Effects of rural area VOC and NOx emissions on tropospheric ozone concentrations

Most pulp and paper mills and many wood product facilities are major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and significant sources of nitrogen oxides (NOx). VOCs and NOx are both precursors to the formation of tropospheric ozone. However, mitigation of the impact of these two pollutants on the formation of ozone in the lower atmosphere is a far more complicated issue than simply reducing the emissions of the individual pollutants. In order to evaluate impacts on the ozone concentrations resulting from VOC and NOx emissions in rural areas, a study has been performed on two scales, local and regional. On a local scale, a photochemical modeling analysis has been performed for a "model" plant using the latest version of the Reactive Plume Model (RPM). This paper presents several of the modeling scenarios for the model plant, with an extensive sensitivity analysis conducted to study the maximum ozone concentrations caused by different VOC and NOx emission conditions. On a regional transport scale, the technical basis of the regional NOx control strategy developed by the Ozone Transport Assessment Group (OTAG) has been reviewed in this study. This controversial regional implementation plan will have significant impacts on major NOx emission sources in the eastern United States.