CSR 45-11-3. Episode Criteria

§45-11-3. Episode Criteria. 3.1. Conditions justifying the proclamation of an Air Pollution Alert or Air Pollution Warning shall exist whenever, the Director determines that the accumulation of air pollutants in any place is attaining or has attained levels which could, if such levels are exceeded, lead to an Air Pollution Emergency. In making this determination the Director shall be guided by the following criteria: 3.1.a. Air Pollution Forecast. An internal watch by the Director will be actuated by a National Weather Service advisory that an Atmospheric Stagnation Advisory is in effect or by the issuance of any equivalent local forecast or stagnant atmospheric conditions by the Director. 3.1.b. Air Pollution Alert. An alert shall be declared by the Director when any one of the following levels is reached at any monitoring site and meteorological conditions are such that pollutant concentrations can be expected to remain at these levels for twelve (12) or more hours or increase unless control actions are taken: Sulfur Dioxide 800 micrograms per cubic meter (0.3 parts per million), 24-hour average PM10 350 micrograms per cubic meter, 24-hour average Carbon Monoxide 17 milligrams per cubic meter (15 parts per million), 8-hour average Ozone (O3) 400 micrograms per cubic meter (0.2 parts per million), 1-hour average Nitrogen Dioxide 1,130 micrograms per cubic meter (0.6 parts per million), 1-hour average 282 micrograms per cubic meter (0.15 parts per million), 24-hour average 3.1.c. Air Pollution Warning. A warning shall be declared by the Director when any one of the following levels is reached at any monitoring site and meteorological conditions are such that pollutant concentrations can be expected to remain at these levels for twelve (12) or more hours or increase unless control actions are taken: Sulfur Dioxide 1600 micrograms per cubic meter (0.6 parts per million), 24-hour average PM10 420 micrograms per cubic meter, 24-hour average Carbon Monoxide 34 milligrams per cubic meter (30 parts per million), 8-hour average Ozone (O3) 800 micrograms per cubic meter (0.4 parts per million), 1-hour average Nitrogen Dioxide 2,260 micrograms per cubic meter (1.2 parts per million), 1-hour average 565 micrograms per cubic meter (0.3 parts per million), 24-hour average 3.1.d. Air Pollution Emergency. Conditions justifying the proclamation of an Air Pollution Emergency shall exist whenever the Director determines that the accumulation of air pollutants in any place has attained levels which require immediate action for the protection of the public health. The emergency level indicates that air quality is continuing to degrade and is approaching a level that should never be reached, and that the most stringent control actions are necessary. In making this determination, the Director shall declare any emergency when any one of the following levels is reached at any monitoring site and meteorological conditions are such that this condition can be expected to continue for twelve (12) or more hours: Sulfur Dioxide 2100 micrograms per cubic meter (0.8 parts per million), 24-hour average PM10 500 micrograms per cubic meter, 24-hour average Carbon Monoxide 46 milligrams per cubic meter (40 parts per million), 8-hour average Ozone (O3) 1000 micrograms per cubic meter (0.5 parts per million), 1-hour average Nitrogen Dioxide 3,000 micrograms per cubic meter (1.6 parts per million), 1-hour average 750 micrograms per cubic meter (0.4 parts per million), 24-hour average An air pollution emergency will be declared by an order entered by the Director with the written approval of the Governor. 3.1.e. Termination. Once declared, any status reached by application of these criteria will remain in effect until the criteria for that level are no longer met. At such time, the next lower status will be assumed. 3.2. The episode criteria presented in Section 3.1 of this rule establish the basis for emission control action to be initiated to prevent an Air Pollution Emergency Episode. The stringent control actions required in Section 6 of this rule when the emergency stage has been declared are designed to prevent air pollutant concentrations from reaching levels which, in the judgement of the Director, could constitute imminent and substantial endangerment to health.