Lakes Environmental e-Newsletter

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Upcoming Courses

Date	Course	Location	Registration
Jan 24-25, 2011	AERMOD	Los Angeles, CA - USA	Registration Closed
Feb 7-8, 2011 Feb 9-11, 2011	AERMOD CALPUFF	Dallas, TX - USA	Register Now
Feb 28-Mar 1, 2011	AERMOD	Toronto, ON - Canada	Register Now
Mar 2-4, 2011	CALPUFF	Waterloo, ON - Canada	Register Now
Mar 14-15, 2011	AERMOD	Hyderabad, India	Registration Coming Soon!
Apr 11-12, 2011 Apr 13-15, 2011	AERMOD CALPUFF	Shanghai, China	Register Now
May 16-17, 2011 May 18-20, 2011	AERMOD CALPUFF	Las Vegas, NV - USA	Register Now
Jun 6-7, 2011 Jun 8-10, 2011	AERMOD CALPUFF	Calgary, AB - Canada	Register Now
Jul 11-13, 2011	AERMOD	Brazil	Registration Coming Soon!
Oct 3-4, 2011 Oct 5-7, 2011	AERMOD CALPUFF	Barcelona - Spain	Registration Coming Soon!

For more information on the above courses, including registration information, location, and course outlines, please visit our web site: https://www.weblakes.com/courses.html.

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Modeling Tip

Minimum Requirements for AERMOD Surface Meteorological Data File

The US EPA AERMOD model requires two meteorological data files which must be pre-processed by the AERMET model:

1. Surface met data file (*.SFC)
2. Profile met data file (*.PFL)

When pre-processing the meteorological data using the AERMET model, modelers are usually faced with the lack of proper meteorological data. The AERMET meteorological pre-processor requires as input, two types of met data files:

1. Surface
2. Upper Air

Surface Met Data File – Minimum Requirements

The following is a list of AERMET’s minimum required parameters that must be present in your hourly surface met data file for proper processing:

1. Year, Month, Day, Hour
2. Wind Speed
3. Wind Direction
4. Dry Bulb Temperature
5. Cloud Cover (tenths)

Note that when one of the above parameters or all the cloud cover is missing, as an example, the AERMET model may still produce the Surface (*.SFC) and the PFL (*.PFL) met files with missing indicators applied to all missing values (e.g., 99 for cloud cover).

Running AERMOD with Missing Required Parameters such as Cloud Cover

The following issues may occur while running the AERMOD model with these defective met files (*.SFC and *.PFL):

The AERMOD model will not produce concentration results, although the Run may be Successful. All concentration values will be zero A message will be displayed under the “Summary of Total Messages” section of the AERMOD main output file stating the number and percentage of missing hours. If the cloud cover is missing for a particular hour, this hour is considered missing.

For Deposition Calculations, the following additional meteorological parameters are required:

1. Station Pressure
2. Relative Humidity
3. Precipitation Amount (required for Wet Deposition calculations)

AERMET will apply a default station pressure value of 1013.25mb if this parameter is missing.

Submit Your Modeling Tip Today!

We are currently accepting submissions for the Monthly Modeling Tip section that appears in our newsletters. If you have a modeling tip that may benefit our readers, please send it to us at support@weblakes.com. Your name and the name of your organization will appear below the tip providing you with an opportunity for increased exposure.

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Articles

EPA to Defer GHG Permitting Requirements for Industries That Use Biomass/Three-year Deferral Allows for Further Examination of Scientific and Technical Issues Associated With Counting These Emissions

WASHINGTON - Jan 12, 2011 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing its plan to defer, for three years, greenhouse gas (GHG) permitting requirements for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from biomass-fired and other biogenic sources. The agency intends to use this time to seek further independent scientific analysis of this complex issue and then to develop a rulemaking on how these emissions should be treated in determining whether a Clean Air Act permit is required.

“We are working to find a way forward that is scientifically sound and manageable for both producers and consumers of biomass energy. In the coming years we will develop a commonsense approach that protects our environment and encourages the use of clean energy,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Renewable, homegrown power sources are essential to our energy future, and an important step to cutting the pollution responsible for climate change.”

Read Full Article Here

Government of Canada Takes Further Action to Protect Canadians Under the Chemicals Management Plan

OTTAWA - January 8, 2011 - On January 8, 2011, the Honourable Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment, and the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, released draft screening assessment reports for Batch 12 of the Chemicals Management Plan's Challenge Initiative.

"We are pleased with the progress we are making in protecting Canadians from chemicals that pose a risk to the environment," said Minister Kent. "We are a world leader in chemicals management and this latest draft screening report allows us to continue our efforts in the best interest of Canadians and the environment."

"Chemicals play an important role in protecting our health and contributing to our quality of life," said Minister Aglukkaq. "Canadians want to know that the chemicals we use every day are managed properly, and that is why the Government is committed to the Chemicals Management Plan and protecting the health and environment of Canadians."

Read Full Article Here

EPA Completes Framework for Greenhouse Gas Permitting Programs / EPA and States Have Worked Closely to Ensure a Smooth Transition

WASHINGTON - December 23, 2010 - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing the final series of actions that will ensure that the largest industrial facilities can get Clean Air Act permits that cover greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions beginning in January 2011. These actions are part of EPA’s common sense approach to GHG permitting outlined in the spring 2010 tailoring rule.

The first set of actions will give EPA authority to permit GHGs in seven states (Ariz., Ark., Fla., Idaho, Kan., Ore., and Wyo.) until the state or local agencies can revise their permitting regulations to cover these emissions. EPA is taking additional steps to disapprove part of Texas' Clean Air Act permitting program and the agency will also issue GHG permits to facilities in the state. These actions will ensure that large industrial facilities will be able to receive permits for greenhouse gas emissions regardless of where they are located.

Read Full Article Here

Government of Canada Taking Further Action to Protect the Environment and Health of Canadians by Tabling Amendments to the Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants

OTTAWA- December 13, 2010 The Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment, and the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today reiterated the Government of Canada's commitment to protecting the environment and citizens against the harmful effects of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) by announcing its intention to ratify amendments to the Protocol on POPs, under the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP). These amendments align with our strong domestic policies.

POPs are harmful substances that do not occur naturally. They persist in the environment and accumulate within living organisms, including people. Canada is not a major producer or user of POPs, but is affected by these substances: POPs can be transported great distances and tend to concentrate in colder climates such as Canada's Arctic.

Read Full Article Here

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Upcoming Conferences & Trade Shows

Date	Conference	Location
Jan 31 - Feb 2, 2011	EUEC 2011 More Info	Phoenix, AZ, USA
Feb 25, 2011	Tribes, Land, and the Environment Conference More Info	Washington, DC, USA
Mar 6-8, 2011	Gulf Environment Forum 2011 More Info	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Mar 8-10, 2011	Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo North America More Info	Tampa, FL, USA
Mar 14-19, 2011	Conference on Air Quality and Climate 2011 More Info	Kona, HI, USA
Mar 22-24, 2011	AMERICANA 2011 More Info	Montreal, QC, Canada
May 11-12, 2011	33rd Motorship Propulsions and Emissions Conference More Info	Copenhagen, Denmark
May 16-18, 2011	CANECT 2011 More Info Lakes Environmental will be at booth #1438	Toronto, ON, Canada
June 21-24, 2011	A&WMA's 104th Annual Conference & Exhibition More Info Lakes Environmental will be at booth #523	Orlando, FL, USA

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About this Newsletter

This newsletter contains information gleaned from various sources on the web, with complete links to the sources cited. Organizations cited are in no way affiliated with Lakes Environmental Software.

Lakes Environmental Software is a leading environmental IT company that offers a complete line of air dispersion modeling, risk assessment, emissions inventory, and emergency release software as well as training and custom software services. With satisfied users located around the globe, Lakes Environmental Software will continue to revolutionize the environmental software field.

For more information please visit our web site at: www.weblakes.com.  You may also contact us by phone at (519) 746-5995 or by fax at (519)746-0793.

All comments and suggestions are welcome.  You can e-mail us at: support@weblakes.com.

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