Air pollution concentration monitoring and effects research in U.S. National Parks
Conference
·
OSTI ID:382728
- National Park Service, Denver, CO (United States). Air Quality Div.
The National Park Service (NPS) is mandated by legislation, such as the Clean Air Act, the agency Organic Act, and the Wilderness Act, to protect resources on its lands from air pollution. To fulfill that responsibility, the NPS must collect high-quality, defensible data regarding pollutant levels and resource effects, and use those data convincingly in the State and Federal regulatory arena. Accordingly, air pollution concentration monitoring and effects research has been conducted in a number of NPS units. Monitors collect ozone, deposition, and particle data to establish baselines and detect trends in pollutant levels. Research projects investigate the effects of these atmospheric pollutants on vegetation, soil and surface water chemistry and biota, and visibility. The results show that many NPS areas are affected by air pollution to some extent. High ozone concentrations and associated vegetation injury have been observed in Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks in the eastern US, and in Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks in the west. Acid-sensitive watersheds are found in parks of the Sierra Nevada, Cascades, Rocky Mountains, and Appalachians. Mercury, possibly from atmospheric sources, has been detected in fish collected in Acadia and Everglades National Parks. Some degree of visibility degradation has been observed in every park that has been monitored. Continuing research will help the NPS identify resources that are most sensitive to air pollution and determine pollution concentrations that adversely affect those resources.
- OSTI ID:
- 382728
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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