Air Quality Modelling Update for 2009

by Barry
(Calgary)

Alberta Environment New Site

Alberta Environment New Site

Alberta Environment (AENV) has had a few official names over the years. Since 1971, this ministry has gone through a lot of revisions, integrations, and splits. Among their responsibilities are recycling, climate change, wildlife, and parks. Sometimes, the energy industry too.


They work closely with the energy board (Formerly ERCB, now AER for Alberta Energy Regulator) and a lot of industrial air quality work in the province falls under their regulations.

As of July 1, 2009, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resources Development (AESRD as of in 2012) no longer accepts ISC modelling, and studies using AERMOD and CALPUFF will be the norm.

AESRD came up with their new Air Quality Model Guideline, the AQMG, in the spring. It took effect that July, and with that change, ISC modeling of any type has been decommissioned for regulatory purposes. So CALPUFF is now the model of choice within my current work at Calvin Consulting Group Ltd.

It is a bit more cumbersome (requires increased expertise and computer time to execute), but may provide more favourable results. As a result, all air modelling work will become more time-consuming than ever before.

The Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives (AAAQO) are also being revised and will get stricter over the upcoming years. Some SO2 and NO2 guidelines were reduced by more than 30% in 2011. Additional revisions are proposed for roughly 2025, with higher standards (lower concentrations) that will affect industry, air quality, and modeling procedures in various ways.

Therefore, we'll keep that in mind as we proceed with all the ongoing/upcoming projects, and maybe it's better to get our approvals sooner rather than later for the plants with the highest emissions.

Alberta Environment and Parks took over as the ministry title in 2015, then Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA).

Search this site for more information now.

Comments for Air Quality Modelling Update for 2009

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starstarstar 		Good start!
by: Marie

I am happy to see how quickly Canada has joined in the battle for protecting our air. I found this website helpful in giving a better understanding of weather, tips for helping the atmosphere and a blog discussing new discoveries and legislation.

I would like it if there was a link or page that spoke of what other countries are doing about this "stuff in the air," particularly my own, the USA. We have a long way to go but it is good to see that Alberta is ready to join the fight.

From Barry - Canadians can use this website, along with government websites, to get more informed and involved with environmental issues. The commitment and dedication of citizens to helping the environment is inspiring.

China and India have been implementing new laws and regulations to reduce air pollution. The USA is following suit and take action to protect the environment. Reduced air pollution should help make the world a better place.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Alberta Environment
by: N Raja

It is good to know that Alberta Environment is keeping on top of our Air Quality. I just found many details in this website which is really good to learn. It is really interesting. I love all the pages specially the AIR QUALITY page was of good knowledgeable resource for any new person who does not know how air is being polluted. I have forwarded this website links to few of my friends who are studying masters and doing research in terms of environment pollution.

From Barry - We're lucky to have an organization that cares about air quality. As we all do our part to protect the environment and keep the air clean, we can improve the air quality in our community.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Alberta Environment
by: Susan Brown

As an Albertan it is good to know that Alberta Environment is keeping on top of our Air Quality. I just discovered this website. It is really interesting. I love your Satellites page. I have favourited this website. Full of great stuff.

From Barry - The newer features on the Alberta website are great for tracking air quality across the province. It also gives you tips on how to keep our air clean. I'm also glad Alberta is taking steps to protect our air quality.

My goal is to help others learn more about air quality and how we can help protect the environment.

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Thank you to my research and writing assistants, ChatGPT and WordTune, as well as Wombo and others for the images.

GPT-4, OpenAI's large-scale language generation model (and others provided by Google and Meta), helped generate this text.  As soon as draft language is generated, the author reviews, edits, and revises it to their own liking and is responsible for the content.