National Academies Press: OpenBook

Airport Air Quality Management 101 (2018)

Chapter: Section 10 - Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality

« Previous: Section 9 - Stakeholder Engagement Strategies
Page 39
Suggested Citation:"Section 10 - Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Airport Air Quality Management 101. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25180.
×
Page 39
Page 40
Suggested Citation:"Section 10 - Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Airport Air Quality Management 101. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25180.
×
Page 40
Page 41
Suggested Citation:"Section 10 - Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Airport Air Quality Management 101. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25180.
×
Page 41
Page 42
Suggested Citation:"Section 10 - Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Airport Air Quality Management 101. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25180.
×
Page 42
Page 43
Suggested Citation:"Section 10 - Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. Airport Air Quality Management 101. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25180.
×
Page 43

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

39 Several air quality considerations that may be targeted for future regulation, are likely to draw attention from stakeholders, or will be a priority for airport management are discussed in this section. These topics were selected based on issues of concern at the time the report was written and are subject to change in the future. 10.1 GHG Emissions In its 1999 report, Aviation and the Global Atmosphere, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that the aviation sector is responsible for 2–3% of global emissions of GHGs. The combination of anticipated growth in demand for aviation services and emission curbs for major emitters in other sectors has led to projections that aviation’s share of global emissions could double by 2050. While the overwhelming majority of the sector’s emissions are due to aircraft activity and not airport operations, there is broad interest in the entire sector’s emissions. Across the United States, airports are also becoming sensitized to their climate responsibilities as a result of requests for information coming from their customers and other stakeholders. These requests are encouraging some airports to develop airport GHG emission inventories. Already some states, notably California, are setting GHG emission restric- tions, resulting in airports purchasing offset credits. The current trend is for more states to begin addressing airport GHG emissions. As airports modernize and expand to meet the needs of the flying public, their GHG emissions are likely to grow absent efforts to mitigate them. Already, many airports are investing significant staff time and effort complying with EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Rule. To track and manage their GHG emissions, many airports have developed climate action plans. Some airports have engaged in specific programs to achieve goals such as reducing their climate emis- sions and setting a firm limit on emissions even in the face of growth over time. Others have set more aggressive goals, such as becoming climate neutral, reducing their climate footprint to zero by offsetting all emissions. ACRP, airports, airport associations, and other groups have developed tools for quantifying and tracking airport GHG emissions. ACI developed the ACERT, which is available online free of charge. ACI also developed the ACA program, an airport-specific program to track, manage, and reduce climate emissions over time, meeting a series of goals along the way. The Climate Registry (TCR) is a non-profit organization governed by U.S. states and Canadian provinces and territories that designs and operates voluntary and compliance GHG reporting programs and assists organizations in measuring, reporting, and verifying the carbon in their operations in order to manage and reduce it. Several U.S. airports have adopted TCR guidance and reporting programs. S E C T I O N 1 0 Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality

40 Airport Air Quality Management 101 10.2 Climate Adaptation and Resiliency An emerging issue with relevance to air quality and GHGs is the effect of climate change and airports’ climate adaptation and resiliency responses to changing conditions. As reported by EPA (https://www.epa.gov/air-research/qir-quality-and-climate-change-research): Air quality can be impacted by climate change and, conversely, climate change can impact air quality. Emissions of pollutants into the air can result in changes to the climate. Ozone in the atmosphere warms the climate, while different components of particulate matter (PM) can have either warming or cooling effects on the climate. For example, black carbon, a particulate pollutant from combustion, contributes to the warming of the Earth, while particulate sulfates cool the earth’s atmosphere. Climate changes can result in impacts to air quality. Atmospheric warming associated with climate change has the potential to increase ground-level ozone in many regions, which may present challenges for compliance with the ozone standards in the future. The impact of climate change on other air pollutants, such as particulate matter, is less certain, but research is underway to address these uncertainties. The main sources of combustion and PM in an airport setting are aircraft, ground service equipment and other vehicles, landside ground transportation vehicles, and others, each of which is controlled by different entities. Recent weather events (including flooding and extreme storms, record-breaking heat waves, and drought) have increased some airports’ awareness of the potential importance of planning for future climate conditions and associated weather risks to infrastructure and operations. Super Storm Sandy, which severely impacted the facilities of the New York/New Jersey Port Authority, galvanized the Port Authority and other transportation entities to prepare more proactively for the effects of climate change. Climate change adaptation planning and preparedness undertaken by airports will likely have a positive effect in relation to improving air quality. Airport sponsors can undertake climate change adaptation planning and preparedness as part of existing planning processes, or it can be initiated as a stand-alone activity. ACRP Report 147: Climate Change Adaptation Planning: Risk Assessment for Airports provides guidance for practitioners to understand the specific impacts climate change may have on their airports. The guidebook is intended to help practitioners develop adaptation actions and incorporate those actions into the airport’s planning processes. Airport operators can also respond by reducing air and GHG emissions through • Converting jet bridges to 400 Hz and preconditioned air • Purchasing green vehicles for airside equipment and landside bus fleets • Using alternative energy sources such as solar or geothermal • Improving the energy efficiency of infrastructure • Promoting the use of HOVs to access the airport • Purchasing emissions offsets Airlines are responding by upgrading their fleets to air- craft with more efficient engines, using biofuels, and reducing engine taxiing time. 10.3 PM Communities surrounding airports are becoming more con- cerned about the potential health impacts of airport emissions. Airport staff need better information to respond to concerns and questions about their emission impacts. While airports have conducted air quality modeling and studies related to their contribution of local air quality pollutants, health impacts from

Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality 41 these emissions are ill defined. Recent studies point toward PM as being significant for health impacts. PM is a general term for particles in a wide range of sizes that can be suspended in air, thus exposing people (and other receptors) to the individual particles. PM commonly refers to particles of fewer than 10 micrometers. Smaller particles of less than 2.5 micrometers are referred to as fine particles, and particles smaller than 1 micrometer are referred to as ultrafine particles. Three key findings from ACRP Report 135: Understanding Airport Air Quality and Public Health Studies Related to Airports highlighted the significance of PM and particularly fine and ultrafine particles on human health. These findings are the following: • Airport risk assessment studies have shown that fine PM (PM2.5) dominates the overall health risks posed by airport emissions. The risk for fine particles is orders of magnitude higher than that for the closest HAP. • Studies indicate that secondary PM (that is, PM not directly emitted from a source but formed from chemical interactions of airport emissions) may form at significant distances downstream from an airport (many miles), adding to health impacts. Further, the impacts of different PM components including black carbon, nitrates, and sulfates need to be taken into account in addition to PM size distributions. • Measurement studies have shown that ultrafine concentrations tend to be highly elevated near an airport (near runways) with persistence above background levels at distances of 600 meters downwind of an airport. As such, ultrafine PM generated by airports is suspected of having a broader impact than that generated by roadway vehicles. Fine and ultrafine particles can arise from a number of sources at airports including primary PM produced during combustion or newly nucleated (e.g., condensed) particles formed in the atmosphere or in aircraft plumes from condensable gases. Fine and ultrafine particle emission sources at airports include various fuel combustion sources such as aircraft, APUs, GSE, power turbines, diesel emergency generators, and vehicle traffic in and around the airport, as well as the atmospheric generation of new volatile particles from condensation. Ultrafine particles in aircraft exhaust, the largest source of these small particles, include a variety of particle types. Diesel particles from GSE and other ground vehicles tend to be larger than aircraft particles. Particles that are emitted directly from a source or form in the immediate vicinity of the source are referred to as primary particles or primary PM. Secondary particle formation, which results from complex chemical reactions in the atmosphere and/or particle nucleation processes, can produce either new particles or add to pre-existing particles. Aircraft engine emission standards apply at the engine exit, yet the PM of concern to regulators and the community are not fully formed at that point. Health studies have shown a significant association between exposure to fine and ultrafine particles and premature death from heart or lung disease. Fine and ultrafine particles can aggra- vate heart and lung diseases and have been linked to effects such as cardiovascular symptoms, cardiac arrhythmias, heart attacks, respiratory symptoms, asthma attacks, and bronchitis. These effects can result in increased hospital admissions, emergency room visits, absences from school or work, and restricted activity days. Individuals that may be particularly sensitive to fine particle exposure include people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children. PM emissions will continue to be an ongoing area of investigation by EPA and other regulatory agencies. 10.4 HAPs While HAPs or air toxics pose less risk than PM, they still pose a health concern due in part to the potential for causing cancer and premature death. Measurement studies indicate that concentration levels can vary significantly from one airport to another. Although some studies suggest monitored concentrations may be comparable to background levels (depending on

42 Airport Air Quality Management 101 where the measurements are conducted), there is also enough evidence to suggest that airport contributions are not negligible. As further studies are conducted and more information becomes available on airport HAP emissions, new regulations could arise at the federal or state levels. 10.5 Pb Pb is a source of concern due to its toxicity (it is a neurotoxin) and the fact that it is present in avgas, which is commonly used at GA airports. Modeling and measurement efforts have shown that lead emissions can noticeably persist at distances close to 2/3 of a mile (1,000 meters) downwind of a GA airport and may be above background levels and the NAAQS. In addition to avgas, other potential sources of Pb at airports include brake and tire wear and re-suspension of Pb-contaminated soil dust. EPA has been monitoring Pb emissions at several GA airports to consider whether airports need to conduct regular monitoring to ensure that they are not exceeding the NAAQS. It is possible that EPA or state regulators will consider future regulations that would limit the use of avgas. 10.6 Sustainability Sustainability has drawn a great deal of attention in the past few years as airports have begun taking steps beyond simple environmental compliance. Sustainability has offered them an approach to meeting environmental requirements that reduces costs while also reflecting the values of their organizations, their stakeholders, and their local communities. Many airports have identified processes, designs, technologies, and equipment that have successfully met these goals. Airports have found there are many opportunities for applying principles of sustainability to all areas of airport operation—airside, landside, terminals, and hangars. With regard to new buildings, runways and taxiways, maintenance facilities, and concessions, designs can easily include various sustainable approaches. Sustainability can also be applied as a component of retrofit and repair activities. By incorporating these approaches into the basic requirements for managing an airport air quality program, compliance costs can be reduced and greater environ- mental benefits can be achieved. This is likely to be an ongoing focus for airports in the future. A key resource for identifying proven measures to improve air quality and reduce GHG emis- sions is the Sustainable Aviation Guidance Alliance (SAGA) website and database. The first iteration of the database, begun in 2008, was compiled by volunteers in the airport industry who consolidated existing information about sustainability into one spreadsheet and website. These resources included intro- ductory material on what sustainability is and how it is applied at airports, processes for planning and maintaining sustainability programs, and sustainable design and construction practices. Over the course of a year, SAGA identified sustainability ini- tiatives and developed a process for starting, maintaining, and enhancing a sustainability program at an airport. The final products of the effort included a searchable online database of over 900 sustainability practices and a handbook for airport sustainability called the Sustainable Aviation Resource Guide. Since that time, the SAGA database was updated and enhanced as part of ACRP Project 02-30, which enhanced the SAGA website and improved the resources available to industry on airport sustainability. The database/website is now updated and is intended to be a living resource where airport practitioners provide recent lessons learned and case studies.

Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality 43 Essential References for Section 10: Emerging Issues in Airport Air Quality • Airport Carbon Emissions Reporting Tool (ACERT), Airports Council International- North America (ACI-NA) • Aviation Emissions, Impacts & Mitigation: A Primer, U.S. FAA Office of Environment & Energy, 2015 • Aviation Emissions and Air Quality Handbook, Version 3, Update 1, FAA Office of Environment & Energy, January 2015 • Airport Air Quality Manual, International Civil Aviation Organization, 2011 • ACRP Report 11: Guidebook on Preparing Airport Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories, Transportation Research Board, 2009 • ACRP Report 56: Handbook for Considering Practical Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Strategies for Airports, Transportation Research Board, 2011 • ACRP Report 80: Guidebook for Incorporating Sustainability into Traditional Airport Projects, Transportation Research Board, 2012 • ACRP Report 133: Best Practices Guidebook for Preparing Lead Emission Inven- tories from Piston-Powered Aircraft with the Emission Inventory Analysis Tool, Transportation Research Board, 2015 (includes EIAT and instructional video) • ACRP Report 135: Understanding Airport Air Quality and Public Health Studies Related to Airports, Transportation Research Board, 2015 • ACRP Report 147: Climate Change Adaptation Planning: Risk Assessment for Airports, Transportation Research Board, 2015 • Sustainable Aviation Guidance Alliance (SAGA), Sustainable Principles and Practices

Next: Section 11 - Frequently Asked Questions »
Airport Air Quality Management 101 Get This Book
×
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Research Report 185: Airport Air Quality Management 101 introduces airport employees who are not environmental specialists to airport air quality issues. Airport air quality management is highly complex and technical, with many different stakeholders, including the local community and local, state, and federal regulators.

Larger airports have dedicated environmental experts; however, at most airports, environmental management is carried out by employees who are engaged in other aspects of airport operations or provide oversight of external environmental consultants who are executing the work.

This report is accompanied by ACRP WebResource 4: Airport Air Quality Resource Library.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!