Air Resources Management

Roles and Responsibilities

Federal agencies with Class I areas include the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S.D.A. Forest Service. Each agency is required by the Clean Air Act to designate a Federal Land Manager who has ultimate responsibility for fulfilling the requirements of the Act. Procedurally, the Departmental Manual delegates the authority granted to the Secretary as Federal Land Manager to the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks The Assistant Secretary has stated that his/her office will exercise this authority and will handle all matters related to EPA visibility regulations, with the NPS offices providing staff support. In addition, the functions of the "federal official charged with direct responsibility for management of such lands" under Section 165(d)(2) of the Clean Air Act (new source review provisions) are subject to general policy guidance from the Assistant Secretary's office and to specific review in controversial cases. The Air Resources Division can provide guidance in determining when the Assistant Secretary's review is necessary and provide assistance in obtaining the clearance when required.

The Director of the National Park Service establishes and approves servicewide air resource policies and standards. The Director is ultimately responsible for establishing air resource programs that conserve natural resources unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations and for ensuring that such programs are in compliance with air resource directives, policies, and laws.

The Associate Director, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science (ADNRSS), has functional authority, through the Air Resources Division, for developing air resource policies and standards for the Director's approval; providing policy oversight of NPS air resource programs, including evaluating the results of field performance in complying with air resource directives, policies, and laws; providing direct assistance to parks in air resource program areas; and administering air resource programs for which the ADNRSS has direct authority.

The Air Resources Division exercises the ADNRSS's responsibility by administering specific air resource programs, including those that provide direct assistance to parks in carrying out air resource activities and in interpreting air resource policies, regulations, and guidance; formulating servicewide air resource standards, policies, and regulations; developing and promulgating methods, procedures, and guidelines to help parks conduct effective air resource programs; and carrying out functional oversight within assigned program areas. The following describe the major functions of the Air Resources Division.

1. Provides support to the NPS Director, the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks (as the Federal Land Manager), and the Secretary of the Interior. This involves such activities as: (1) developing testimony for Congressional hearings on air quality issues that may affect parks; (2) preparing information for use in work with other bureaus, agencies, and departments on policies, regulations, or activities with potential air quality impacts on parks; (3) reviewing, analyzing, and developing policy positions on proposed federal, state, and local regulations, legislation, or management activities that may impact park resources; and (4) reviewing all air quality permit applications for major new and modified industrial facilities whose activities may affect AQRVs in parks.

2. Provides policy and technical information and assistance to the parks and regions. The Air Resources Division provides air resource planning and management guidance and support (including project funding) to parks and regions. The Air Resources Division's technical staff assists park and regional personnel in their efforts to identify, document, prevent, mitigate, remedy, and interpret damage to park resources from air pollution. In addition, Air Resource Division personnel are available to work on specific air resource projects.

3. Plans, designs, and implements air quality and effects related monitoring. The Air Resources Division designs and directs air quality related monitoring for the purposes of (1) documenting air quality and AQRV conditions in NPS units; (2) accurately describing the causes and effects of park air pollution problems, and (3) seeking solutions to current problems resulting from air pollution in the parks. The Air Resources Division coordinates the collection, analysis, and reporting of monitoring data for criteria air pollutants and visibility.

The regional director, through or with the assistance of an assistant or associate regional director, is responsible for ensuring that air resource programs within the region are uniformly implemented in compliance with directives, policies, and law; and identifying regional air resource coordinators, who can provide information and data about park air resource programs to the Washington Office. Air resource coordinator responsibilities include:

1. providing technical and policy assistance on routine air quality matters to parks and regional management, and ensuring that the Air Resources Division is consulted on nonroutine, controversial, or other matters requiring a high level of technical or policy expertise;

2. reviewing park management plans to ensure their adequacy and accuracy in the area of air resource management (including interpretation) and monitoring;

3. seeking to obtain the necessary research or monitoring for parks where air pollution is a threat to park resources and values, including soliciting air quality related project requests from parks, ranking such projects on a regional basis, and participating in allocation of the servicewide air quality project account;

4. working with the Air Resources Division to ensure appropriate research programs are initiated in regional park units;

5. coordinating park and regional office concurrence on comments/testimony prepared by the Air Resources Division on air pollution permit applications and State Implementation Plans, including ensuring the timely submittal of those comments to the permitting/regulatory authority; and

6. disseminating air quality data and reports published by the Air Resources Division to parks.

The superintendent is responsible for understanding the park's air resources and their condition and for establishing and managing park air resource programs and ensuring that they comply with directives, policies, and laws, such as the Clean Air Act. The park natural resource manager, on behalf of the superintendent, carries out air resource needs assessments and planning and conducts operational air resource management activities in compliance with directives, policies, and laws.

Park responsibilities include:

1. identifying all air quality related values and resource threats related to air quality in the resource management plan(s), including developing management objectives, project statements, and funding requests;

2. submitting for review to the regional office and the Air Resources Division any air quality permit applications received from permit applicants or federal, state, or local air quality agencies;

3. being aware of and complying with all federal, state, and local air quality regulations that affect park operations and facilities;

4. ensuring diligent participation by park staff in air quality data acquisition activities, including operation and maintenance of monitoring equipment;

5. issuing health warnings or alerts to visitors when pollution levels within the park are observed or expected to exceed levels hazardous to human health, and notifying the regional safety officer of this action;

6. being aware of proposed industrial or energy resource development activities that may influence the park's air quality, including participating in scoping processes for such projects and requesting technical and policy assistance from the regional office or Air Resources Division, when necessary;

7. participating in public hearings and meetings where issues relevant to protection of air quality in the parks is the issue;

8. cooperating with other federal, state, or local agencies or research/academic institutions in air quality monitoring or research that may contribute to the service's goal to perpetuate the best possible air quality in parks by providing information needed for decision-making that affects air quality in parks; and

9. ensuring that interpretive materials and media developed by park staff related to air resource management have been reviewed by NPS technical and policy experts.