R -- ASSESSING STATUS OF INCORPORATING SMOKE EFFECTS INTO FIRE PLANNING AND OPERATIONS.

Notice Date

September 25, 2001

Contracting Office

Western Governors' Association, 1515 Cleveland Place, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80202

ZIP Code

80202

Solicitation Number

01WGA116WRAP

Response Due

October 26, 2001

Point of Contact

Richard Halvey, (303) 623-9378

E-Mail Address

Western Governors' Association (rhalvey@westgov.org)

Description

Smoke from fires produces a variety of air pollutants. The GCVTC recognized that the need to address air quality effects of prescribed fire and managed natural fire, known as wildland fire use (WFU), is becoming more important with the increased use of prescribed fire to improve the ecological health and to reduce the buildup of hazardous fuels on public, private and tribal lands throughout the West. Emissions from controlled burning on agricultural land and their effects have also been identified as a concern by the GCVTC. Fire planning efforts need to consider the effects of smoke on visibility (both plume blight and regional haze), public nuisance, and the health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as recommended by the GCVTC Final Report (1996), and as required by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Regional Haze Rule (July 1999). In phase one, this project will: 1) assess the status of federal, state, local, tribal, and private prescribed fire programs to incorporate smoke effects of prescribed fires and WFUs in strategic planning documents, known as programmatic plans, 2) assess the status of federal, state, local, tribal, and private prescribed fire programs to incorporate smoke effects of prescribed fires and WFUs in operational plans, including using the Wildland Fire Situation Analysis (WFSA) by federal land managers, 3) evaluate the smoke effects from the implementation of operational plans, including using the Wildland Fire Situation Analysis (WFSA) by federal land managers, for prescribed fires and WFUs, and 4) evaluate whether non-burning alternatives were analyzed by land managers in programmatic plans. Phase two will identify and summarize all state and federal guidance documents that provide guidance on how to address air quality effects of prescribed fire and WFU in operational and programmatic plans. Copies of the proposal may be downloaded at the WRAP web site at www.wrapair.org.

Web Link

Western Regional Air Partnership (http://www.wrapair.org)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010927/RSOL010.HTM (D-268 SN50Y7B1)