Four Corners Air Quality Group

The Four Corners Air Quality Group is a broadly representative group open to anyone interested in air quality. This group is a follow-up to the Four Corners Air Quality Task Force, which was convened in November 2005 to look at air quality issues in the Four Corners region. See below for more information and background on the Four Corners Air Quality Task Force. The Four Corners Air Quality Group meets at least once per year to review progress on air quality in the Four Corners. The Group may also be convened at other times.

What was the purpose of the Task Force?

The original purpose of the Task Force was to bring together a diverse group of interested parties to learn about and discuss air quality issues in the Four Corners area. Task Force members developed a broad list of options for improving air quality in the area that aids the regulatory agencies in managing air quality impacts. These options were included in a Report which was finalized in November 2007. The completion of the Report ended the official business of the Task Force.

So much interest in air quality issues was generated through the Task Force, it was decided to re-convene the members and any other interested parties into the future to review air quality progress in the Four Corners as the Four Corners Air Quality Group.

Who convened and manages the Four Corners Air Quality Group and, formerly, the Task Force?

The states of New Mexico and Colorado convened the Task Force in November 2005 and oversaw the work of the Task Force through its completion in November 2007. The States of Colorado and New Mexico will continue to oversee any future meetings of the Four Corners Air Quality Group, and will keep this website available into the future for information sharing on air quality issues in the Four Corners area.

What other agencies are involved?

Other participating agencies include the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency; the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Air Quality Program; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; the U.S. Department of Energy; and the state of Utah.

Why does the Four Corners area need an effort such as this?

Increased development in the area including new power plants, oil and gas wells, and population growth are contributing to air quality concerns. Ozone levels in the region are close to exceeding the health-based national air quality standards for outdoor air. Many residents are concerned with potential health impacts from other pollutants. An overall haze can often be seen in the skies, which impacts visibility. There are concerns for the ecosystem due to deposition of mercury and nitrogen.

The responsible regulatory agencies are addressing these issues in order to effectively manage air quality. These agencies believe input from residents of the area is important in developing and implementing an effective management plan.

Who may participate?

Anyone with an interest in air quality issues in the Four Corners area is invited to participate. Please see the website for information on how to become involved.

Who currently is involved?

In addition to the agencies mentioned above, membership includes community members, interest groups, local governments, industry, and other interested entities. See the Rosters page for a current list.

As a participant, how will my input be considered and incorporated?

During the report-writing phase of the Task Force, participants in the Task Force process could provide written input at any time, using Task Force procedures, including drafting entirely new mitigation ideas. All such written input was incorporated in the final report for consideration by the regulatory agencies.

In addition, a public review process was also developed to enable anyone outside the Task Force to review and comment on the Draft Task Force Report.

All comments were appended to the Final Task Force Report.

Now that the Task Force Report is complete, Four Corners Air Quality Group members may attend meetings held in the Four Corners area (see individual Meetings pages) and give their input in those forums. Individuals may also email ideas, concerns or suggestions pertaining to air quality in the Four Corners to contacts: Mark Jones (NM) and Christopher Dann (CO).

How often does the Group meet?

During the Report development phase (November 2005 – November 2007), the Task Force met each quarter in the Four Corners area (usually Farmington or Durango) in the months of February, May, August and November. Information from these meetings is available on the website on the individual Meetings pages.

Future meetings of the Task Force will be convened as needed, but at minimum once per year. Please see the individual Meetings pages for information on upcoming meetings.

What were the Task Force work groups and what was their purpose?

During the Report development phase of the Task Force, five work groups were developed to address different aspects of air quality in the Four Corners. These workgroups included three “source” work groups: Power Plants, Oil and Gas, and Other Sources and two “technical” work groups: Cumulative Effects and Monitoring. The work of each of these groups is represented in the Task Force Report under the sections of the same name.

At this point in time the work groups are no longer active. For a full record of the work of these groups, please see the individual work group pages.

What is the Four Corners Inventory and Modeling Project?

The agencies that are coordinating the Task Force are also working together on an inventory and modeling project for the Four Corners area. Prior to convening the Task Force, the agencies identified the need for a more site specific inventory of the Four Corners as well as more robust modeling of mitigation scenarios. When the Task Force came together and the Cumulative Effects work group started, that group developed a way for this work to get accomplished. In order that the Task Force’s Cumulative Effects work group could continue its work for the Task Force and complete it in the Task Force timeframe (November 2007), the agencies split the longer-term inventory and modeling project out for management by the agencies through an ad hoc committee made up of interested stakeholders. The results of this project will be used by the regulatory agencies to identify the most effective mitigation strategies and groups of strategies for implementation in the Four Corners area.

The results from this effort will be available early in 2009 and will be presented in the Four Corners area. Please see the Meetings page for information on this meeting.

How does the Task Force benefit the area?

The work of the Task Force in the form of its Report of Mitigation Options has provided an invaluable resource to the agencies responsible for air quality management in the Four Corners area. Further, the follow-up Four Corners Air Quality Group continues to provide a forum for learning and for the exchange of ideas and information, as well as a venue to get to know the people in the area with interest in air quality.

How long will it take to implement the Task Force’s Report?

The Task Force Report as such will not be implemented. Rather, it represents a compendium of options for mitigating air quality impacts. The responsible agencies are using the report as the basis for developing air quality management plans in the region. This includes developing new and revising existing regulations, supporting new legislation, developing new outreach and information programs, and developing and/or expanding voluntary programs for emission reductions. Please see the first of the agencies’ cooperative progress report given at the August 2008 Farmington Meeting.

Now that the Task Force Report is complete, what will happen next?

Now that the Task Force Report is final, the regulatory agencies have begun to meet to review the options and begin the development of an implementation plan. This work is being done cooperatively among the agencies when appropriate, and individually as needed. Some of the work will include additional analyses of some of the options including modeling, economic analyses, review of additional monitoring data, etc. For example, implementation of a voluntary program could take up to six months, whereas the development of a new regulation could take a year or longer. The Four Corners Air Quality Group will be reconvened periodically to receive updates on progress and to provide additional input.

Whom may I contact with additional questions not addressed here?

If you have questions about the work of the Task Force or the ongoing interaction of the Air Quality Group, please contact Mark Jones of the New Mexico Environment Department at (505) 327-6854. You also may contact Christopher Dann of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment at (303) 692-3281.

Thank you for your interest!

This webpage is maintained on the NM Environment Department website.

This page was last updated October 06, 2006