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Clearing the air

County close to being removed from EPA Clean Air Act listing

A map provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection shows the municipalities in Warren County that are currently in an Environmental Protection Agency area of nonattainment in terms of sulfur dioxide content in the air, as well as the location of United Refining Company, which is listed as the primary point source of sulfur dioxide in the area. DEP has a public meeting scheduled that is one of the steps necessary to change the nonattainment designation.

Warren County could soon be out from under the cloud of a federal Clean Air Act listing.

For almost four years, Conewango Township, Glade Township, Pleasant Township, and the City of Warren, have been listed for failing to meet sulfur dioxide requirements of the federal Clean Air Act.

The air is cleaner now, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the department is taking the steps to remove Warren County from that list.

DEP is seeking comments and will hold a public meeting regarding the change. The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, at the DEP district office, 321 N. State St., North Warren.

As a result of a 2011 study of sulfur dioxide levels, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed a portion of Warren County for “nonattainment” of National Ambient Air Quality Standard.

The EPA designation took effect on Aug. 5, 2013.

Short-term exposure to sulfur dioxide has been linked to “an array of adverse respiratory effects,” according to DEP.

In 2011, the sulfur dioxide levels were measured at 1,080.664 tons per year, with 992 of those tons coming from United Refining Company, according to DEP.

“DEP estimates that by 2018 sulfur dioxide emissions will be reduced by 482 tons, or by 48 percent, from levels emitted in 2011, thanks to operational changes at the United Refining Company in Warren,” according to a DEP release.

The 2018 projection for United’s sulfur dioxide emission is 510 tons.

The various nonattainment areas nationwide, including four areas in Pennsylvania, had to attain the target air quality “as expeditiously as practicable, but no later than five years from the effective date.”

According to DEP’s proposed State Implementation Plan (SIP) Revision, “specific emission changes have been in place at United Refining since 2015 to reduce the sulfur emissions from the facility. The change in fuel usage from high sulfur (2.8 percent sulfur) to a lower sulfur fuel oil (5,000 parts per million or 0.5 percent sulfur) in 11 combustion units and heaters reduces the emissions from these unites.”

In 2015, the company also increased its use of an additive that prevents the formation of sulfur dioxide.

The 2015 changes are clearly shown in a fourth quarter average emissions table in the DEP SIP document. From 2011 to 2013, emission of sulfur dioxide (in pounds per hour) was between 223 and 228. In 2014, the level was 204. The 2015 level was 89.2. Emission of sulfur dioxide was even lower in 2016 at 68.76.

Comments must be received no later than Aug. 4. Comments may be filed online by visiting http://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment/ and clicking “submit comments” for Proposed State Implementation Plan Revision: Attainment Demonstration for the Warren Nonattainment Area for the 2010 Sulfur Dioxide National Ambient Air Quality Standard.

Attempts to reach United Refining for comment were unsuccessful.

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