proposed 

expansion. Visibility impacts were then calculated following the procedures based on the 

Federal Land Managers’ Air Quality Related Values Workgroup report (FLAG, 2000). 

The FLAG (2000) procedures were developed to estimate visibility impacts at Class I 
areas from proposed new sources as part of the Prevention of Significant Deterioration 

(PSD) and New Source Review (NSR) process. 

The IMPROVE reconstructed mass extinction equation is used to estimate visibility at 

Class I areas using IMPROVE monitoring data, and has also been used for evaluating 

visibility impacts at Class I areas due to new sources using modeling output of a single 

source or group of sources. The total light extinction due to a source (bsource), in units of 

inverse megameters (Mm-1), is assumed to be the sum of the light extinction due to the 

source’s individual species concentration impacts times an extinction efficiency 

coefficient: 

bsource = bSO4 + bNO3 + bOC + bEC+ bsoil + bcoarse 

bSO4 = 3 [(NH4)2SO4]f(RH) 

bNO3 = 3 [NH4NO3]f(RH) 

bOC = 4 [OMC] 

bEC = 10 [EC] 

bSoil = 1 [Soil] 

bcoarse = 0.6 [Coarse Mass] 

Here f(RH) are relative humidity adjustment factors. The concentrations in the square 

brackets are in μg/m3 and are based on the PSAT results. For Wichita Mountains the 

f(RH) values used are 2.75 2.55 2.35 2.35 2.74 2.51 2.2 2.37 2.67 2.5 2.59 2.78 for 

January through December, respectively (EPA, 2003).

The following species mappings are used to map the CAMx species to those used in the 

IMPROVE reconstructed mass extinction equation given above (ENVIRON, 2006b): 

[(NH4)2SO4] = 1.375 x PSO4 

[NH4NO3] = 1.290 x PNO3 

[OMC] = POA + SOA1 + SOA2 + SOA3 + SOA4 + SOA5 

[EC] = PEC 

[Soil] = FPRM + FCRS 

[Coarse Mass] = CPRM + CCRS 

Here PSO4 and PNO3 are the CAMx particulate sulfate and nitrate species. POA is the 

CAMx primary particulate organic aerosol species, whereas SOA1-5 are the five 

secondary organic aerosol species carried in CAMx. Primary elemental carbon is 

represented by PEC in CAMx. CAMx carries two species that represent the other PM2.5

components (i.e., fine particles that are not SO4, NO3, EC, or OC), one for the crustal 

(FCRS) and the other for the remainder of the primary emitted PM2.5 species (FPRM). 

Similarly, CAMx carries two species to represent coarse mass (PM2.5-10), one for crustal 

(CCRS), and one for other coarse PM (CPRM). For the Sunflower expansion project 

only PSO4 and PNO3 were evaluated. 

The haze index (HI) for the source is calculated in deciviews (dv) from the source’s 

extinction plus natural background using the following formula: 
HIsource = 10 ln[(bsource + bnatural)/10] 

Here, bnatural is the Class I area specific clean natural visibility background, and EPA’s 

default values were used in this analysis. For Wichita Mountains the natural visibility 

background value used were bnatural = 20.6061 (EPA 2003). 

The source’s HI was compared against natural conditions to assess the significance of the 

source’s visibility impact. EPA guidance lists natural conditions (bnatural) by Class I 

area in terms of Mm-1 (ENVIRON, 2006) and assumes clean conditions with no manmade or weather interference. The visibility significance metric for evaluating visibility 

impact is the change in deciview (del-dv) from the source’s and natural conditions haze 

indices: 

del-dv = HIsource – HInatural = 10 ln[(bsource + bnatural)/10] - 10 

ln[bnatural/10] = 10ln[(bsource + bnatural)/bnatural] 

Using CAMx PSAT, Sunflowers proposed expansion was modeled as a source group and 

the sulfate and nitrate species impacts were determined. Using the above methodology 

the species were reconstructed for visibility and the del-dv was calculated. A threshold 

of 0.5 del-dv maximum will be used to assess potential contribution to visibility 

impairment. This is the same threshold established in the Regional Haze Rule. This deldv threshold is also being considered by the FLMs as the replacement to the current 

Method 2 analysis in CALPUFF. 

Visibility Impacts – Results 

The visibility impacts from Sunflower’s proposed expansion were calculated at the 

Wichita Mountains Class I area and only included the impacts of sulfate and nitrate 

formation resulting from the sources proposed expansion. Again, the sulfate and nitrate 

impacts are expected to represent the great majority of the visibility impairment from this 

source. 

Using the methodology described above, the visibility impacts due to sulfate and nitrate 

on a daily basis (sorted by descending del-dv) were: 

Class I Area Julian 

Date bSO4 bNO3 Del-dv 

WIMO1 342 6.86E-01 3.06E-01 0.47

WIMO1 340 5.54E-01 1.97E-01 0.36

WIMO1 38 4.07E-01 2.76E-01 0.33

WIMO1 4 3.86E-01 2.20E-01 0.29

WIMO1 277 5.24E-01 4.02E-02 0.27

WIMO1 360 0.175223 3.16E-01 0.24

WIMO1 39 2.58E-01 2.28E-01 0.23

WIMO1 343 3.30E-01 1.23E-01 0.22

WIMO1 317 2.21E-01 2.09E-01 0.21

WIMO1 111 0.426719 2.35E-03 0.21
WIMO1 299 3.16E-01 9.70E-02 0.20

WIMO1 341 3.29E-01 8.13E-02 0.20

WIMO1 112 3.88E-01 1.29E-02 0.19

WIMO1 359 0.108471 0.247125 0.17

WIMO1 3 2.31E-01 1.11E-01 0.16

WIMO1 361 0.182219 1.50E-01 0.16

WIMO1 347 1.43E-01 1.73E-01 0.15

WIMO1 308 2.04E-01 8.92E-02 0.14

WIMO1 325 6.88E-02 2.15E-01 0.14

WIMO1 346 2.06E-01 7.01E-02 0.13

WIMO1 309 1.71E-01 7.07E-02 0.12

WIMO1 321 8.84E-02 1.26E-01 0.10

WIMO1 20 0.0598496 1.25E-01 0.09

WIMO1 300 1.54E-01 2.81E-02 0.09

WIMO1 324 5.50E-02 1.24E-01 0.09

WIMO1 345 1.43E-01 3.53E-02 0.09

WIMO1 5 0.0870633 6.99E-02 0.08

WIMO1 51 1.25E-01 3.19E-02 0.08

WIMO1 114 1.57E-01 1.28E-06 0.08

WIMO1 258 1.49E-01 5.95E-03 0.07

WIMO1 353 3.57E-02 1.16E-01 0.07

WIMO1 279 1.48E-01 1.28E-03 0.07

WIMO1 351 0.038806 1.01E-01 0.07

WIMO1 344 1.05E-01 3.18E-02 0.07

WIMO1 278 1.14E-01 1.78E-02 0.06

WIMO1 316 8.74E-02 4.39E-02 0.06

WIMO1 12 0.0340993 9.64E-02 0.06

WIMO1 302 1.11E-01 1.73E-02 0.06

WIMO1 320 5.18E-02 7.37E-02 0.06

WIMO1 52 0.0682877 0.0536748 0.06

WIMO1 13 4.13E-02 7.87E-02 0.06

WIMO1 26 5.13E-02 6.58E-02 0.06

WIMO1 19 3.24E-02 8.31E-02 0.06

WIMO1 6 0.0227102 9.04E-02 0.05

WIMO1 348 2.94E-02 7.91E-02 0.05

WIMO1 35 3.23E-02 7.14E-02 0.05

WIMO1 326 3.40E-02 6.55E-02 0.05

WIMO1 356 0.025068 7.44E-02 0.05

WIMO1 333 5.02E-02 4.87E-02 0.05

WIMO1 332 3.27E-02 6.60E-02 0.05

WIMO1 263 8.10E-02 1.39E-02 0.05

WIMO1 14 2.04E-02 7.36E-02 0.05

WIMO1 25 0.0228009 6.99E-02 0.04

WIMO1 7 2.26E-02 6.85E-02 0.04

WIMO1 33 0.0245823 0.0618755 0.04

WIMO1 47 0.0297575 5.55E-02 0.04

WIMO1 1 4.55E-02 3.92E-02 0.04

WIMO1 307 6.57E-02 1.85E-02 0.04

WIMO1 2 3.68E-02 4.55E-02 0.04

WIMO1 327 4.06E-02 4.14E-02 0.04
WIMO1 354 1.88E-02 6.07E-02 0.04

WIMO1 11 0.0147696 6.38E-02 0.04

WIMO1 63 0.022538 5.42E-02 0.04

WIMO1 40 0.0594941 1.67E-02 0.04

WIMO1 80 0.0622436 0.0132052 0.04

WIMO1 264 7.10E-02 4.11E-03 0.04

WIMO1 48 0.0399502 3.41E-02 0.04

WIMO1 318 6.74E-02 5.08E-03 0.04

WIMO1 34 2.54E-02 4.50E-02 0.03

WIMO1 68 0.0511927 0.019053 0.03

WIMO1 15 0.0209406 4.78E-02 0.03

WIMO1 31 0.024684 0.043762 0.03

WIMO1 271 6.65E-02 1.42E-03 0.03

WIMO1 303 5.43E-02 1.28E-02 0.03

WIMO1 56 0.0536982 1.17E-02 0.03

WIMO1 270 6.30E-02 1.06E-03 0.03

WIMO1 58 0.0206062 4.26E-02 0.03

WIMO1 337 2.79E-02 3.52E-02 0.03

WIMO1 32 0.0182816 4.41E-02 0.03

WIMO1 334 2.88E-02 3.28E-02 0.03

WIMO1 322 5.10E-02 1.05E-02 0.03

WIMO1 79 0.0533059 7.91E-03 0.03

WIMO1 82 0.0506305 1.03E-02 0.03

WIMO1 8 2.01E-02 4.07E-02 0.03

WIMO1 301 5.21E-02 8.59E-03 0.03

WIMO1 257 6.00E-02 4.14E-04 0.03

WIMO1 87 0.0591416 3.33E-04 0.03

WIMO1 315 3.11E-02 2.80E-02 0.03

WIMO1 310 3.27E-02 2.35E-02 0.03

WIMO1 21 0.0175148 3.86E-02 0.03

WIMO1 314 2.93E-02 2.56E-02 0.03

WIMO1 285 5.02E-02 3.82E-03 0.03

WIMO1 71 0.0448433 8.70E-03 0.03

WIMO1 88 0.0525789 0.000398339 0.03

WIMO1 74 0.0419255 1.08E-02 0.03

WIMO1 319 3.67E-02 1.36E-02 0.02

WIMO1 123 4.68E-02 5.50E-04 0.02

WIMO1 83 0.046307 4.39E-04 0.02

WIMO1 50 4.56E-02 6.07E-04 0.02

WIMO1 37 0.0321769 1.35E-02 0.02

WIMO1 27 3.14E-02 1.42E-02 0.02

WIMO1 84 3.44E-02 9.00E-03 0.02

WIMO1 72 3.83E-02 4.48E-03 0.02

WIMO1 59 2.28E-02 1.98E-02 0.02

WIMO1 43 0.0167564 2.47E-02 0.02

WIMO1 336 3.65E-02 4.99E-03 0.02

WIMO1 41 0.024677 1.62E-02 0.02

WIMO1 73 0.040452 5.51E-05 0.02

WIMO1 328 3.09E-02 9.24E-03 0.02

WIMO1 62 9.85E-03 2.98E-02 0.02
WIMO1 350 1.80E-02 2.15E-02 0.02

WIMO1 280 3.77E-02 1.40E-03 0.02

WIMO1 122 0.0385415 2.15E-04 0.02

WIMO1 311 3.11E-02 7.32E-03 0.02

WIMO1 124 0.0355916 1.97E-04 0.02

WIMO1 54 0.0206799 1.46E-02 0.02

WIMO1 49 0.0288634 5.57E-03 0.02

WIMO1 30 0.0164938 1.79E-02 0.02

WIMO1 42 1.11E-02 2.32E-02 0.02

WIMO1 265 3.24E-02 1.77E-03 0.02

WIMO1 323 1.50E-02 1.87E-02 0.02

WIMO1 312 3.15E-02 3.68E-04 0.02

WIMO1 24 0.0121605 0.0191778 0.02

WIMO1 86 0.0272782 4.04E-03 0.02

WIMO1 168 3.10E-02 1.79E-04 0.02

WIMO1 330 1.24E-02 1.85E-02 0.01

WIMO1 355 1.15E-02 1.86E-02 0.01

WIMO1 119 0.0285772 0.00129779 0.01

WIMO1 306 2.40E-02 5.89E-03 0.01

WIMO1 364 1.67E-02 1.26E-02 0.01

WIMO1 167 2.87E-02 2.96E-05 0.01

WIMO1 254 2.81E-02 4.32E-05 0.01

WIMO1 60 0.0220048 4.42E-03 0.01

WIMO1 272 2.60E-02 8.46E-05 0.01

WIMO1 294 2.38E-02 1.36E-03 0.01

WIMO1 295 2.41E-02 9.69E-04 0.01

WIMO1 113 0.0243216 4.66E-05 0.01

WIMO1 22 0.0164938 7.30E-03 0.01

WIMO1 81 1.74E-02 6.25E-03 0.01

WIMO1 304 1.88E-02 4.60E-03 0.01

WIMO1 66 0.0221696 9.46E-04 0.01

WIMO1 16 1.47E-02 8.10E-03 0.01

WIMO1 57 6.72E-03 1.54E-02 0.01

WIMO1 146 0.0215539 0.000192141 0.01

WIMO1 23 1.57E-02 5.86E-03 0.01

WIMO1 305 1.80E-02 3.27E-03 0.01

WIMO1 267 2.04E-02 7.18E-04 0.01

WIMO1 291 2.00E-02 1.05E-03 0.01

WIMO1 143 0.0209209 2.65E-11 0.01

WIMO1 331 8.50E-03 1.24E-02 0.01

WIMO1 142 0.0207853 1.88E-05 0.01

WIMO1 115 2.01E-02 2.24E-04 0.01

WIMO1 36 9.66E-03 1.06E-02 0.01

WIMO1 141 1.99E-02 3.29E-04 0.01

WIMO1 46 0.0124858 7.62E-03 0.01

WIMO1 100 0.0192421 4.53E-04 0.01

WIMO1 65 0.019339 2.31E-04 0.01

WIMO1 55 0.0187865 5.55E-04 0.01

WIMO1 129 0.0190447 6.13E-05 0.01

WIMO1 17 0.00802911 1.09E-02 0.01
WIMO1 145 1.88E-02 1.10E-04 0.01

WIMO1 290 1.47E-02 4.12E-03 0.01

WIMO1 262 1.85E-02 2.13E-04 0.01

WIMO1 28 1.67E-02 1.92E-03 0.01

WIMO1 99 1.78E-02 6.73E-04 0.01

WIMO1 125 1.71E-02 2.61E-05 0.01

WIMO1 313 1.69E-02 1.78E-06 0.01

WIMO1 29 0.0123987 4.46E-03 0.01

WIMO1 151 1.68E-02 1.12E-05 0.01

WIMO1 118 0.016809 1.82E-05 0.01

WIMO1 281 1.61E-02 6.65E-04 0.01

WIMO1 53 6.79E-03 9.65E-03 0.01

WIMO1 91 1.31E-02 3.25E-03 0.01

WIMO1 10 9.78E-03 6.52E-03 0.01

WIMO1 273 1.62E-02 3.54E-05 0.01

WIMO1 339 1.03E-02 5.41E-03 0.01

WIMO1 85 0.0126213 2.97E-03 0.01

WIMO1 133 0.0153149 1.28E-04 0.01

WIMO1 130 0.0154166 1.47E-06 0.01

WIMO1 269 1.47E-02 4.81E-04 0.01

WIMO1 92 1.42E-02 0.000951285 0.01

WIMO1 266 1.44E-02 6.69E-04 0.01

WIMO1 296 1.39E-02 8.57E-04 0.01

WIMO1 75 0.0119524 2.33E-03 0.01

WIMO1 69 8.23E-03 6.01E-03 0.01

WIMO1 64 0.0113998 1.77E-03 0.01

WIMO1 238 1.28E-02 9.02E-05 0.01

WIMO1 268 1.26E-02 1.36E-04 0.01

WIMO1 102 1.21E-02 5.32E-04 0.01

WIMO1 18 6.38E-03 5.99E-03 0.01

WIMO1 169 1.21E-02 4.71E-11 0.01

WIMO1 89 0.0108085 1.02E-03 0.01

WIMO1 134 1.17E-02 1.45E-04 0.01

WIMO1 76 0.0104789 1.21E-03 0.01

WIMO1 293 9.81E-03 1.74E-03 0.01

WIMO1 144 1.15E-02 5.14E-06 0.01

WIMO1 259 1.14E-02 4.35E-05 0.01

WIMO1 357 0.00366501 7.67E-03 0.01

WIMO1 226 1.09E-02 2.06E-04 0.01

WIMO1 237 1.10E-02 2.61E-05 0.01

WIMO1 358 0.00369368 0.00724161 0.01

WIMO1 150 0.0107905 5.78E-05 0.01

WIMO1 260 1.03E-02 9.56E-05 0.01

WIMO1 288 7.43E-03 2.96E-03 0.01

WIMO1 120 0.0101881 1.17E-04 0.00

WIMO1 90 8.27E-03 1.77E-03 0.00

WIMO1 96 0.00979069 1.98E-04 0.00

WIMO1 136 0.00996768 2.86E-07 0.00

WIMO1 77 0.00939034 0.000493468 0.00

WIMO1 158 9.62E-03 1.62E-04 0.00
WIMO1 70 0.00943396 1.98E-05 0.00

WIMO1 363 8.88E-03 0.000545031 0.00

WIMO1 97 9.01E-03 2.95E-04 0.00

WIMO1 274 9.10E-03 1.09E-06 0.00

WIMO1 95 8.42E-03 6.55E-04 0.00

WIMO1 135 9.04E-03 1.33E-11 0.00

WIMO1 140 0.00829716 3.09E-04 0.00

WIMO1 255 8.34E-03 2.37E-04 0.00

WIMO1 61 4.98E-03 3.26E-03 0.00

WIMO1 253 8.07E-03 1.06E-04 0.00

WIMO1 352 0.00203777 5.95E-03 0.00

WIMO1 110 7.51E-03 3.98E-04 0.00

WIMO1 298 6.16E-03 1.42E-03 0.00

WIMO1 256 7.26E-03 3.06E-05 0.00

WIMO1 283 7.05E-03 2.00E-04 0.00

WIMO1 338 2.67E-03 4.35E-03 0.00

WIMO1 292 6.69E-03 2.73E-04 0.00

WIMO1 204 6.88E-03 2.92E-05 0.00

WIMO1 170 0.0068107 1.50E-06 0.00

WIMO1 67 6.54E-03 5.78E-05 0.00

WIMO1 138 0.00641982 1.81E-05 0.00

WIMO1 194 0.00632437 4.46E-05 0.00

WIMO1 284 5.86E-03 2.26E-04 0.00

WIMO1 286 5.04E-03 1.04E-03 0.00

WIMO1 101 0.00588023 5.34E-05 0.00

WIMO1 289 4.39E-03 1.41E-03 0.00

WIMO1 103 5.55E-03 2.20E-04 0.00

WIMO1 137 0.00562978 9.86E-07 0.00

WIMO1 329 4.04E-03 1.38E-03 0.00

WIMO1 227 5.39E-03 1.32E-05 0.00

WIMO1 45 3.58E-03 1.60E-03 0.00

WIMO1 239 5.08E-03 1.95E-06 0.00

WIMO1 159 0.00488904 1.04E-05 0.00

WIMO1 282 4.68E-03 2.18E-04 0.00

WIMO1 362 2.79E-03 0.00207318 0.00

WIMO1 132 0.00424183 9.09E-05 0.00

WIMO1 349 2.31E-03 1.90E-03 0.00

WIMO1 157 0.00410733 4.06E-05 0.00

WIMO1 93 0.00343256 5.35E-04 0.00

WIMO1 147 3.84E-03 4.79E-06 0.00

WIMO1 261 3.77E-03 2.37E-06 0.00

WIMO1 78 3.08E-03 4.53E-04 0.00

WIMO1 139 3.35E-03 3.42E-06 0.00

WIMO1 104 0.00301669 5.69E-05 0.00

WIMO1 94 2.75E-03 2.93E-04 0.00

WIMO1 98 0.00299343 5.17E-05 0.00

WIMO1 205 0.0030129 1.09E-05 0.00

WIMO1 240 2.93E-03 1.10E-05 0.00

WIMO1 171 0.0029239 7.93E-07 0.00

WIMO1 44 0.00105503 1.75E-03 0.00
WIMO1 152 0.00259465 1.23E-06 0.00

WIMO1 220 2.56E-03 8.90E-06 0.00

WIMO1 116 0.00233135 0.000152969 0.00

WIMO1 252 2.40E-03 6.37E-06 0.00

WIMO1 109 0.00220533 1.10E-04 0.00

WIMO1 9 1.97E-03 3.01E-04 0.00

WIMO1 275 2.14E-03 1.81E-06 0.00

WIMO1 166 2.07E-03 1.18E-11 0.00

WIMO1 250 2.07E-03 9.29E-06 0.00

WIMO1 241 2.03E-03 1.43E-05 0.00

WIMO1 335 8.07E-04 1.16E-03 0.00

WIMO1 297 1.60E-03 2.94E-04 0.00

WIMO1 193 1.82E-03 6.11E-06 0.00

WIMO1 165 1.77E-03 1.49E-05 0.00

WIMO1 247 1.70E-03 1.17E-05 0.00

WIMO1 221 1.65E-03 5.18E-05 0.00

WIMO1 105 0.00167217 6.02E-06 0.00

WIMO1 149 0.0015993 4.60E-06 0.00

WIMO1 222 0.00136085 1.35E-05 0.00

WIMO1 225 1.36E-03 4.25E-12 0.00

WIMO1 148 0.001319 7.41E-06 0.00

WIMO1 218 1.26E-03 2.35E-07 0.00

WIMO1 242 1.17E-03 7.42E-06 0.00

WIMO1 117 1.18E-03 1.64E-06 0.00

WIMO1 219 0.0011536 1.47E-06 0.00

WIMO1 131 0.00102966 6.23E-06 0.00

WIMO1 243 9.34E-04 9.12E-06 0.00

WIMO1 217 0.000853467 1.18E-05 0.00

WIMO1 249 8.56E-04 7.77E-06 0.00

WIMO1 276 8.43E-04 8.72E-06 0.00

WIMO1 248 8.40E-04 4.85E-06 0.00

WIMO1 156 0.000839482 8.57E-07 0.00

WIMO1 172 0.000790509 6.36E-07 0.00

WIMO1 228 7.86E-04 7.93E-08 0.00

WIMO1 154 0.000749197 1.51E-07 0.00

WIMO1 106 6.83E-04 9.44E-07 0.00

WIMO1 287 5.68E-04 4.60E-05 0.00

WIMO1 244 5.61E-04 4.59E-06 0.00

WIMO1 246 5.47E-04 4.05E-12 0.00

WIMO1 155 0.000493253 2.96E-07 0.00

WIMO1 153 4.50E-04 8.50E-08 0.00

WIMO1 224 0.000450294 2.17E-12 0.00

WIMO1 160 0.000435479 7.54E-07 0.00

WIMO1 207 4.32E-04 1.46E-08 0.00

WIMO1 126 4.29E-04 1.37E-06 0.00

WIMO1 197 0.000385688 8.34E-06 0.00

WIMO1 192 3.69E-04 5.18E-07 0.00

WIMO1 121 0.000356368 9.53E-08 0.00

WIMO1 216 3.56E-04 1.97E-07 0.00

WIMO1 179 0.000342295 4.56E-07 0.00
WIMO1 245 3.17E-04 1.05E-06 0.00

WIMO1 196 0.000282868 8.68E-06 0.00

WIMO1 206 0.000274247 1.56E-06 0.00

WIMO1 195 0.000254826 2.07E-06 0.00

WIMO1 229 2.56E-04 8.10E-08 0.00

WIMO1 174 0.000233891 8.64E-06 0.00

WIMO1 175 2.14E-04 7.55E-06 0.00

WIMO1 191 0.000198289 7.81E-07 0.00

WIMO1 211 0.000184313 7.54E-06 0.00

WIMO1 223 0.000187117 1.47E-06 0.00

WIMO1 164 0.000181398 4.45E-07 0.00

WIMO1 173 1.77E-04 6.43E-07 0.00

WIMO1 178 0.00016711 3.13E-07 0.00

WIMO1 251 1.55E-04 1.74E-07 0.00

WIMO1 208 1.53E-04 4.28E-09 0.00

WIMO1 190 0.000149375 5.07E-07 0.00

WIMO1 163 0.000133667 5.03E-08 0.00

WIMO1 214 1.17E-04 4.68E-08 0.00

WIMO1 176 1.11E-04 1.52E-07 0.00

WIMO1 107 9.31E-05 2.28E-07 0.00

WIMO1 177 9.37E-05 3.84E-07 0.00

WIMO1 108 8.59E-05 6.97E-07 0.00

WIMO1 189 8.19E-05 2.96E-06 0.00

WIMO1 203 8.49E-05 1.12E-09 0.00

WIMO1 230 8.28E-05 6.27E-07 0.00

WIMO1 215 7.68E-05 1.11E-07 0.00

WIMO1 127 7.22E-05 2.04E-07 0.00

WIMO1 180 6.48E-05 2.88E-07 0.00

WIMO1 188 5.98E-05 1.47E-06 0.00

WIMO1 236 4.82E-05 2.17E-13 0.00

WIMO1 231 4.68E-05 1.53E-07 0.00

WIMO1 234 3.93E-05 1.37E-13 0.00

WIMO1 235 3.88E-05 2.14E-09 0.00

WIMO1 162 3.65E-05 7.11E-09 0.00

WIMO1 209 3.73E-05 8.54E-10 0.00

WIMO1 232 3.51E-05 3.90E-09 0.00

WIMO1 210 3.08E-05 5.57E-08 0.00

WIMO1 233 3.22E-05 6.59E-11 0.00

WIMO1 200 2.42E-05 9.72E-09 0.00

WIMO1 202 2.37E-05 1.56E-09 0.00

WIMO1 213 2.50E-05 3.05E-10 0.00

WIMO1 199 1.89E-05 3.45E-09 0.00

WIMO1 161 1.38E-05 3.86E-10 0.00

WIMO1 201 1.33E-05 1.27E-08 0.00

WIMO1 187 7.74E-06 1.04E-07 0.00

WIMO1 198 7.95E-06 4.86E-09 0.00

WIMO1 212 7.42E-06 2.66E-08 0.00

WIMO1 128 4.27E-06 3.55E-07 0.00

WIMO1 183 5.40E-06 4.62E-08 0.00

WIMO1 185 5.07E-06 1.29E-07 0.00
WIMO1 186 6.05E-06 7.24E-08 0.00

WIMO1 182 2.56E-06 4.84E-09 0.00

WIMO1 184 2.23E-06 9.13E-08 0.00

WIMO1 181 1.12E-06 6.10E-09 0.00

WIMO1 365 0 0 0.00

These results indicate that sulfate impacts are about twice that of nitrate for the majority 

of the days that have higher del-dv impacts. These higher modeled days generally 

occurred in the winter months when the weather patterns take the plume toward the 

Wichita Mountains. On the day with maximum modeled del-dv (0.47), Julian day 342 

(December 8, 2002), the sulfate impact was 2.24 times that of the nitrate. This is to be 

expected as the emissions rate for sulfate is higher than nitrate for Sunflowers proposed 

expansion, and during this time of year sulfate is the dominant pollutant impacting 

visibility in the Wichita Mountains Class I area, as Figure 1 shows. 

Figure 1. Monthly monitored visibility species impacts in 2004 for Wichita Mountains. 

Appendix A contains graphics of the sulfate plume location for the five highest del-dv 

days. 

Conclusion 

The proposed Sunflower Holcomb expansion has been evaluated for visibility impacts 

using the alternative CAMx model utilizing PSAT and PiG. The results indicate that for 

the year modeled the maximum visibility attributed to the proposed expansion would be 

0.47 del-dv. This maximum modeled del-dv occurred on December 8, 2002. Based on 

this level of maximum visibility impacts under worst case normal operating conditions, 

the modeling indicates the proposed Sunflower expansion does not adversely impact 

visibility in the Wichita Mountains Class I area in Oklahoma. KDHE believes this 

analysis is more representative than the CALPUFF analysis because of the large source 

receptor distance from Sunflower to surrounding Class I areas (~400 km). 

References 
EPA. 2003. Guidance for Estimating Natural Visibility Conditions under the Regional 

Haze Rule. EPA-454/B-03-005. U.S. ENVIRONmental Protection Agency, Research 

Triangle Park, NC. 

ENVIRON. 2006a. “User’s Guide – Comprehensive Air-quality Model with extensions, 

Version 4.40.” ENVIRON International Corporation, Novato, California. (Available at 

http://www.camx.com). September 2006 

ENVIRON. 2006b. Guidance for the Application of the CAMx Hybrid Photochemical 

Grid Model to Assess Visibility Impacts of Texas BART Sources at Class I Areas. 

Prepared for Texas Commission of ENVIRONmental Quality, Austin Texas. Prepared by 

ENVIRON International Corporation, Novato, CA. September 27. 

FLAG. 2000. “Federal Land Managers’ Air Quality Related Values Workgroup 

(FLAG)”: Phase I Report. USDI – National Park Service, Air Resources Division, 

Denver, CO. 

Sunflower Electric Power Corporation. 2006. Holcomb Expansion Project Visibility 

Impact on Class I areas and PM2.5 Impact in Northeast Kansas. Prepared by HDR 

Engineering, Inc. November 2006. 
Appendix A Sulfate Plume (ug/m3) Location During High del-dv Impacts. 




Appendix B - CAMx Script Used for Sunflower PSAT Analysis Using the 

SO4 and NO3 PSAT Tracers 

#!/bin/csh 

# 

# CAMx 4.31 

# 

setenv NCPUS 4 

setenv MPSTKZ 128M 

limit stacksize unlimited 

set EXEC = "/modeling/cenrap_psat/src.fixed/CAMx.sunflower.pg_linuxomp" 

# 

set run = revised_psat.Q1 

set STARTDATE = 2001356 

set ENDDATE = 2002365 

set JDATE = 2001356 

# 

set RUN = "v4.42.sunflower" 

set CHEM = "/mnt/usb2/modeling/inputs/inputs" 

set LUSE = "/mnt/usb2/modeling/inputs/landuse" 

set AHOMAP = "/mnt/usb2/modeling/inputs/ahomap" 

set PHOT = "/mnt/usb2/modeling/inputs/tuv" 

set ICBC = "/mnt/usb2/modeling/inputs/icbctc" 

set MET = "/mnt/usb2/modeling/inputs/met_new/36" 

set EMIS = "/modeling/cenrap_psat/merged" 

set EMIS2 = "/mnt/usb2/modeling/cenrap02f/area_uam" 

set OUTPUT = "/modeling/cenrap_psat/outputs/$run" 

# 

mkdir -p $OUTPUT $run 

# 

# --- set the dates and times ---- 

# 

while ( $JDATE <= $ENDDATE ) 

set RESTART = "true" 

if ( $JDATE == $STARTDATE ) set RESTART = "false" 

@ YESTERDAY = $JDATE - 1 

if ( $YESTERDAY == 2002000 ) set YESTERDAY = 2001365 

set YYYY = `./j2g $JDATE | awk '{print $1}'` 

set Y2 = `echo $YYYY | awk '{printf("%2.2d",$1-2000)}'` 

set MM = `./j2g $JDATE | awk '{print $2}'` 

set DD = `./j2g $JDATE | awk '{print $3}'` 
echo '---- Copying Files -----' 

cp -v $EMIS/final.${YYYY}${MM}${DD}.RPO_US36.Base02f.pt.revised.bin 

$EMIS/final.${YYYY}${MM}${DD}.RPO_US36.Base02f.pt 

.revised.bin.copy >> & $OUTPUT/CAMx.$RUN.$JDATE.stdout 

cp -v $EMIS2/camx.ar.bart.36km.$JDATE.bin 

$EMIS2/camx.ar.bart.36km.$JDATE.bin.copy >> & 

$OUTPUT/CAMx.$RUN.$JDATE.stdo 

ut 

# 

# --- Create the input file (always called CAMx.in) 

# 

cat << ieof > CAMx.in 

 &CAMx_Control 

 Run_Message = 'CAMx 4.41 --Mech4 CF $RUN', 

!--- Model clock control --- 

 Time_Zone = 0, ! (0=UTC,5=EST,6=CST,7=MST,8=PST) 

 Restart = .${RESTART}., 

 Start_Date_Hour = ${YYYY},${MM},${DD},0000, ! (YYYY,MM,DD,HHHH) 

 End_Date_Hour = ${YYYY},${MM},${DD},2400, ! (YYYY,MM,DD,HHHH) 

 Maximum_Timestep = 15., ! minutes 

 Met_Input_Frequency = 60., ! minutes 

 Ems_Input_Frequency = 60., ! minutes 

 Output_Frequency = 60., ! minutes 

!--- Map projection parameters --- 

 Map_Projection = 'LAMBERT', ! (LAMBERT,POLAR,UTM,LATLON) 

 UTM_Zone = 0, 

 POLAR_Longitude_Pole = 0., ! deg (west<0,south<0) 

 POLAR_Latitude_Pole = 0., ! deg (west<0,south<0) 

 LAMBERT_Central_Meridian = -97., ! deg (west<0,south<0) 

 LAMBERT_Center_Longitude = -97., ! deg (west<0,south<0) 

 LAMBERT_Center_Latitude = 40., ! deg (west<0,south<0) 

 LAMBERT_True_Latitude1 = 45., ! deg (west<0,south<0) 

 LAMBERT_True_Latitude2 = 33., ! deg (west<0,south<0) 

!--- Parameters for the master (first) grid --- 
 Number_of_Grids = 1, 

 Master_Origin_XCoord = -2736., ! km or deg, SW corner of cell(1,1) 

 Master_Origin_YCoord = -2088., ! km or deg, SW corner of cell (1,1) 

 Master_Cell_XSize = 36., ! km or deg 

 Master_Cell_YSize = 36., ! km or deg 

 Master_Grid_Columns = 148, 

 Master_Grid_Rows = 112, 

 Number_of_Layers(1) = 19, 

!--- Parameters for the second grid --- 

 Nest_Meshing_Factor(2) = 3, ! Relative to master grid 

 Nest_Beg_I_Index(2) = 31, ! Relative to master grid 

 Nest_End_I_Index(2) = 69, ! Relative to master grid 

 Nest_Beg_J_Index(2) = 29, ! Relative to master grid 

 Nest_End_J_Index(2) = 72, ! Relative to master grid 

 Number_of_Layers(2) = 14, 

!--- Model options --- 

 Diagnostic_Error_Check = .false., ! True = will stop after 1st timestep 

 Advection_Solver = 'PPM', ! (PPM,BOTT) 

 Chemistry_Solver = 'CMC', ! (CMC,IEH) 

 PiG_Submodel = 'GREASD', ! (None,GREASD,IRON) 

 Probing_Tool = 'PSAT', ! (None,OSAT,GOAT,APCA,DDM,PA,RTRAC) 

 Chemistry = .true., 

 Dry_Deposition = .true., 

 Wet_Deposition = .true., 

 Staggered_Winds = .true., 

 Gridded_Emissions = .true., 

 Point_Emissions = .true., 

 Ignore_Emission_Dates = .true., 

!--- Output specifications --- 

 Root_Output_Name = '$OUTPUT/camx.$RUN.$JDATE', 

 Average_Output_3D = .false., 

 HDF_Format_Output = .false., 

 Number_of_Output_Species = 35, 

 Output_Species_Names(1) = 'NO', 

 Output_Species_Names(2) = 'NO2', 

 Output_Species_Names(3) = 'O3', 

 Output_Species_Names(4) = 'PAN', 

 Output_Species_Names(5) = 'NXOY', 

 Output_Species_Names(6) = 'CO', 

 Output_Species_Names(7) = 'HONO', 
 Output_Species_Names(8) = 'HNO3', 

 Output_Species_Names(9) = 'NTR', 

 Output_Species_Names(10) = 'SO2', 

 Output_Species_Names(11) = 'SULF', 

 Output_Species_Names(12) = 'NH3', 

 Output_Species_Names(13) = 'HCL', 

 Output_Species_Names(14) = 'CG1', 

 Output_Species_Names(15) = 'CG2', 

 Output_Species_Names(16) = 'CG3', 

 Output_Species_Names(17) = 'CG4', 

 Output_Species_Names(18) = 'CG5', 

 Output_Species_Names(19) = 'PNO3', 

 Output_Species_Names(20) = 'PSO4', 

 Output_Species_Names(21) = 'PNH4', 

 Output_Species_Names(22) = 'POA', 

 Output_Species_Names(23) = 'SOA1', 

 Output_Species_Names(24) = 'SOA2', 

 Output_Species_Names(25) = 'SOA3', 

 Output_Species_Names(26) = 'SOA4', 

 Output_Species_Names(27) = 'SOA5', 

 Output_Species_Names(28) = 'PEC', 

 Output_Species_Names(29) = 'FPRM', 

 Output_Species_Names(30) = 'FCRS', 

 Output_Species_Names(31) = 'CPRM', 

 Output_Species_Names(32) = 'CCRS', 

 Output_Species_Names(33) = 'NA', 

 Output_Species_Names(34) = 'PCL', 

 Output_Species_Names(35) = 'PH2O', 

!--- Input files --- 

 Chemistry_Parameters = '$CHEM/CAMx4.4.chemparam.4_CF', 

 Photolyis_Rates = '$PHOT/tuv.wrap36km.${YYYY}${MM}.20051013.txt', 

 Initial_Conditions = '$ICBC/ic.wrap36km.CAMx', 

 Boundary_Conditions = '$ICBC/bc.wrap36km.CAMx.$JDATE', 

 Top_Concentrations = '$ICBC/topc.wrap36km.CAMx',

 Albedo_Haze_Ozone = '$AHOMAP/ahomap.${YYYY}${MM}.20051013.txt', 

 Point_Sources = 

'$EMIS/final.${YYYY}${MM}${DD}.RPO_US36.Base02f.pt.revised.bin', 

 Master_Grid_Restart = '$OUTPUT/camx.$RUN.$YESTERDAY.inst', 

 Nested_Grid_Restart = ' ', 

 PiG_Restart = '$OUTPUT/camx.$RUN.$YESTERDAY.pig ', 

 Emiss_Grid(1) = '$EMIS2/camx.ar.bart.36km.$JDATE.bin', 

 Landuse_Grid(1) = '$LUSE/CAMx.wrap36km.luse.bin', 

 ZP_Grid(1) = '$MET/camx.zp.${Y2}${MM}${DD}.36k.bin', 
 Wind_Grid(1) = '$MET/camx.uv.${Y2}${MM}${DD}.36k.bin', 

 Temp_Grid(1) = '$MET/camx.tp.${Y2}${MM}${DD}.36k.bin', 

 Vapor_Grid(1) = '$MET/camx.qa.${Y2}${MM}${DD}.36k.bin', 

 Cloud_Grid(1) = '$MET/camx.cr.${Y2}${MM}${DD}.36k.bin', 

 Kv_Grid(1) = '$MET/camx.kv.OB70.${Y2}${MM}${DD}.36k.bin', 

 Emiss_Grid(2) = ' ', 

 Landuse_Grid(2) = ' ', 

 ZP_Grid(2) = ' ', 

 Wind_Grid(2) = ' ', 

 Temp_Grid(2) = ' ', 

 Vapor_Grid(2) = ' ', 

 Cloud_Grid(2) = ' ', 

 Kv_Grid(2) = ' ', 

 & 

!------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 &SA_Control 

 SA_File_Root = '$OUTPUT/camx.$RUN.$run.$JDATE', 

 SA_Summary_Output = .true., 

 SA_Master_Sfc_Output = .true., 

 SA_Stratify_Boundary = .false., 

 SA_Number_of_Source_Regions = 2, 

 SA_Number_of_Source_Groups = 1, 

 Use_Leftover_Group = .false., 

 Number_of_Timing_Releases = 0, 

 SA_Receptor_Definitions = 

'/mnt/usb2/modeling/camx/sa/receptor.nebraska.classI.txt', 

 SA_Source_Area_Map(1) = 

'/mnt/usb2/modeling/cenrap_psat/camx/srcmap/srcmap.dat', 

 SA_Master_Restart = '$OUTPUT/camx.$RUN.$run.$YESTERDAY.sa.inst', 

 SA_Nested_Restart = ' ', 

 SA_Points_Group(1) = 

'$EMIS/final.${YYYY}${MM}${DD}.RPO_US36.Base02f.pt.revised.bin.copy', 

 SA_Emiss_Group_Grid(1,1) = '$EMIS2/camx.ar.bart.36km.$JDATE.bin.copy', 

 PSAT_Treat_SULFATE_Class = .true., 

 PSAT_Treat_NITRATE_Class = .true., 

 PSAT_Treat_SOA_Class = .false., 

 PSAT_Treat_PRIMARY_Class = .true., 

 PSAT_Treat_MERCURY_Class = .false., 

 PSAT_Treat_OZONE_Class = .false., 

 & 

ieof 
# 

# --- Execute the model --- 

# 

echo '---- Running for Date ',$JDATE 

cp CAMx.in $run/camx.$RUN.$run.$JDATE.in 

/usr/bin/time $EXEC >& $run/camx.$RUN.$run.$JDATE.stdout 

rm -fv $EMIS/final.${YYYY}${MM}${DD}.RPO_US36.Base02f.pt.revised.bin.copy 

>> & $OUTPUT/camx.$RUN.$JDATE.stdout 

rm -fv $EMIS2/camx.ar.bart.36km.$JDATE.bin.copy >> & 

$OUTPUT/camx.$RUN.$JDATE.stdout 

@ JDATE++ 

if ( $JDATE == 2001366 ) set JDATE = 2002001 

end