Caroline Stockdale

BESC 411

One Compliance: Ambient Air Monitoring

Annotated Bibliography
SOP: Standard Practice for General Ambient Air Analyzer Procedures (ASTM D3249)
- The standard operating procedure from this document is the general guidelines for
ambient air analyzers used in determining air quality. The actual process to analyze
depends on the user to determine if this is for regulatory compliance, process
monitoring, or to alert the user of adverse trends. This procedure outlines sampling
methods, calibration techniques, validating results, and general information.
https://compass.astm.org.ezproxy.library.tamu.edu/EDIT/html_annot.cgi?D3249+95(2011)
Guidance Document: Quality Assurance Guidance Document 2.12: Monitoring PM2.5 in
Ambient Air using designated references or Class I Equivalent Methods
- This guidance document is to provide guidance to assist personnel using reference
methods to monitor ambient air for particles with a diameter equal to or less than 2.5
micrometers. This document reviews regulations governing the sampling and
analytical methods and provide clarification and information in detail that can
support the regulations. This guidance document is applicable to the smaller particle
ambient air monitoring and we can see in the standard practice for general ambient
air analyzer procedures.
https://www3.epa.gov/ttnamti1/files/ambient/pm25/qa/m212.pdf

Environmental Regulation: Title 40 Chapter I Subchapter C Part 50- National Primary and
Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards
- This regulation is over the national primary and secondary ambient air quality
standards that define levels of air quality. The national primary ambient air quality
standards are for safety in regards to public health. The national secondary ambient
air quality standards are in regards to the protection of public welfare from a known
pollutant. The measurements of air quality are expressed for particulate matter as
PM2.5 as we see above in the guidance document. This regulation sets the standards
for the main types of pollutants like carbon monoxide, particulate matter, sulfur
oxides, etc. (primary pollutants and the others).
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-
idx?SID=b2029500db70ab0b4d3dfbf798d8c0d2&mc=true&node=pt40.2.50&rgn=div5%23ap40
.2.50_119.l
Environmental Law: Clean Air Act (42 USC 7401-7626)
- The Clean Air Act is the federal government’s way to control air pollution in the
United States as referenced in Title 42 of the United States Code. This is the general
air law that governs all of the regulations and permits that you see across the United
States. When it comes to 40 CFR Chapter I Subchapter C Part 50, as discussed
above, references its regulations and pollution standards from this law. The Clean Air
Act gives the state authority to enforce these regulations.
https://legcounsel.house.gov/Comps/Clean%20Air%20Act.pdf
Diagram

Ambient Air Analyzer

Procedure for general
air monitoring

ASTM D3249

Quality Assurance
Guidance Document
2.12: Monitoring
PM2.5 in Ambient Air

National Primary and

Secondary Ambient
Air Quality Standards

Clean Air Act

42 USC 7401-7626
Analogous Document
- Montana Air Quality Permit for Western Energy Company. This permit is for a
surface coal extraction facility and mine located in Area C and Area F of the
Rosebud Mine. This current permit is for the modification of Western Energy’s air
quality permit to allow expansion of the geographic extent of the mine. The objective
of the expansion is to further extend the life of the mine by replacing areas from
which coal has been extracted. This permit is in regards to Ambient Air Monitoring
because at a coal mine, there are particulates and other pollutants entering the air that
need to be monitored and regulated. You can see in the past they eliminated their
Ambient Air Monitoring Program since they were consistent with their emissions and
do not need an active program to ensure compliance.
https://deq.mt.gov/Portals/112/Air/AirQuality/Documents/ARMpermits/1570-
07_PD.pdf

Reflection
This process taught me how much goes in to regulating and outlining what needs to be done for a
company. If you are hired to create Standard Operating Procedures there is a lot of research that
goes in hand with it. You need to know the overlying law to sets the precedent for the entire
process, any regulations that are involved with your process. I showed the general ambient air
monitoring regulations, and the example of a specific part in Title 40. There are so many places
you will need to look to follow regulations and 40 CFR has sections for whatever your needs
may be including the general ones. What is important while creating this process is guidance
documents? You can find all sorts of documents out there that can help you create an SOP from
being an exact example, to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards telling you what limits
you can have for whatever air emissions are created from your company.
The above process outlined could help someone who initially created this permit and needs to
stay in compliance. The standard operating procedure that helps with ambient air analyzing and a
guidance document to help outline what to do with particulate matter. Then there is the
regulation and law to follow in relation to all ambient air monitoring.
I think the general idea of following these steps to obtain all knowledge for Ambient Air
Monitoring and Analysis was outlined. If you wanted to get more specific, there are diagrams for
a few of the steps. For example, the SOP guidance document includes tables to give you more
detailed descriptions. I did see when researching different processes, that some SOP documents
have a process diagram outlined for you to follow when referencing it.
When you look into 40 CFR there is the entire section on Air Programs – subchapter C. This is
so useful in creating whichever project you are working on, from an SOP to a permit. These
regulations get very specific information on what one can and cannot do. Also the Clean Air Act
is the overarching law that says there needs to be air monitoring and here are the standards to
follow. This process I outlined is good for anyone who wants to get started on ambient air
monitoring and shows you all the basic information that is applicable to it.