Papers by Richard Haeuber
awma.org july 2008 em 29 The Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) will further reduce regional emissi... more awma.org july 2008 em 29 The Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) will further reduce regional emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), thus reducing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone pollution in the eastern United States. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that CAIR will provide the largest benefits of any Clean Air Act rule issued in the past 12 years. Regulations such as CAIR, however, come at a substantial economic cost. Moreover, understanding whether we have sufficiently protected the public is of critical concern.1,2 Thus, determining whether regulatory actions actually reduce air pollution and improve public health and the environment is an important step in environmental policy implementation. This article presents an “accountability” framework for evaluating the impact of CAIR that consists of “metrics” (i.e., predictions of changes associated with the promulgation of CAIR) and “indicators” (i.e., actual levels of...
Atmospheric Environment, 2021
The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments launched a new era in environmental protection. • The Acid Rain... more The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments launched a new era in environmental protection. • The Acid Rain Program's allowance trading program revolutionized air quality policy. • This success spurred additional programs to address interstate transport of power plant emissions. • Air pollution and environmental effects have decreased dramatically since 1990. • Thirty years of implementation experience offers key environmental policy insights.
further reduce regional emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO 2) and nitrogen oxides (NO
The ecological impacts of atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition first gained attention in th... more The ecological impacts of atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition first gained attention in the United States in the early 1970s with reports of “acid rain ” falling to Earth, causing lakes and streams to become acidic and resulting in conditions that were unsuitable for reproduction and survival of fish in those waters. Many years of research in the United States, Canada, and Europe have since confirmed the link between acidic deposition and ecosystem health. Today, there is a much greater understanding of the complex interactions between sulfur and nitrogen deposition and the natural environment. 1 The impacts of these pollutants are not limited to acid rain alone, but are also related to issues as diverse as elevated ozone concentrations in the lower atmosphere, fish mercury levels, and the trophic status of downstream coastal estuaries. 2,3 Many of the largest emissions reductions will be in the eastern United States. Atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen occurs when ...
: Acid deposition, more commonly known as acid rain, occurs when emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2... more : Acid deposition, more commonly known as acid rain, occurs when emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) react in the atmosphere (with water, oxygen, and oxidants) to form various acidic compounds. These acidic compounds then fall to earth in either a wet form (rain, snow, and fog) or a dry form (gases, aerosols, and particles). Prevailing winds transport the acidic compounds hundreds of miles, often across state and national borders. At certain levels the acidic compounds, including small particles such as sulfates and nitrates can cause many negative human health and environmental effects. While ecosystems are subject to many stresses, including land-use changes, climate change, and variations in hydrologic and meteorologic cycles, the scientific literature has clearly demonstrated that these pollutants can: * Degrade air quality, * Impair visibility, * Damage public health, * Acidify lakes and streams, * Harm sensitive forests, * Harm sensitive coastal ecosyst...
The present report synthesises the main features of the evolution over the 1990-2012 time period ... more The present report synthesises the main features of the evolution over the 1990-2012 time period of the concentration and deposition of air pollutants relevant in the context of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution: (i) ozone, (ii) sulfur and nitrogen compounds and particulate matter, (iii) heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. It is based on observations gathered in State Parties to the Convention within the EMEP monitoring network of regional background stations, as well as relevant modelling initiatives. Joint Report of: EMEP Task Force on Measurements and Modelling (TFMM), Chemical Co-ordinating Centre (CCC), Meteorological Synthesizing Centre-East (MSC-E), Meteorological Synthesizing Centre-West (MSC-W).
Environmental Science & Technology, 2004
I t is not surprising that humans have profoundly altered the global nitrogen (N) cycle in an eff... more I t is not surprising that humans have profoundly altered the global nitrogen (N) cycle in an effort to feed 7 billion people, because nitrogen is an essential plant and animal nutrient. Food and energy production from agriculture, combined with industrial and energy sources, have more than doubled the amount of reactive nitrogen circulating annually on land. Humanity has disrupted the nitrogen cycle even more than the carbon (C) cycle. We present new research results showing widespread effects on ecosystems, biodiversity, human health, and climate, suggesting that in spite of decades of research quantifying the negative consequences of too much available nitrogen in the biosphere, solutions remain elusive. There have been important successes in reducing nitrogen emissions to the atmosphere and this has improved air quality. Effective solutions for reducing nitrogen losses from agriculture have also been identified, although political and economic impediments to their adoption remain. Here, we focus on the major sources of reactive nitrogen for the United States (U.S.), their impacts, and potential mitigation options: • Intensive development of agriculture, industry, and transportation has profoundly altered the U.S. nitrogen cycle. • Nitrogen emissions from the energy and transportation sectors are declining, but agricultural emissions are increasing. • Approximately half of all nitrogen applied to boost agricultural production escapes its intended use and is lost to the environment. • Two-thirds of U.S. coastal systems are moderately to severely impaired due to nutrient loading; there are now approximately 300 hypoxic (low oxygen) zones along the U.S. coastline and the number is growing. One third of U.S. streams and two fifths of U.S. lakes are impaired by high nitrogen concentrations. • Air pollution continues to reduce biodiversity. A nation-wide assessment has documented losses of nitrogensensitive native species in favor of exotic, invasive species. • More than 1.5 million Americans drink well water contaminated with too much (or close to too much) nitrate (a regulated drinking water pollutant), potentially placing them at increased risk of birth defects and cancer. More research is needed to deepen understanding of these health risks. • Several pathogenic infections, including coral diseases, bird die-offs, fish diseases, and human diarrheal diseases and vector-borne infections are associated with nutrient losses from agriculture and from sewage entering ecosystems. • Nitrogen is intimately linked with the carbon cycle and has both warming and cooling effects on the climate. • Regulation of nitrogen oxide (NO X ) emissions from energy and transportation sectors has greatly improved air quality, especially in the eastern U.S. Nitrogen oxide is expected to decline further as stronger regulations take effect, but ammonia remains mostly unregulated and is expected to increase unless better controls on ammonia emissions from livestock operations are implemented. • Nitrogen loss from farm and livestock operations can be reduced 30-50% using current practices and technologies and up to 70-90% with innovative applications of existing methods. Current U.S. agricultural policies and support systems, as well as declining investments in agricultural extension, impede the adoption of these practices. Society faces profound challenges to meet demands for food, fiber, and fuel while minimizing unintended environmental and human health impacts. While our ability to quantify transfers of nitrogen across land, water, and air has improved since the first publication of this series in 1997, an even bigger challenge remains: using the science for effective management policies that reduce climate change, improve water quality, and protect human and environmental health. Cover photo credit: Nitrogen deposition at the Joshua Tree National Park in California has increased the abundance of exotic grasses, which are more prone to fire than native vegetation. The upper photo shows a site dominated by exotic annual grasses five years after a burn, and the lower shows a site immediately post-burn.
Nature Climate Change, 2016
Human activities such as agricultural fertilization and fossil fuel combustion add approximately ... more Human activities such as agricultural fertilization and fossil fuel combustion add approximately 150 Tg yr-1 of reactive nitrogen (N) to the Earth's land surface 1 , more than double the rate at which natural processes convert unreactive N 2 to the oxidized, reduced and organic forms that comprise reactive N. Although the increase in reactive N has enhanced food production over much of the globe, it also causes a cascade of adverse effects on ecosystems and ecosystem services 2. It is clear that the rate at which anthropogenic N is added to the environment now fundamentally alters the structure and function of many ecosystems globally 3. Increased N loading occurs in many ecosystems concurrently experiencing multiple stressors, including human-driven climate change. Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are likely to cause a global average temperature increase of 1.5 °C to 4 °C, and a significant shift in the amount and distribution of precipitation by the end of the twenty-first century 4. This level of global temperature increase may fundamentally alter the Earth's climate system, signifying that both the climate and N-cycle may soon cross or that they have already surpassed the threshold for a fundamental alteration of the structure and function of global ecosystems 3. The combined effect of climate change and N loading therefore has farreaching implications for ecosystems and the services upon which humanity depends. Although recent work has focused on the effects of anthropogenic N on the Earth's radiative forcing 5 , we lack a similarly integrated understanding of how climate change will alter ecosystem exposure to reactive N, as well as how temperature and precipitation alter ecological responses to N exposure. In this Review, we describe how climate (temperature and precipitation) alters key processes of N cycling, including atmospheric deposition, flushing and transport
Journal of Developing Areas, Jul 1, 1993
ABSTRACT Microfilm/xerographic reprint. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Carolina, 1991. Inclu... more ABSTRACT Microfilm/xerographic reprint. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Carolina, 1991. Includes bibliographical references.
Dissertation Abstracts International a Humanities and Social Sciences, 1992
ABSTRACT Microfilm/xerographic reprint. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Carolina, 1991. Inclu... more ABSTRACT Microfilm/xerographic reprint. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Carolina, 1991. Includes bibliographical references.
Background/Question/Methods Scientific information can and should play an important role in the p... more Background/Question/Methods Scientific information can and should play an important role in the process of environmental policy development and implementation. Both individual scientists’ and the institutions they work for play important roles in how and whether science affects the policy process. There are, however, cultural and procedural barriers that restrict the exchange of information between the scientific community and decision makers. For example, real and perceived incongruence in timing between the pace of scientific discovery and policy development often reinforces the belief that science cannot realistically be integrated into the policy process. Moreover, at the interpersonal level, scientists have limited time, opportunities, or in many cases incentive to work with decision makers on specific environmental issues. Finally, from the public’s perspective, many of today’s environmental issues are subtle and complex and thus require more explanation and understanding of t...
Applying Ecological Principles to Land Management, 2001
During the past fe~ millennia, humans have emerged as the major force of change around the globe.... more During the past fe~ millennia, humans have emerged as the major force of change around the globe. The large environmental changes wrought by our actions include modification of the global climate system, reduction in stratospheric ozone, alteration of the earth's biogeochemical cycles, changes in the distribution and abundance of biological resources, and decreasing water quantity and quality (Meyer and Turner 1994; IPCC 1996; Mahlman 1997; Vitousek et al. 1997). One of the most pervasive aspects of human-Induced change involves the widespread transformation of land through efforts to provide food, shelter, and products for our use. Land transformation is perhaps the most profound result of human actions because it affects so many of the planet's physical and biological systems (Kates et al. 1990). In fact, land-use changes directly impact the ability of the earth to continue providing the goods and services upon which humans depend. Unfortunately, potential ecological consequences are not always con sidered in making decisions regarding land use. Moreover, the unique perspective and body of knowledge offered by ecological science rarely are brought to bear in decision-making processes on private lands. In response to this need, the Ecological Society of America established a committee to examine the ways that land-use decisions are made and the ways that ecologists could help inform those decisions. This chapter reports the principles and guidelines developed by that committee. The full report is in Dale et al. (2000). This chapter presents ecological principles that are critical to sustaining the structure and function of ecosystems in the face of rapid land-use change and discusses their implications. It also offers guidelines for using these principles in making decisions regarding land-use change. Throughout, the chapter offers specific examples to illustrate decision making processes, relevant ecological principles, and guidelines for making choices about land use at spatial scales ranging from the individual site to
Applying Ecological Principles to Land Management, 2001
Few alterations of land exert effects that are as pervasive as those caused by human settlement D... more Few alterations of land exert effects that are as pervasive as those caused by human settlement Douglas 1994. The conversion of natural landscape to areas dominated by human development can cause dramatic changes, such as paving over land to construct a shopping mall and parking lots, or changes that are more subtle, such as fragmenting the landscape through low-density housing and roads. Decisions about how people occupy the land can have far-reaching effects on ecological systems, including simplification of the landscape, modification of natural disturbance patterns, changes in soil and water quantity and quality, and altered movement of nutrients, organisms, and other elements of ecological systems.
A Guidebook for Integrated Ecological Assessments, 2001
Ecosystem management is a recent policy alternative proposed to address a new generation of envir... more Ecosystem management is a recent policy alternative proposed to address a new generation of environmental issues characterized by greater sociocultural, political, economic, and biophysical complexity. For most ecosystem management efforts, scientific uncertainty and lack of data commonly are listed among the most significant stumbling blocks to success (Yaffee et al., 1996). As we move beyond the boundaries of the safe and known into the uncharted territory of ecosystem management, at both grand and small scales, the compass that science can provide to assist decision making is frequently the missing element (Lee, 1993). Ecological assessments are fundamental to ecosystem management precisely because they provide a tool pointing the way and giving direction to difficult decisions made in the face of great uncertainty (Lackey, 1998).
Journal Of Developing Areas, 1993
ABSTRACT Microfilm/xerographic reprint. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Carolina, 1991. Inclu... more ABSTRACT Microfilm/xerographic reprint. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Carolina, 1991. Includes bibliographical references.
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Papers by Richard Haeuber