Federal Tier Research Articles

PM2.5 and its components and respiratory disease healthcare encounters – Unanticipated increased exposure-response relationships in recent years after environmental policies

Prior studies reported excess rates (ERs) of cardiorespiratory events associated with short-term increases in PM2.5 concentrations, despite implementation of pollution-control policies. In 2017, Federal Tier 3 light-duty vehicle regulations began, and to-date there have been no assessments of population health effects of the policy. Using the NYS Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database, we obtained hospitalizations and ED visits with a principal diagnosis of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for residents living within 15 miles of six urban PM2.5 monitoring sites in NYS (2014–2019). We used a time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression (adjusting for ambient temperature, relative humidity, and weekday) to estimate associations between PM2.5, POC (primary organic carbon), SOC (secondary organic carbon), and rates of respiratory disease hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits from 2014 to 2019. We evaluated demographic disparities in these relative rates and compared changes in ERs before (2014–2016) and after Tier 3 implementation (2017–2019). Each interquartile range increase in PM2.5 was associated with increased ERs of asthma or COPD hospitalizations and ED visits in the previous 7 days (ERs ranged from 1.1%–3.1%). Interquartile range increases in POC were associated with increased rates of asthma ED visits (lag days 0–6: ER = 2.1%, 95% CI = 0.7%, 3.6%). Unexpectedly, the ERs of asthma admission and ED visits associated with PM2.5, POC, and SOC were higher during 2017–2019 (after Tier 3) than 2014–2016 (before Tier-3). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease analyses showed similar patterns. Excess Rates were higher in children (<18 years; asthma) and seniors (≥65 years; COPD), and Black, Hispanic, and NYC residents. In summary, unanticipated increases in asthma and COPD ERs after Tier-3 implementation were observed, and demographic disparities in asthma/COPD and PM2.5, POC, and SOC associations were also observed. Future work should confirm findings and investigate triggering of respiratory events by source-specific PM.

Vehicle Exhaust Remote Sensing Device Method to Screen Vehicles for Evaporative Running Loss Emissions.

Vehicle hydrocarbon (HC) emissions can be emitted from either tailpipe or nontailpipe locations, and understanding their fleet apportionment is important for a successful air pollution policy. Vehicles initially misidentified as having elevated tailpipe HC emissions first indicated that roadside exhaust sensors could detect the presence of evaporative HC emissions as increased noise in the HC/carbon dioxide (CO2) correlation measurement. The 90th percentile of the largest residual of the HC/CO2 correlation is defined as a running loss index (RLI) for each measurement. An RLI that is three standard deviations or greater above the instrument noise indicates possible evaporative running loss emissions with the probability increasing with larger RLI values. Two databases of vehicle emission measurements previously collected in West Los Angeles in 2013 and 2015 were screened using this method. The screening estimated that 0.09% (31/33,806) and 0.18% (49/27,413) of the attempted measurements indicated evaporative running loss emissions from a 9-year-old fleet. California LEV I certified vehicles (1994-2003 model years) accounted for the largest age group for both. The minimum detection limits for the instrument used were estimated at 2.8 and 1.6 g/mile on a propane basis for the 2013 and 2015 data, respectively, or 32-56 times the Federal Tier 2 and Tier 3 standards of 0.05 g/mile.

Regulatory pluralism: positing priority actions in waste and recycling management

ABSTRACT The annual management of 67 million tonnes of waste and recycling streams poses significant environmental pollution and regulatory challenges to Australian governments. While the Australian government has carriage of waste and recycling policy and coordination, operational aspects rest with state-territory and local governments. This research examined stakeholder perspectives and, while lacking in individual and community client data inputs, exposed regulatory limitations, waste and recycling problems and issues, and forward trajectories for waste policies and programs. Regulatory pluralism theory served as the study’s lens, showing that the rapid rise in waste production and reduced waste transfers to China will require a composite of improved waste regulations, landfill and waste handling management practices; additional recycling behaviour modification incentives; and domestic and international waste and recyclate markets development. In addition, the analysis highlighted the important leadership role for the federal tier of waste governance in product stewardship reform, and the advancement of waste and recycling infrastructure development under new national cabinet and federal reform arrangements. Importantly, from the theory perspective, the research built into the cumulative tradition of pluralistic regulatory systems development.

Issue of Fiscal Federalism and National Development in Nigeria during Obasanjo Administration

Nigeria operates a fiscal arrangement that caters for the needs of component states. Federalism is characterized by extensive inter-governmental relations in which federal, state and local tier interact to seek policies and programmes that will cater for the welfare of the public. This can become a reality when there is financial insubordination from any levels of government. It implies that federal, state or local level should depend on one another in performing their statutory functions in a federal state. The challenges of fiscal relations and national development is enormous in Nigeria, the paper will x-ray issues within the ecology of Nigerian federal structure, ranging from revenue sharing to fiscal decentralization, allocation expenditure and tax-raising power among the three levels of government. The paper concludes that the prospect of any nation depend on proper arrangement rooted in equity, fairness and justice to enhance equitable revenue formula for the best interest of Nigerian state. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n10p109

Evaluation of light-duty vehicle mobile source regulations on ozone concentration trends in 2018 and 2030 in the western and eastern United States

To improve U.S. air quality, there are many regulations on-the-way (OTW) and on-the-books (OTB), including mobile source California Low Emission Vehicle third generation (LEV III) and federal Tier 3 standards. This study explores the effects of those regulations by using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model for 8-hr ozone concentrations in the western and eastern United States in the years 2018 and 2030 during a month with typical high ozone concentrations, July. Alterations in pollutant emissions can be due to technological improvements, regulatory amendments, and changes in growth. In order to project emission rates for future years, the impacts of all of these factors were estimated. This study emphasizes the potential light-duty vehicle emission changes by year to predict ozone levels. The results of this study show that most areas have decreases in 8-hr ozone concentrations in the year 2030, although there are some areas with increased concentrations. Additionally, there are areas with 8-hr ozone concentrations greater than the current U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standard level, which is 75 ppb. Implications: To improve U.S. air quality, many regulations are on the way and on the books, including mobile source California LEV III and federal Tier 3 standards. This study explores the effects of those regulations for 8-hr ozone concentrations in the western and eastern United States in the years 2018 and 2030. The results of this study show that most areas have decreases in 8-hr ozone concentrations in 2030, although there are some areas with increased concentrations. Additionally, there are areas with 8-hr ozone concentrations greater than the current U.S. National Ambient Air Quality Standard level.

DEBT BAILOUTS AND CONSTITUTIONS

A demand-based theory of subnational debt bailouts is presented. It is shown that demand for bailouts among politicians with regional constituencies is affected by revenue sharing arrangements as a bailout implies a shift of taxation toward the federal tier. Automatic revenue sharing may lead to the formation of pro-bailout coalitions formed by indebted states and states that are net recipients of the revenue sharing arrangement. The model shows that the state debt bailouts approved by the Brazilian Senate prior to the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility Act were consistent with politicians who maximize the proceeds accruing to their constituencies. (JEL H70, D70)

Debt Bailouts and Constitutions

A demand based theory of sub-national debt bailouts is presented. It is shown that revenue sharing (RS) arrangements alter the demand for bailouts among politicians with regional constituencies as a bailout usually implies a shift of taxation to the federal tier. Automatic RS may lead to the formation of pro-bailout coalitions formed by indebted states and states that are net recipients of the RS arrangement. Also, RS can act as a commitment device for compensating payments among state representatives, making a bailout politically rational. The model shows that the state debt bailouts approved by the Brazilian Senate prior to the enactment of the Fiscal Responsibility Act were fully consistent with politicians that maximize the proceeds accruing to their constituencies.

Control Oriented Modeling of a Diesel Active Lean NOx Catalyst Aftertreatment System

The 2004 Federal Tier II and California LEV I emission standards for diesel light trucks mandate tailpipe NOx levels of 0.6g∕mi. Active lean NOx catalysts (ALNC or LNC) have been proposed as a means to achieve this standard. These catalysts require the delivery of supplemental hydrocarbons in order to reduce NOx in the lean environment typical of diesel exhaust. In the system studied here, these additional hydrocarbons are injected into the exhaust system downstream of the turbocharger. A control-oriented, gray-box mathematical model is developed for diesel active lean NOx catalysts. The model represents the phenomena relevant to NOx reduction and HC consumption, namely, the catalyst chemical reactions, HC storage in the ALNC, and heat transfer behavior on the basis of an individual exhaust element. As an illustration of how the model may be used, dynamic programing is applied to determine the optimal trade-off of NOx conversion efficiency versus quantity of injected hydrocarbons.

Effect of Ambient Temperature and E-10 Fuel on Primary Exhaust Particulate Matter Emissions from Light-Duty Vehicles

During the winter of 1994−1995, the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation conducted a multi-faceted program designed to evaluate the impact of switching from regular gasoline to an E-10 fuel (gasoline with 10% ethanol) in Fairbanks. As part of that program, 10 in-use vehicles were tested on a chassis dynamometer at temperatures of 20, 0, and −20 °F using both fuels. Three of these vehicles were retested in the EPA facilities at Research Triangle Park, NC, under the same conditions. Vehicles were driven over the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule of the Federal Test Procedure during testing. PM-10 exhaust emission samples were collected at Fairbanks, and total particulate samples were obtained at the EPA. Results from both parts of this study indicate that particulate matter (PM) emission rates increased with decreasing temperature for both fuels. The increase occurred primarily during cold starting and is assumed to be due to enrichment. Particulate matter emission rates during operation on the E-10 fuel were lower relative to rates obtained during operation on the base gasoline. Exhaust hydrocarbon and PM emissions were well correlated, suggesting that fully phased-in Federal Tier 1 vehicle emission standards will reduce PM emissions from new vehicles and that rich-operating, high emitters can be expected to have high PM emissions.