Ideas for implementing air-quality studies in the western Rocky Mountain region

Conference · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6031489

Dickerson, M H

To assess the impact of energy development in the western region of the Rocky Mountains, several space scales should be considered. The overall multistate region should be investigated from the view of baseline air quality and meteorology measurements. Results from a well-designed and implemented baseline program would, in the future, be a valuable asset to answer critical questions about the air-quality impact of energy development in this region. Modeling for an area this size (about 1000 km on a side) could wait until more-reliable models are developed to address transport and diffusion on this scale in complex terrain. Also, studies on this scale require considerable resources and could be best handled by joint multiagency participation. For regions of approximately 200 km on a side, considerable research is presently underway by Federal agencies, universities, and private industry concerning atmospheric studies in complex terrain. Before additional large research efforts are undertaken initial screening studies should be conducted to determine the transferability of results from these studies to subregions in the western areas of the Rocky Mountains. These initial studies can be used to conduct initial air-quality impact studies and to help plan research that has a potential for high payoff in the future. Finally, cooperative efforts between Federal and State agencies, universities, and private industry are highly desirable when the fate of pollutants in complex terrain is being addressed. Such studies have the advantage of addressing relevant problems, avoiding duplication, and providing the varied resources required to solve complex problems.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6031489
• Report Number(s): UCRL-86467; CONF-810838-3; ON: DE82000063
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR QUALITY
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METEOROLOGY
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
RECOMMENDATIONS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
USA
VALLEYS