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Background:

Based on current estimates open sources of air pollutants (also known as nonpoint or fugitive sources) contribute substantially to the United States national emissions inventory and continue to grow in interest to the regulated community, the nation, and other countries of the world. For example, open air sources account for the majority of directly emitted PM10, biogenics, air toxics, and other pollutants of interest. Besides the open air sources associated with traditional emission inventory categories (e.g., public and industrial roadways, land development/construction, open pit mining, wildfires/controlled burning, and agriculture), interest has also developed in a range of source activities associated with military training operations and with potential threats to homeland security.

 

The lack of containment and the natural variability of these open air sources (in time and space) present a much greater challenge to emission characterization than found for ducted sources. In the area of combustion sources, for example, consider power plant stack emissions vs. rangeland wildfires.

 

Various test methods (including adaptations) have been developed (mostly outside of the USEPA) to address the need for open source emission characterization. However, because no emission

standards exist for open sources, available test methods have never been fully standardized. These test methods tend to be fragmented and poorly defined, and generally lack the refinement that comes from collaborative testing of each method by independent organizations concurrently applying the method to the same emission source. As a result, there is insufficient knowledge of the limits of applicability of these methods and their equivalency when applied to the same source. Without determining the uncertainty levels associated with specific test methods, there is little chance of properly characterizing the uncertainties in the resultant emission factors or in providing consistency in source assessment.

 

CSOSE has chosen to use the EPA OTM process as a vehicle for documenting, evaluating and publishing open source test methods. USEPA has designated Dennis Mikel as the person assigned to CSOSE in following this process. Regarding dispersion models, CSOSE is evaluating the suitability of regulatory dispersion models in properly representing open source configurations and transport aspects.

In summary, as significant contributors to national and global airborne emissions, open sources lack the well-defined, fully-standardized emission methods needed for reliable source characterization and assessment. CSOSE is positioned to fill this need.