ARL News
Special Issue of EM Magazine on Links Between Air, Land, and Water Quality
December 2007
ST Rao of ARL’s Atmospheric Sciences Modeling Division organized a special issue of the
EM Magazine on Linking Air, Land, and Water Pollution for Effective Environmental
Management. EM Magazine is a publication of the Air and Waste Management Association for
Environmental Managers. Seven articles will be featured in the December 2007 issue of the
magazine.
Background:
Since passage of the Environmental Policy Act in 1970, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), NOAA, other federal agencies, and the states have made substantial progress in
improving the nation’s air and water quality. Traditionally, air, land, and water pollution
control programs are managed independently of one another due, in part, to differing funding
allocations and separate sets of rules and regulations. Even in a single-medium management
paradigm, air programs have been addressing one pollutant at a time. Recognizing the complex
interplay between meteorology and atmospheric chemistry, air quality managers are now beginning
to pay attention to the development of multipollutant strategies under the “one-atmosphere”
concept. It is increasingly evident that air pollution control programs aimed at addressing
issues such as acid rain, ozone, and fine particulate matter can also provide significant
benefits to water quality. For example, reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions have helped
reduce nitrogen eutrophication in coastal waters, while controls on mercury emissions into
the atmosphere help reduce methylmercury concentrations in fish and wildlife.
Significance:
Atmospheric deposition is the natural physical process by which airborne contaminants leave
the atmosphere and are transferred to the land and water, contributing to multi-media pollution
problems. Hence, policies dealing with excess greenhouse gases, nitrogen, sulfur, mercury, and
other contaminants in the atmosphere must also consider multimedia issues to maximize the
benefits of environmental regulations. The articles in this issue of EM discuss the need for
integrated assessments of air, land, and water pollution and the resulting challenges
confronting environmental managers. Policies reflecting this integrated approach to multimedia
assessments are necessary for effective environmental management in the future.
Contact information: Dr. S.T. Rao
Phone: (919) 541-4541
e-mail: st.rao@noaa.gov
|