ALL4 Air Quality Modeling Update

As it’s been over a year since my last air quality modeling-related 4TR article, I thought it appropriate to provide a general status report on the air quality modeling updates that have occurred over the last year.  There are a number of items that warrant discussion around their updates and the potential impacts on the regulated community, specifically:

• A new version of U.S. EPA’s preferred near field (i.e., less than 50km) air dispersion model AERMOD and the meteorological preprocessor AERMET was released on December 24, 2013.
• A new version of U.S. EPA’s preferred long range (i.e., greater than 50km) transport air dispersion model CALPUFF was released on December 4, 2013.
• Status of the draft Guidance for PM_2.5 Permit Modeling.
• U.S. EPA Regional/State/Local Modelers Workshop.