By Kimberly Mazza
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Division (DEQ-AQD) was recently presented the Best Practice Award from the Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA).
Each year the AAPCA announces Best Practices in Air Pollution Control. This year the award was presented to agency programs in Wyoming, Georgia, Oklahoma, and California for their groundbreaking technology. Wyoming DEQ-AQD received the national recognition for developing the Wyoming Pond Emissions Calculator (WYPEC).
In 2005, when elevated ozone levels in the Upper Green River Basin were discovered, the AQD began researching potential emission sources. Commercial oil waste disposal facilities were identified as a potential source. Unlike an oil and gas facility stack, measuring emissions from a pond or a surface area was complicated. There were models developed by other states and the EPA, but unfortunately thosle did not accurately characterize emissions from disposal ponds in Wyoming. The AQD did research and conducted various studies to develop a Wyoming specific emissions calculator for ponds.
According to Andrew Keyfauver, AQD’s New Source Review Program Manager, it took several years for the study and development of a Wyoming specific tool for measuring emissions from ponds. “We collected data from air and water sampling events at multiple facilities to develop models for different chemical classes,” he said. “The results were a tool that fits Wyoming’s specific needs and provides information relevant to Wyoming’s air quality.”
Andrew attended the AAPCA conference and gave a presentation on WYPEC. He received the award on behalf of the DEQ-AQD.
Air Quality Division Administrator Nancy Vehr said that all nominations for this national award undergo a rigorous review by the Association’s Best Practices Committee and Board of Directors. She added, “I am very proud of the AQD team that worked relentlessly to find a plausible solution for improving Wyoming’s air quality. Their innovation and dedication are to be commended. The award speaks for itself.”