Shenandoah National Park: Inventory Program

Natural Resource Inventory Program

Air Resources

Introduction

The National Park Service has identified twelve core sets of natural resource information (Phase I) that are critical to planning for and management of units in the National Park System. One of those core sets includes fundamental information about park air quality. As funds become available this information is being developed for approximately 270 parks that are primarily natural areas. Shenandoah National Park is among those parks.

Additional Phases are to be added to the Servicewide Natural Resource Inventory Program as funding and circumstances allow. More detailed work on air quality has been completed for Shenandoah National Park stemming from concerns about the degraded air quality and associated resources and values.

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Scope of Air Resources Inventories

Phase I of the Servicewide inventory includes gathering historical and synoptic data related to the chemistry of the atmosphere in and around individual parks to establish baseline air quality conditions. Early Inventory Program documentation indicates that air resource Phase I activities should focus on identifying: 1) sources of air pollution which may be impacting the park’s air resource; (2) existing air quality data collected in or near the park; and (3) those park resources that are particularly sensitive to, and may be adversely affected by, air pollution. Current emphasis is placed on baseline air quality conditions with little focus on source identification. Coincident to the development of this information would be the documentation of air quality monitoring stations in and near the park.

The second phase of air resource inventories is largely focused on identification of air quality related values (AQRVs). AQRVs are natural and cultural resources or aesthetics that are sensitive to air pollution. In most cases, identification of these values will come from reviews of scientific literature but it may be revealed through field investigations.

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Air Resources Inventory Progress at Shenandoah

In comparison to other resource categories that are the focus of inventory efforts, air resources are generally better documented and understood at Shenandoah National Park. In fact, Phase I products are completed and some Phase II information is available. Severe degradation of air quality and associated AQRVs impacts at Shenandoah have resulted in substantial time and effort devoted to improving understanding regarding air resources.

Sources of Air Pollution – Outside of the Park - The highly urbanized and industrial areas within the northeastern area of the United States beginning in the Ohio River Valley and generally extending to the east and north east are documented as being heavily polluted. Shenandoah National Park is located in the heart of this area and the associated air pollution sources. Furthermore, regional weather patterns tend to foster the long-range transport of air pollutants around and into Shenandoah.

Under the authority of the Clean Air Act, the National Park Service works aggressively to limit the emission of air pollutants from sources that may contribute to air quality problems at Shenandoah. The National Park Service frequently makes recommendations to applicants for permits from state regulatory agencies regarding ways that emissions can be reduced to protect park resources from significant impacts. Those recommendations are based on predictive modeling that is done to estimate emission amounts. The modeling depends, in part, on information regarding other sources of emissions in proximity to the source in question. “Inventories” or lists of those other sources and associated information are routinely prepared. Therefore, albeit indirectly, the “local” sources of air pollution that impact Shenandoah are well known.

Sources of Air Pollution – Inside the Park - The National Park Service acknowledges that visitor use, primarily in the form of motor vehicle operation, and some aspects of park operations such as motor vehicle use, operation of generators, and prescribed fires all contribute to park air quality concerns. In 2002, an Air Emissions Inventory was completed for Shenandoah. This document summarizes what is known about park generated air pollutants. Emissions within the park are only a fraction of the emissions coming from outside the park.

Air Quality Data – Outside of the Park - Air quality data is available from the State of Virginia for a variety of locations, primarily urban centers, throughout the state. These include the suburbs of Washington, DC, Richmond, Roanoake, and Norfolk. The website of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality provides details regarding what, where, and how data is collected.

In addition to information from the State of Virginia, several of the monitoring networks listed below operate monitoring stations in various locations throughout Virginia and, therefore, have data available from outside of the park.

Air Quality Data – Inside the Park - The National Park Service has cooperated with a variety of other entities in the operation of air quality monitoring stations in the park. The longest standing programs have been located in the Big Meadows area. The following list identifies the more significant programs in place in the park:

National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) – National Trends Network (NTN)
National Atmospheric Deposition Program – Mercury Deposition Network (MDN)
Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET)
Gaseous Pollutants - Ozone
Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE)

Each of these programs maintains extensive data sets including data specific to Shenandoah National Park.

Sensitive Resources - In 2003, an extensive report, prepared by a group of subject matter experts, examined the status of air quality and the condition of air quality related values at Shenandoah. The report identifies park waters, aquatic fauna, certain plant species, soils, and visibility as resources that are sensitive to air pollutants.

Air Quality Related Values - Air Quality Related Values are those resources that may be adversely affected by changes in air quality. These include visibility, natural resources, cultural resources, and recreational resources. All of the sensitive resources listed above are considered Air Quality Related Values at Shenandoah National Park.

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Air Resource Inventory Data, Reports, and Other Products Specific to Shenandoah

Sources of Air Pollution – Inside the Park - The following document provides a review of the in-park sources of emissions:

Anon. 2002. Air emissions inventory for Shenandoah National Park. Air Resources Division, National Park Service, Denver, Colorado. (6.2 Mb)

Air Quality Data – Inside the Park - Park specific air quality data is available at each of the monitoring program websites:

NADP/NTN - http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/
NADP/MDN - http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/
CASTNET - http://www.epa.gov/castnet/
Gaseous Pollutants – Ozone - http://www.deq.state.va.us/ozone/
IMPROVE - http://vista.cira.colostate.edu/improve/

Additionally, the National Park Service has developed an Air Atlas which is a Geographic Information System database of air quality estimates which can be used to characterize air quality conditions at Shenandoah.

Sensitive Resources and Air Quality Related Values - The following document provides a comprehensive examination of these topics at Shenandoah National Park:

Sullivan, T.J., et al. 2003. Assessment of air quality and related values in Shenandoah National Park. Technical Report NPS/NERCHAL/NRTR-03/090. Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, Northeast Region, National Park Service, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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