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March 2014: Volume 2, Issue 3
News from the Director
The Air, Climate, and Energy Research program (ACE) had a
busy and productive year in 2013 with the delivery of 73 products
to the Programs and Regions and eight more nearly completed.
The products represent a wide array of key research to better
understand multipollutant effects, evaluate and develop sensor
app technology, advance modeling of air quality, act on climate change and better
understand the health effects of air pollution, among other contributions.
You can read more about the 2013 products and access the FY13 Highlight presentation
on the ACE page of ORD@work. I encourage you to bookmark the ACE web page where
we strive to keep you posted about ACE research and activities.
With the start of the new year, ACE began portfolio reviews of research projects to refine
and adjust the research as needed so that they are even more aligned with the top
priorities of the Agency. We will continue to build upon the successes of our product
development process and work to expand collaborations and communications with
Programs and Regions. I look forward to another good year of scientific collaboration.
As an aside, many of you came to know Katie Lubinsky who worked with Ann Brown on
the ACE communications team. She is off to Sigma Xi in a “real” job and we wish her
well – thanking her for her many contributions to ACE including hard work bringing
this ACE Newsletter to reality.
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Dan Costa, Sc.D., DABT
Air, Climate, and Energy Research Program (ACE)
National Program Director, ORD
ACE creates Partner Advocates to improve collaboration
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ACE is creating Partner Advocates to continue our efforts to
improve communications with our partners. Two to three people
from the programs/regions are being identified to serve as
Partner Advocates for each research project. We don’t anticipate
this taking a lot of people’s time.
Partner Advocates can share program and regional office insights and perspectives with
their project team. The input will be invaluable to help shape the research and products
developed and ensure that ACE research is meeting partner needs. The Advocates will
serve as the primary partner point of contact during research planning and
implementation and product delivery.
We are contacting program/region management about the Partner Advocates proposal
to get their support and will hold a kickoff meeting with ACE project leads and Partner
Advocates to discuss next steps and answer questions. Stay tuned for further details.
Contact: Laurel Schultz, 919-541-1949, schultz.laurel@epa.gov
Welcome Alan Vette, Acting Deputy Director
Alan Vette has joined ACE on a detail as the Acting Deputy Director.
Alan comes to us from the National Health and Environmental Effects
Research Laboratory (NHEERL) at EPA’s main campus in Research
Triangle Park, NC where he is an Assistant Laboratory Director. At
NHEERL, he coordinates research on the health and environmental
effects of air pollution and climate change. While on detail to ACE
Alan will focus on improving and leveraging connections between ACE
and the other ORD research programs.
ACE’s Deputy Director, Tim Watkins, is on detail as Acting Deputy Director for
Management in the National Exposure Research Laboratory at the same facility.
Research in the Regions
Regions participate in passive sampling research project
EPA regions are interested in low-cost passive air sampling methods to
measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A collaborative Regional
Methods project started last year will continue through FY14 with the
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participation of Regions 3, 5, 6 and 8 to evaluate local VOC impacts and determine
whether passive sampling methods developed by EPA researchers can be used more
widely.
The regions are deploying sorbent tubes used in passive sampling following training on
the method and best practices. In addition, a project database is now available for all
project team participants to upload project data for both review and final release. The
regions are meeting regularly with researchers in the Office of Research and
Development (ORD) to implement the project.
Contacts:
Region 8: Patti Tyler, 303-312-6081, tyler.patti@epa.gov
Region 8: Adam Eisele, 303-312-6838, eisele.adam@epa.gov
ORD: Eben Thoma, 919-541-7969, thoma.eben@epa.gov
Region 5: Researchers measure pollution near rail yards
EPA researchers conducted a study in Cicero, IL, a suburb of Chicago, to better
understand local air pollution impacts of rail yard activities, and to determine whether
emissions associated with a rail yard affect air quality in nearby communities.
Researchers used a novel air monitoring vehicle to collect air quality measurements in the
residential areas. The air monitoring data set was compared to data from a temporary
stationary air monitoring site located downwind of the rail yard.
While the study found variations in local air pollution levels downwind of the rail yard
area, the total concentration levels measured during the study were not significantly
different from those of other major urban areas in the United States.
Contact: Gayle Hagler, 919-541-2827, hagler.gayle@epa.gov
ACE supports three Regional research projects in 2014
The 2014 Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) and Regional Methods (RM)
projects have been announced and include three research projects supported by the Air,
Climate, and Energy Research Program. They are:
Region 2 - Citizen Science Toolbox
This RARE project will focus on select communities to participate in environmental
monitoring using sensor technologies
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Region 8 – Emissions from Oil and Gas Production Operations for Ozone Modeling
This RARE Project will enhance EPA’s knowledge of VOC emissions through targeted
air quality monitoring efforts
Region 4 - Field evaluation of lower cost, continuous measurement of air pollutants
This Regional Methods project will evaluate the cost and utility of commerciallyavailable air quality monitoring instruments
Faces of ACE
EPA scientist studies transportation emissions and ways to
reduce near-road health impacts
Rich Baldauf is a senior scientist and engineer who has
a unique position working for both the research and
policy sides of EPA. He shares his time between ORD
and the Office of Transportation and Air Quality
(OTAQ), providing an opportunity to review research
for policy applications.
Rich has a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental
Engineering from the University of Kansas. For 12
years, he has conducted research at EPA on the impacts
and control of air pollution emissions from
transportation sources. The research involves characterizing near-road air pollution to
understand the causes of increased adverse health risks for near-road populations and
identifying how roadway design such as noise walls and roadside vegetation can be used
to mitigate these impacts.
A recent article by Rich and colleagues published in Atmospheric Environment
highlights the role roadside vegetation may play in reducing near-road pollutant
concentrations of traffic emissions. The research is highlighted in TR News, a magazine
by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies and has received
interest from other transportation and forestry organizations.
Contact: Richard Baldauf, Baldauf.richard@epa.gov, 919-541-4386
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This column recognizes EPA researchers’ outstanding achievements. Their work
showcases EPA’s leadership in science and research and helps improve human and
environmental health.
Novel invention to advance the study of multipollutants
Congratulations to EPA researchers Bob Devlin and Mark Higuchi for their creative and
innovative PIP project to develop an in vitro (cell culture) exposure system to test the
toxicity of air pollutants, including gases/vapors, PM and pollutant mixtures.
The prototype system, which is undergoing testing, is unique in that it does not require
media dissolved pollutants, which are not realistic to direct air exposures. Researchers
could screen a large number of gaseous and particulate pollutants and their mixture
combinations for basic toxicity and mechanism to identify those that need more
targeted animal studies. The high throughput nature opens the door to advance mixture
and scenario studies and provide information on atmospheric mixtures needed by the
Office of Air & Radiation. The research was supported by an ORD Pathfinder Innovation
Project (PIP) award.
News Briefs
STAR grants to focus on PM in a changing climate
EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant program is seeking applications for
research to improve the understanding of the relationship between particulate matter
(PM) and a changing climate. Specifically, research is sought on the changing
spatiotemporal patterns or environmental impacts of PM in the U.S.; the challenges that
various aspects of global change pose for the management of PM and related pollutants;
the rates and timescales at which global change can impact air quality; and stronger
links between the modeling of atmospheric processes and other processes.
For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2014/2014_star_pm.html
Save the Date! Air Sensors 2014: A New Frontier Workshop
The workshop, Air Sensors 2014: a New Frontier, is part of a
workshop series to advance the next generation of air monitors and
improve the ability of communities and citizens to learn more
about local air quality.
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The workshop will be held June 9 and 10 at the EPA campus in Research Triangle Park,
NC. Attendees will learn about new air sensor technologies, performance results of lowcost sensor testing, citizen science and community-based monitoring and research
partnerships and collaborations.
Stay tuned to developments on the workshop web page at:
sites.google.com/site/airsensors2014.
2013 air sensors workshop findings
Key findings from EPA’s Air Sensors 2013: Data Quality & Applications workshop are
published in a special issue of EM magazine, a publication of the Air & Waste
Management Association. The four articles provide information about emerging air
sensor technologies. A second set of six articles will be published in the August issue of
the magazine. The workshop, held last March, brought together representatives from
EPA, academia, citizens, and others, to learn more about emerging air sensor
technologies and data information.
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Low-Cost Sensor Calibration Options (Findings from the 2013 Air Sensor
Workshop)
A Sensor World: Next Generation Air Monitoring at EPA
Air Sensors: Big Data, Big Dreams
New Technology for Low-Cost, Real-Time Air Monitoring
PSA video educates about heart risks from air pollution
Help us spread the word about the cardiovascular risks of air
pollution by using and sharing EPA’s new PSA video, Be
Smart, Protect Your Heart. The video is one of many
resources available as part of EPA’s Healthy Heart outreach to
educate people with heart disease and their health care
providers about the impacts of air pollution on the heart. The outreach also highlights
the importance of EPA science to further understand how air pollution is causing
cardiovascular effects. Learn more at www.epa.gov/healthyheart.
Contact: Ann Brown, 919-541-7818, brown.ann@epa.gov
New R-LINE model supports near-road epidemiology studies
EPA researchers have developed a new dispersion model called R-LINE (v.1.2) to better capture
temporal and spatial variability of mobile source-related concentrations in the near-road
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environment. R-LINE is already being used in EPA’s NEXUS study to investigate the health
effects of traffic-related air pollutants on children with asthma living in Detroit, Michigan. The
modeling system is providing new information on exposure to traffic-related air pollutants, and
model outputs are matched to the desired temporal and spatial resolution needed for the health
study.
R-LINE (V.1.2) was recently released on the Community Modeling & Analysis System (CMAS)
website (http://www.cmascenter.org/r-line/). The site is a public forum for air quality modelers
to use R-LINE and contribute to the improvement and future development of this model.
Contact: Val Garcia, 919-541-2649, Garcia.val@epa.gov
New version of SPECIATE database released
The database, SPECIATE, that contains speciation profiles of volatile organic gas and PM from
different air pollution sources, has been upgraded to version 4.4. Speciation profiles are derived
from peer-reviewed emissions data and provide estimates of their chemical composition. The
use of detailed profiles in emission inventories and air quality models improves their accuracy
and ultimately enhances the effectiveness of air quality management strategies.
SPECIATE 4.4 adds 32 PM profiles for a total of 3,600; 104 Organic Gas profiles for a total of
1,879; and 2,346 unique chemical species. The new profiles directly support EPA’s rule making
for the 2017 model year for vehicles and improves modeling capability of emission inventories.
Contact: Mike Kosusko,919-541-2734, kosusko.mike@epa.gov.
EPA STAR grant research on Climate and Health
Learn what EPA-funded researchers are doing to better understand the impacts of
climate change on health and the environment.
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Heat, Rainfall and Hospital Visits
Jonathan Patz from University of Wisconsin and his team investigate how temperature
and precipitation extremes impact human health.
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Heat Waves in a Changing Climate: Impacts on Health
Francesca Dominici of Harvard University and Marie O’Neill of University of Michigan
have found that heat increases in the U.S. relate to increased hospitalizations for nonlethal causes.
Climatic Impacts on Mysterious Valley Fever Soil Fungus
Andrew Comrie and his colleagues at University of Arizona are gaining a better
understanding of valley fever and how climate change may affect where and when it
occurs.
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Pollen and Allergic Airway Disease on the Rise
Richard Flagan of California Institute of Technology and his research group are
projecting how pollen levels and respiratory impacts will be affected by global climate
change.
Meet Michelle Bell
In this short interview, learn about how Michelle Bell of Yale University bridges the gap
between atmospheric, climatic and health sciences.
EPA modelers help Cousteau youth expedition
EPA scientists are developing a CMAQ model animation to help students understand
the impact of nitrogen deposition on the Chesapeake Bay as part of an education video
by Earth Echo Expeditions, a project by the grandchildren of explorer Jacques Cousteau.
The CMAQ model animation being developed will use daily atmospheric deposition of
nitrogen data for the watershed and bay from a 2006 simulation to depict the buildup of
nitrogen deposition throughout the year. Then static images of annual oxidized-nitrogen
and reduced-nitrogen will be provided to illustrate how nitrogen from urban corridors
and nearby farms is deposited into the bay and its watershed.
EarthEcho Expeditions can be found here: http://earthecho.org/expeditions.
Contact: Robin Dennis, 919-541-2870, robin.dennis@epa.gov
EPA sensor kits developed for outreach
EPA’s new air sensor kits used in educational
outreach were a big hit at the 2014 National Air
Quality Conference in RTP, which was sponsored by
EPA and the National Association of Clean Air
Agencies (NACAA). Dana Buchbinder (right), a
student contractor, and Gayle Hagler, EPA scientist,
talked with attendees about the kits that measure
particulate matter. The PM sensor kit and another
air sensor that measures carbon dioxide attracted attention at the ACE booth. Both kits
were developed by EPA researchers as educational tools to teach kids about air quality
and air science. A guide for purchasing kit parts, assembling them and using them for
outreach is being developed. Stay tuned to ACE News or contact Gayle or Dana to get on
the notification list.
Contacts:
Gayle Hagler, 919-541-2827, hagler.gayle@epa.gov
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Dana Buchbinder, 919-541-3152, Buchbinder.dana@epa.gov
This column recognizes EPA researchers’ outstanding achievements. Their work
showcases EPA’s leadership in science and research and helps improve human and
environmental health.
ACE Publication Highlights
Urban design changes can roll back warming
As cities and urban hot spots develop and expand,
it is critical to consider urban planning and design
that will reduce the impact of climate change. An
article published in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences explores the
sensitivity of regional climate change to growth of
megapolitan areas, clustered networks of cities.
One strategy that cities can adopt is the use of cool
roofs that reflect light and green or hybrid roofs,
which use vegetation to reduce the heat generated in urban areas. The study showed
that extensive use of these roofs can more than offset urban warming projected to be
caused by climate change.
The article recently caught the attention of over 40 news outlets, including Popular
Mechanics, Scientific American, Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, the LA Times,
and several international newspapers.
Research improves ability to study health effects of short-term air pollution
In an article published in Environmental Health Perspectives, EPA researchers
demonstrated a way to improve the ability to conduct epidemiologic studies on the
health effects of air pollution in rural areas. Rural areas are difficult to study because of
the limited data from regulatory air monitoring networks, which are located in
metropolitan cities. Researchers studied associations between asthma emergency
department visits in North Carolina and short–term ozone exposures using predicted
concentrations derived from the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model.
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In addition, the results support the growing body of evidence demonstrating a link
between short-term ozone exposures and asthma emergency department visits. Results
also suggest that children and individuals living in counties with poorer health status
were at increased risk of asthma-related visits to the emergency department following
ozone exposure.
Climate change and U.S. natural resources: managing impacts
EPA researchers describe management approaches to protect water, land and animal
and plant biodiversity in the face of climate change in an article published in Issues in
Ecology. The article reviews the impacts on ecosystems that is happening with climate
change and provides recommendations to managers of ecosystems to lessen the impact
on the environment.
Climate change and the meteorological drivers of particulate matter
An article by EPA researchers published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological
Society discusses the current state of science on the potential sensitivity of PM episodes
to climate change. More work is needed to support management of the health and
environmental risks of climate induced changes in PM. This paper outlines five top
priorities for the research community.
Impact of climate change on Chinook salmon
In a study funded by an EPA STAR grant, researchers examined the potential habitat
changes of the Chinook salmon in Northern California as a result of climate change.
Using the forecasted stream temperatures in conjunction with fish-habitat models,
researchers predicted how stream-rearing Chinook salmon and bass distributions would
change as each stream warmed. In summary, climate-induced stream temperature
warming and land-use management practices are likely to enable range expansions of
predatory bass farther into salmon rearing grounds, potentially adding more stress on
an already highly threatened group of cold-water fishes. The article is published in
Ecological Applications.
Using vegetation to reduce air pollution near roads
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A multidisciplinary group of researchers, planners and policymakers recently
participated in a workshop in Sacramento, Calif. to discuss roadside vegetation as a
viable option for mitigating the adverse health impacts from air pollution. The group
combined their key concerns and findings in an article in TR News magazine. The article
by EPA and others discusses planning practices and options to reduce exposure to air
pollutants along major roads. Rich Baldauf, an author of the study, is the featured
investigator in this issue’s Faces of ACE.
Mechanisms behind air pollution and health effects
The January 2014 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) includes three
publications from the Great Lakes Air Center for Integrated Environmental Research
(GLACIER), a Clean Air Research Center funded by EPA. These articles provide valuable
information regarding mechanisms behind and health impacts of air pollution
exposures, including cardiovascular and inflammatory response and diabetes.
Additionally, an editorial article highlights one of these STAR publications and
summarizes research on connections among PM2.5, inflammation, and diabetes.
Air Pollution–Mediated Susceptibility to Inflammation and Insulin Resistance:
Influence of CCR2 Pathways in Mice
Cardiovascular Depression in Rats Exposed to Inhaled Particulate Matter and
Ozone: Effects of Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome
Long-Term Exposure to Concentrated Ambient PM2.5 Increases Mouse Blood
Pressure through Abnormal Activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System: A
Role for Hypothalamic Inflammation
Toxicity beyond the Lung: Connecting PM2.5, Inflammation, and Diabetes
(Editorial)
“Moment of Science” Presentations
ACE researchers provide brief “Moment of Science” presentations at the ACE Bi-Weekly
meetings. Read the presentations online.
To participate in the bi-weekly meetings, contact Laurel Schultz,
schultz.laurel@epa.gov, 919-541-1949.
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Resources
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ACE Journal Watch
ACE’s ORD@Work Page
Air Research webpage (external)
Climate Change Research webpage (external)
Air-related blogs (external)
Climate-related blogs (external)
Energy-related blogs (external)
Air Region Home Page (external)
Please submit your story ideas or suggestions to Ann Brown, Managing
Editor, 919-541-7818, brown.ann@epa.gov.