The Importance of Policy in Emissions Inventory Accuracy— A Lesson from British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

Actual atmospheric emissions in northeast British Columbia, Canada, are much higher than reported emissions. The addition of upstream oil and gas sector sources not included in the year-2000 emissions inventory of Criteria Air Contaminants (CACs) increases annual totals of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and volatile organic compound emissions by 115.1, 89.9, and 109.5%, respectively. These emissions arise from numerous small and unregulated point sources (N = 10,129). CAC summaries are given by source type and source sector. An analysis of uncertainty and reporting policy suggests that inventory omissions are not limited to the study area and that Canadian pollutant emissions are systematically underestimated. The omissions suggest that major changes in reporting procedures are needed in Canada if true estimates of annual pollutant emissions are to be documented.

Approaching Cumulative Effects through Air Pollution Modelling

“…The air pollution effect pathway is the focus of this assessment and begins at the source of emissions. BC's air emission permitting requirements have been shown to be both exclusive and inadequate (Krzyzanowski 2009), and like other (non-air pollution) impact pathways, project approvals occur on a site-by-site basis (BC's 2004 Environmental Management Act). This approach to emissions regulation and traditional (or cumulative) environmental impact assessment ignores the interactions and accumulation of multiple sources or activities in shared space or time.…”

Measurement of nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide by satellite and passive monitors in Northeastern British Columbia, Canada.

“…about increasing air pollution as a result of accelerating natural gas production (Fraser Basin Council, 2013;Krzyzanowski, 2012;MoE, 2014) without the simultaneous implementation o f available technological advances to control emissions (Krzyzanowski, 2009 and are emitted from various stages o f oil and gas activities, mostly during the production phase such as processing (e.g., flares, engines, and compressors), distribution (e.g., leaks of pipelines and flanges), and from storage tanks (e.g., vaporization) (Krzyzanowski, 2012).…”

“…about increasing air pollution resulting from accelerating natural gas production (Fraser Basin Council, 2013;Krzyzanowski, 2012;MoE, 2014) without simultaneous implementation o f available technological advances to control emissions (Krzyzanowski, 2009 stages o f oil and gas activities but mostly from the production phase such as processing (flares, engines, and compressors), distribution (leaks o f pipelines and flanges), and also from storage tanks as vaporization (Krzyzanowski, 2012). However, oil and gas industries are not required to report to the NPRI the emissions during the well development phase (e.g., in pilot phase or in exploration or drilling phase) (http://ec.gc.ca/inrpnpri/default.asp?lang=En&n=02C767B3-C9FD-4DD7-8072).…”

“…However, oil and gas industries are not required to report to the NPRI the emissions during the well development phase (e.g., in pilot phase or in exploration or drilling phase) (http://ec.gc.ca/inrpnpri/default.asp?lang=En&n=02C767B3-C9FD-4DD7-8072). Therefore, it has been suggested that both of these gaseous species are under-reported (Krzyzanowski, 2009) and under-monitored (Krzyzanowski, 2011). and January 2014 to monitor SO2 and total reduced sulfur (TRS) along with meteorology, as a pilot study (MoE, 2014).…”

“…about increasing air pollution resulting from accelerating natural gas production (Fraser Basin Council, 2013;Krzyzanowski, 2012;MoE, 2014) without simultaneous implementation of available technological advances to control emissions (Krzyzanowski, 2009). According to the 2010 emissions data reported to Canada's National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI, http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/websol/quervsite/querv e.cfm), SO2 and NO2 are the dominant species among all gaseous air pollutants in Northeastern B.C.…”