Allegheny River Headwaters Watershed Conservation Plan

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Allegheny River Headwaters Conservation Plan Chapter 1. Project Area Characteristics Both natural and synthetic processes can lead to air pollution. Over 90 percent of the pollutants originate from industry, power plants, vehicles, and other human influences. In 1970, the Clean Air Act was passed. Amended in 1977 and again in 1990, the act set a national goal to have clean and healthy air for everyone. Airborne pollutants can travel very long distances. They fall to the ground in raindrops, fog, dew, dust, or simply due to gravity in a process called atmospheric deposition. It is difficult to identify the source of airborne pollutants found in a body of water. Pollutants enter waterways through direct and indirect deposition. Direct deposition occurs when the pollutants enter directly into the waterways. Through indirect deposition, pollutants are washed into waterbodies with runoff. Researchers have developed the concept of airsheds to assist in the study of atmospheric deposition (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2003). Airsheds are geographic areas responsible for emitting 75 percent of the air pollution that reaches a body of water. Different pollutants have different airsheds because of the varied behaviors they exhibit in the atmosphere. Airsheds are determined using mathematical models of atmospheric deposition; as opposed to watersheds, which utilize physical features of the landscape (EPA, 2003). Atmospheric Deposition There are two types of atmospheric deposition: dry and wet. Dry deposition refers to gases and particles that fall to the earth. They deposit on buildings, cars, homes, and trees; the particles are then washed away in runoff during storm events. Rain, fog, and snow are examples of wet deposition. One type of wet deposition is acid precipitation, which occurs when nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form various acidic compounds. Atmospheric deposition can negatively affect the water quality in lakes and streams, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife, forests, human health, visibility, and the materials used to make automobiles, statues, and buildings. More information about the effects of acid precipitation is located within the Water Resources chapter. Critical Pollutants Six critical pollutants that affect air quality have been identified nationally. They include carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. Overall, McKean and Potter counties are ranked among the cleanest counties in the U.S. and in Pennsylvania. Carbon Monoxide Carbon monoxide is a poisonous compound that is produced as a result of the incomplete consumption of fuels, such as in motor vehicle exhaust, industrial processes, and wood stoves. It can impair vision, alertness, and other mental and physical function when inhaled. Individuals with cardiovascular disease are at the highest risk, but carbon monoxide can also affect healthy individuals. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal when high levels are present, because it replaces the oxygen in blood and inhibits the delivery of oxygen to body tissues (DEP 9 ). Potter and McKean counties are among the cleanest counties within Pennsylvania, ranking in the 0 th and 10 th percentiles. They are also among the cleaner counties when compared to other counties within the U.S., ranking in the 30 th and 50 th percentiles. A percentile is a descriptive statistic that indicates the percent of a distribution; i.e. a rank in the 50 th percentile means McKean County’s carbon monoxide contamination is greater than or equal to 50 percent of the counties nationwide. Lower percentile rankings indicate cleaner conditions, whereas higher percentiles indicate dirtier or worse conditions. In 1999, 1-4
Allegheny River Headwaters Conservation Plan Chapter 1. Project Area Characteristics 21,952 tons of carbon monoxide was emitted into the air from mobile, area, and point sources within McKean and Potter counties (Green Media Toolshed, 2005). Mobile sources are emissions from vehicles or off-road equipment—such as airplanes, trains, and construction equipment. Approximately 83 percent of carbon monoxide emissions in McKean and Potter counties come from mobile sources. Area sources are sources that emit less than 10 tons from a single pollutant or less than 25 tons from of a combination of pollutants each year. They contribute up to 14 percent of the carbon monoxide emissions within McKean and Potter counties. Dry cleaners, gas stations, auto body shops, residential and commercial buildings, lawnmowers, grills, wastewater treatment, landfills, and backyard burning all classify as area sources. Point sources are emitted from chemical plants, refineries, and power plants and emit pollutants greater than 10 tons for a single pollutant or more than 25 tons for a combination of pollutants per year. They account for only three percent of the carbon monoxide being emitted in McKean and Potter counties. Lead The use of leaded fuel and industrial processes, such as battery manufacturing and lead smelters, emits lead particles into the atmosphere. The metal development process is a major source of lead emissions. Ingested or inhaled, lead causes poisoning, which reduces mental abilities; damages blood, nerves, and organs; and raises blood pressure. Lead is highly toxic and accumulates in the body; even small doses are harmful (DEP 9 ). Nitrogen Oxides Fossil fuels burned at temperatures that exceed 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit produce nitrogen oxides (NO x ). Automobiles, trucks, buses, airplanes, industries, and power plants emit NO x into the atmosphere. They contribute to the deposition of nitrogen in soil and water through acid precipitation and play a major role in the formation of ground-level ozone. Human health is impacted when NO x enter the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe (DEP 9 ). Compared to other counties within the U.S., Potter and McKean counties are ranked in the 50 th and 60 th percentiles, respectively. However, within Pennsylvania they are ranked in the 20 th and 30 th percentiles. Within McKean and Potter counties in 1999, 8,304 tons of nitrogen oxides were emitted into the atmosphere with 64 percent coming from point sources and 34 percent from mobile sources (Green Media Toolshed, 2005). Ozone Ozone is a colorless, odorless gas that forms in the atmosphere. Dependant upon its location in the atmosphere, ozone can be beneficial or harmful. When located in the upper atmospheric layer, it makes up the ozone layer, filtering the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. When located in the lowest atmosphere, it is ground-level ozone. Ground-level ozone is a secondary pollutant—a pollutant formed in the atmosphere instead of emitted from a specific source. It forms when NO x combines and reacts with volatile organic compounds in the presence of sunlight and warm temperatures (DEP 9 ). Ozone, and pollutants that cause it, can travel hundreds of miles away from their source. When inhaled, ozone reacts with tissues in our lungs, making it difficult to breathe. People with asthma and lung disease are most seriously impacted, but even healthy individuals are at risk with prolonged exposure. 1-5
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Allegheny River Headwaters Watershed Conservation Plan

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