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Environment Quick News
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| A
Monthly Report on EPRI's Environmental Research Programs |
April
2009 |
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Program members can use their epri.com ID and password to download
Acrobat PDF files of EPRI technical reports. For assistance, contact
the EPRI Customer Assistance Center at (800) 313-3774. |
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Dear Environment Sector members:
We recently completed our advisory meetings in San Diego, and we
were extremely pleased by the attendance and enthusiasm at the meetings.
Despite the fragile economy and cost reductions within your companies,
it was heartening to hear that EPRI meetings and our research programs
are considered high value and perhaps even more critical given changes
in the Administration and Congressional action on energy and climate.
We had the opportunity to attend many of the Area Council meetings,
interact with you during breaks and at the reception, and participate
in the Sector Council meeting. One of the key take-home messages
for us is that our current research portfolio is robust, although
some issues, such as climate, water, and now EMF and T&D issues,
seem to rise a bit higher than the rest. While you advised us to
emphasize some areas and reduce others, there were no major changes
in overall emphasis nor any programs that need to be sunsetted.
Our next formal meeting with you is in Boulder in October. In
the interim, each of the programs will have webcasts, meetings,
or other means to keep you informed of research progress. We will
also be implementing our plans to address issues raised in the last
Member Satisfaction Survey, such as working on means to assist you
in applying and using the results of our work. Any ideas you have
in this regard would be most welcome.
Have a terrific Spring.
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| . EPRI’s Technology Transfer
Awards are made annually to recognize outstanding examples
of partnerships between EPRI and its members that have
furthered the use of specific Environment Sector research.
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| Presentations from 2009 Winter Environment
Council Meetings Posted. Presentations
from the March 2009 meetings of the Environment Sector
and Area Councils are now available on epri.com. Please
use your epri.com ID and password to sign in first, then
use this
link and select the Meeting Materials tab. Documents
may be restricted to members who fund the specific programs.
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| Program 42: Air Toxics Health and Risk
Assessment |
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Statistical analyses reported in this paper suggest that
“mercury emissions are not consistently associated
with autism prevalence in Texas school districts,”
and that previously reported associations may be due to
chance or confounding factors. |
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| Levin Delivers Mercury Seminar at Harvard.
In his recent presentation at Harvard University, “The
Micrometeorology of Environmental Mercury,”
Leonard Levin discussed methods for determining surface
mercury fluxes. For more information, contact Leonard
Levin, (650) 855-7929, llevin@epri.com. |
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| Program 91: Assessment Tools for Ozone,
Particulate Matter, Regional Haze and Atmospheric Deposition |
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A study in Great Smoky Mountains National Park evaluated
the adequacy of measurements and equations used to estimate
aerosol light extinction. |
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| Program 92: Assessment of Air Quality
Impacts on Health and the Environment |
| . EPRI’s
Technology Innovation (TI) project to examine the effects
of tire particles on in vivo systems has completed
experiments for both <10 µm and <2.5 µm
tire particle (TP) sizes. |
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One portion of the Tri City Concentrated Ambient
Particle Study is comparing alterations in cardiac function
induced by concentrated ambient particles (CAPs) during
both winter and summer months in Detroit, MI. |
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| . This
study looked at the relationships between mortality and
vehicular traffic density, ambient levels of twelve hazardous
air pollutants, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and sulfate. |
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| Air Quality Area News |
| EPRI Comments on Integrated Science Assessment
for Particulate Matter. EPRI provided
EPA with comments on the First External Review Draft of
the Integrated
Science Assessment for Particulate Matter. The public
comment period ended Mar. 13. Staff comments have been
sent to P91 and P92 members. For more information, contact
Annette Rohr, (650) 855-2765, arohr@epri.com. |
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| Visit
the Global Climate Webpage |
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| Program 103: Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Options |
| . At the March Environment
and Generation Sector and Area Council Advisory Meetings,
EPRI’s Victor Niemeyer presented results of EPRI’s
analyses of the impacts of climate policy on fossil generation
plant retrofit investments. |
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| . Because tropical deforestation
is a leading source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
and is a key driver of global climate change, the March
advisory meetings included several presentations (available
to funders only) related to climate change and forestry
and land use change. |
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| Global Climate Change Area News |
| . EPRI researchers have begun
work on a regional modeling project intended to develop
a U.S. regional energy-economic model that will assess
the impact of new climate policies on the electric power
sector, the energy system, and the economy. |
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| Program 49: Coal Combustion Products—Environmental
Issues |
| . Two reports characterize physical and
chemical properties of coal combustion products (CCPs)
from coal-fired power plants with sulfur emission controls. |
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| Program 50: Manufactured Gas Plant Site
Management |
| Predicting the Effectiveness of In Situ
Coal Tar Solidification/Stabilization. An
Integrated Approach to Evaluating In-Situ Solidification/Stabilization
of Coal Tar Impacted Soils (1018612). This Technical
Update explains the test methods and assessment approaches
needed to predict the implementability and effectiveness
of in situ coal tar solidification/stabilization at individual
former manufactured gas plant sites. For more information,
contact Jeff Clock, (845) 608-0642, jclock@epri.com. |
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| . Studies reported here describe the effects
of naphthalene on cells in rat and rhesus monkey respiratory
systems. |
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| Program 59: Power Plant Toxics Characterization |
| . EPRI is working with its members
to plan for the anticipated regulation of hazardous air
pollutants (HAPs), including mercury, other trace metals,
acid gases, and trace organics. |
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EPRI has scheduled release of its LARK-TRIPP Toxics
Release Inventory (TRI) reporting software in late April
to accommodate testing with EPA’s TRI-ME reporting
software for Reporting Year (RY) 2008. |
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| . Current research in the PISCES program
evaluates methods for measuring condensible particulate
matter in flue gas. |
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| Improving Performance of Sorbent Traps
for Mercury Measurement. Evaluation
of Sorbent Trap Materials and Methods for Flue Gas Mercury
Measurement (1016799). This report evaluates
the performance of sorbent trap materials and methods
for long-term mercury monitoring and for auditing the
relative accuracy of continuous mercury monitors. For
more information, contact Naomi Goodman, (650) 855-2193,
ngoodman@epri.com.
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| Program 54: Fish Protection at Steam
Electric Power Plants |
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EPRI will undertake three new projects
in 2009, based on prioritization results at the March
Advisory Council Meeting. |
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| Program 55: Strategic Water Issues: TMDLs,
Availability, Climate |
. Senators Bingaman (D-NM) and Murkowski
(R-AK) introduced SB 531, the Energy and Water Integration
Act of 2009, which directs a number of federal agencies
to study and report on issues related to the interdependencies
between water and energy development. |
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Update Published on Tiered Analysis of
Water Sustainability. Tiered
Analysis of Water Sustainability: Status Update
(1015538). This report presents a preliminary analysis
of a “toolkit” of methods for evaluating
water availability constraints, and options to address
those constraints, for both existing and future electric
power generation. For more information, contact Robert
Goldstein, (650) 855-2593, rogoldst@epri.com. |
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TMDL Technical Evaluation Framework Available.
TMDL
Technical Evaluation Framework (1015580). This
report describes an approach to help guide electric
power companies through the technical and strategic
aspects of a TMDL review. Use of the roadmap will maximize
the likelihood that a TMDL outcome is based on sound
science and is equitable for all parties. For more information,
contact Robert Goldstein, (650) 855-2593, rogoldst@epri.com.
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| Report on Modeling Nutrient Trading in the
Ohio River Basin. Program
on Technology Innovation: Modeling Nutrient Trading in
the Ohio River Basin (1018691). This TI-funded
report describes in-depth analyses of two watersheds in
the Ohio River Basin, the Muskingum and Scioto watersheds.
The analyses explored potential water quality trading
activities and scenarios using EPRI’s WARMF model,
which can simulate hydrology and water quality, particularly
for nitrogen. For more information, contact Jessica Fox,
(650) 855-2138, jfox@epri.com. |
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| Program 58: Waterpower |
. DOE has signed off on the grant
award to EPRI for engineering design work on the Alden
Concepts/NREC “fish-friend” hydropower turbine.
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| Water and Ecosystems Area News |
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The Water and Ecosystems Area Advisory Council Meeting
will be held June 17–18 at Alden Research Laboratory
facilities in Holden, MA. |
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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
AND SAFETY |
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| Program 62: Occupational Health and Safety |
Study Characterizes Nanoparticles in
the Workplace at Coal- and Gas-Fired Power Plants.
Program
on Technology Innovation: Nanoparticles at Coal and
Gas Fired Power Plants (1016820). This Technical
Report provides information about the presence, concentration,
composition, and characteristics of nanoparticles at
typical work locations in modern power plants. Nanoparticles—particles
with diameters less than 100 nanometers—are of
potential interest because they can penetrate deep into
the lungs, and it is important to know to what degree
they are present in work environments during coal and
natural gas combustion. For more information, contact
Gabor Mezei, (650) 855-8908, gmezei@epri.com. |
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Feasibility Study Evaluates Hexavalent
Chromium Exposure Data. Hexavalent
Chromium Air Sampling Data from Welding and Steel Cutting:
A Feasibility Study (1016821). Workers who
weld and cut chromium-containing metals may be exposed
to hexavalent chromium. To characterize these exposures,
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations
permit the use of objective data in lieu of exposure
monitoring. This Technical Report describes results
of a feasibility study to determine if such data can
be gathered and organized in an industrywide database.
The initial results demonstrated that appropriate data
can be obtained; thus, the study is continuing this
year. For more information, contact Gabor Mezei, (650)
855-8908, gmezei@epri.com. |
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. The Occupational
Health and Safety Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)
met for the second time in its important role of advising
the program on its research portfolio. |
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| NEW SUPPLEMENTAL PROJECT
OPPORTUNITIES |
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| NEW MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS |
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| Program 42: Air Toxics Health and Risk Assessment |
| Cardiovascular
Outcomes as Critical Effects in the Regulation of Air Toxics
Metals, Issue Brief (1018745) |
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| Health
Effects of Mercury: Status of the U.S. Regulatory Standard,
Issue Brief (1018761) |
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| Sources
of Mercury Depositing in the United States,
Issue Brief (1018762) |
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| Mercury
and Autism, Issue Brief (1018763) |
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| Human
and Natural Sources of Mercury, Issue Brief
(1018857) |
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| Integrated
Approaches to Managing Mercury, Issue Brief
(1018858) |
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| Joint
Study on Mercury Plume Chemistry Contributes to Information
on Mercury Deposition, Success Story (1018765) |
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| Program 91: Assessment Tools for Ozone, Particulate
Matter, Regional Haze and Atmospheric Deposition |
| 2008
August Mini-Intensive Gas and Aerosol Study (AMIGAS), Issue
Brief (1018636) |
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| Program 92: Assessment of Air Quality Impacts
on Health and the Environment |
| PM2.5
Reductions and Impact on Premature Death: An EPRI Perspective, Issue Brief (1018632) |
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| Air
Quality Health Research in Detroit, Michigan,
Issue Brief (1018633) |
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| Health
Effects of Nitrogen Dioxide, Issue Brief
(1018634) |
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| Health
Effects of Sulfur Dioxide, Issue Brief (1018635) |
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| Program 50: Manufactured Gas Plant Site Management |
| Naphthalene
Toxicity, Issue Brief (1018733) |
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| Program 58: Waterpower |
| EPRI
Analyzes Impacts of Possible EPA Rule on Closed-Cycle Cooling
Tower Retrofit, Success Story (1018662) |
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| Program 60: EMF Health Assessment and Radio-Frequency
Safety |
| EPRI’s
EMF Health Assessment and RF Safety Program Delivers Value to
Members, Success Story (1018695) |
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
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| *
denotes EPRI sponsored or cosponsored event |
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| Environment Sector |
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Environment Sector and Area Council Advisory Meetings
Oct. 5–8, Boulder, CO. Contact: Adina Kozuh, (650) 855-2991,
akozuh@epri.com.
*
Environment Sector and Area Council Advisory Meetings
Mar. 15–18, 2010, Orlando, FL. Contact: Adina Kozuh,
(650) 855-2991, akozuh@epri.com.
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| Air Quality |
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Annual EPRI/UARG
Air Toxics Research Coordination Meeting
May 6–8, Palo Alto, CA. Contact: Leonard Levin, (650)
855-7929, llevin@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
9th International Conference on Mercury as a
Global Pollutant
June 7–12, Guiyang, China. Contact: Leonard Levin, (650)
855-7929, llevin@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
A&WMA 102nd Annual Conference & Exhibition
June 16–19, Detroit, MI. Contact: Naresh Kumar, (650)
855-2990, nkumar@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
Gordon Research Conference on Atmospheric Chemistry
Aug. 23–28, Waterville Valley, NH. Contact: Eladio Knipping,
(650) 855-2592, eknippin@epri.com.
Twenty-First Conference of the International
Society for Environmental Epidemiology
Aug. 25–28, Dublin, Ireland. Contact: Annette Rohr,
(650) 855-2765, arohr@epri.com.
National Atmospheric Deposition 2009 Annual Meeting
& Scientific Symposium
Oct. 6–8, Saratoga Springs, NY. Contact: Arnout Ter
Schure, (650) 855-2753, aterschu@epri.com.
Air Quality VII Conference
Oct. 25–29, Arlington, VA. Contact: Leonard Levin, (650)
855-7929, llevin@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
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| Global Climate Change |
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14th Annual EPRI Global Climate Change Research
Seminar
May 20–21, Washington, DC. Contact: Christina Kemp,
(650) 855-2528, ckemp@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website. |
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| Land and Groundwater Issues |
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World of Coal Ash
May 4–7, Lexington, KY. Contact: Ken Ladwig, (262) 754-2744,
keladwig@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
Battelle Tenth International In Situ and On-Site
Bioremediation Symposium
May 5–8, Baltimore, MD. Contact: Jim Lingle,
(414) 355-5559, jlingle@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
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Annual EPRI/UARG Air Toxics Research Coordination Meeting
May 6–8, Palo Alto, CA. Contact: Leonard Levin, (650)
855-7929, llevin@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
9th International Conference on Mercury as a
Global Pollutant
June 7–12, Guiyang, China. Contact: Leonard Levin, (650)
855-7929, llevin@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
Air & Waste Management Association 102nd Annual
Conference & Exhibition
June 16–19, Detroit, MI. Contact: Contact: Babu Nott,
(650) 855-7946, bnott@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
Air Quality VII Conference
Oct. 25–29, Arlington, VA. Contact: Leonard Levin, (650)
855-7929, llevin@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
* EPRI MGP 2010
Symposium
Jan. 27–29, 2010, San Antonio, TX. Contact: Jeff Clock,
(845) 608-0642, jclock@epri.com,
or Jim Lingle, (414) 355-5559, jlingle@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website. |
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| Water and Ecosystems |
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| 9th International Conference
on Mercury as a Global Pollutant
June 7–12, Guiyang, China. Contact: Leonard
Levin, (650) 855-7929, llevin@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
Water and Ecosystems Summer Advisory Meeting
June 17–18, Holden, MA. Contact: Kent Zammit, (805)
481-7349, kezammit@epri.com.
American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting
Aug. 30–Sept. 3, Nashville, TN. Contact: Doug Dixon,
(804) 642-1025, ddixon@epri.com.
Doug Dixon is organizing a National Symposium on Fish Community
Monitoring in Big Rivers during this meeting. More information
is available at the event
website.
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| T&D Environmental Issues |
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| The Bioelectromagnetics Society
31st Annual Meeting
June 14–19, Davos, Switzerland. Contact: Rob
Kavet, (650) 855-1061, rkavet@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
* Mid-Year Joint
Meeting of P51 (Transmission & Distribution) and P57 (Rights-of-Way)
July 8–9, Charlotte, NC. Contact: Babu Nott,
(650) 855-7946, bnott@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
* 2009
EMF Scientific Advisory Committee Meeting
July 20–21, Milwaukee, WI. Contact: Rob
Kavet, (650) 855-1061, rkavet@epri.com.
International Society of Arboriculture 85th Annual
Conference & Trade Show
July 24–29, Providence, RI. Contact: John W. Goodrich-Mahoney,
(202) 293-7516, jmahoney@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website.
Ninth International Symposium on Environmental
Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management
Sept. 27–Oct. 1, Portland, OR. Contact: John W. Goodrich-Mahoney,
(202) 293-7516, jmahoney@epri.com.
More information is available at the event
website. |
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Together…Shaping
the Future of Electricity® |
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Power Research Institute
3420
Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, California 94304-1338 • PO Box 10412,
Palo Alto, California 94303-0813 USA
800.313.3774 • 650.855.2121 • askepri@epri.com
• www.epri.com
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