Oregon Administrative Rules › Chapter 340 - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Division 206 - AIR POLLUTION EMERGENCIES › Section 340-206-0030 - Episode Stage Criteria for Air Pollution Emergencies

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 7, July 1, 2024
Three stages of air pollution episode conditions and a
				pre-episode standby condition are established to inform the public of the
				general air pollution status and provide a management structure to require
				preplanned actions designed to prevent continued accumulation of regulated
				pollutants to the level of significant harm. The three episode stages are:
				Alert, Warning, and Emergency. DEQ is responsible to enforce the provisions of
				this division which requires actions to reduce and control emissions during air
				pollution episode conditions. An air pollution alert or air pollution warning
				must be declared by the Director or appointed representative when the
				appropriate air pollution conditions are deemed to exist. When conditions exist
				which are appropriate to an air pollution emergency, DEQ must notify the
				Governor and declare an air pollution emergency pursuant to ORS
				468.115.
				The statement declaring an air pollution Alert, Warning or Emergency must
				define the area affected by the air pollution episode where corrective actions
				are required. Conditions justifying the proclamation of an air pollution alert,
				air pollution warning, or air pollution emergency must be deemed to exist
				whenever DEQ determines that the accumulation of air contaminants in any place
				is increasing or has increased to levels which could, if such increases are
				sustained or exceeded, lead to a threat to the health of the public. In making
				this determination, DEQ will be guided by the following criteria for each
				regulated pollutant and episode stage:
(1) "Pre-episode standby" condition,
			 indicates that ambient levels of regulated pollutants are within standards or
			 only moderately exceed standards. In this condition, there is no imminent
			 danger of any ambient regulated pollutant concentrations reaching levels of
			 significant harm. DEQ must maintain at least a normal monitoring schedule but
			 may conduct additional monitoring. An air stagnation advisory issued by the
			 National Weather Service, an equivalent local forecast of air stagnation or
			 observed ambient air levels in excess of ambient air standards may be used to
			 indicate the need for increased sampling frequency. The pre-episode standby
			 condition is the lowest possible air pollution episode condition and may not be
			 terminated.
(2) "Air pollution
			 alert" condition indicates that air pollution levels are significantly above
			 standards but there is no immediate danger of reaching the level of significant
			 harm. Monitoring must be intensified and readiness to implement abatement
			 actions must be reviewed. At the air pollution alert level the public is to be
			 kept informed of the air pollution conditions and of potential activities to be
			 curtailed should it be necessary to declare a warning or higher condition. An
			 air pollution alert condition is a state of readiness. When the conditions in
			 both subsections (a) and (b) are met, an air pollution alert will be declared
			 and all appropriate actions described in OAR 340-206-8010  and 340-206-8040  must
			 be implemented:
(a) Meteorological dispersion
			 conditions are not expected to improve during the next 24 or more
			 hours;
(b) Monitored regulated
			 pollutant levels at any monitoring site exceed any of the following:
(A) Sulfur dioxide - 0.3 ppm - 24-hour
			 average;
(B) Particulate matter:
(i) PM10 - 350 micrograms per cubic meter
			 (ug/m3) - 24-hour average;
(ii)
			 PM2.5 - 140.5 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) - 24-hour average;
(C) Carbon monoxide - 15 ppm -
			 8-hour average;
(D) Ozone - 0.2 ppm
			 - 1-hour average;
(E) Nitrogen
			 dioxide:
(i) 0.6 ppm - 1-hour average;
			 or
(ii) 0.15 ppm - 24-hour
			 average.