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== Southeast Newport News Atmospheric Pollution Survey, 1956 ==
== Southeast Newport News Atmospheric Pollution Survey, 1956 ==
In the mid-1950's, the City of Newport News hired Froehling and Robertson Inc., a Richmond-based chemical engineering firm, to quantify the amount of coal in [[Particulate matter and coal dust|airborne particles]]. The study was in response to a [[Particulate matter and coal dust|coal dust]]-related [[Coal dust complaints|complaint]] to the Newport News City Council by the Garden-Shores Civic League.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1954 04 12 Page 3.pdf|Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector]], ''Daily Press'', April 4, 1954.</ref><ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 09 21 Page 3.pdf|Study of Air Pollution Set to Start Soon]], ''Daily Press'', September 21, 1956.</ref> Froehling and Robertson Inc. installed ten dust collection stations in Southeast Newport News. Each station consisted of two-foot square glass plates coated with a neutral paper and mounted on outdoor platforms. Every few days, technicians removed the paper coatings to analyze the settled [[Particulate matter and coal dust|particles]] in a laboratory for the presence of coal. Samples were collected for 30 days.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 10 04 Page 3.pdf|10 Dust Collection Stations]], ''Daily Press'', October 4, 1956.</ref>  
In the mid-1950's, the City of Newport News hired Froehling and Robertson Inc., a Richmond-based chemical engineering firm, to quantify the amount of coal in [[Particulate matter and coal dust|airborne particles]]. The study was in response to a [[Particulate matter and coal dust|coal dust]]-related [[Complaints|complaint]] to the Newport News City Council by the Garden-Shores Civic League.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1954 04 12 Page 3.pdf|Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector]], ''Daily Press'', April 4, 1954.</ref><ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 09 21 Page 3.pdf|Study of Air Pollution Set to Start Soon]], ''Daily Press'', September 21, 1956.</ref> Froehling and Robertson Inc. installed ten dust collection stations in Southeast Newport News. Each station consisted of two-foot square glass plates coated with a neutral paper and mounted on outdoor platforms. Every few days, technicians removed the paper coatings to analyze the settled [[Particulate matter and coal dust|particles]] in a laboratory for the presence of coal. Samples were collected for 30 days.<ref>[[:File:Daily Press 1956 10 04 Page 3.pdf|10 Dust Collection Stations]], ''Daily Press'', October 4, 1956.</ref>  


The study produced evidence that coal was prevalent in [[Particulate matter and coal dust|airborne particles]], with as much as 45% of [[Particulate matter and coal dust|airborne dust]] being un-combusted coal in one measurement period at the station located at 15th Street and Wickham Avenue.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">[[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 12 Page 3.pdf|C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN]], ''Daily Press'', December 12, 1956.</ref> City Manager J. C. Biggins reported to Newport News City Council that some stations were destroyed during the study period.<ref name=":0">[[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 04 Page 5.pdf|Council]], ''Daily Press'', December 4, 1956.</ref>
The study produced evidence that coal was prevalent in [[Particulate matter and coal dust|airborne particles]], with as much as 45% of [[Particulate matter and coal dust|airborne dust]] being un-combusted coal in one measurement period at the station located at 15th Street and Wickham Avenue.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">[[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 12 Page 3.pdf|C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN]], ''Daily Press'', December 12, 1956.</ref> City Manager J. C. Biggins reported to Newport News City Council that some stations were destroyed during the study period.<ref name=":0">[[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 04 Page 5.pdf|Council]], ''Daily Press'', December 4, 1956.</ref>
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== Air Permit-Related Monitoring ==
== Air Permit-Related Monitoring ==
''(coming soon)''
Coal export terminals periodically conduct routine [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] monitoring as required by their [[Terminal air permitting and permits|minor New Source Review (NSR)]] permits.
 
:'''[[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]]:''' [[Coal Terminals in the Port of Virginia|Dominion Terminal Associates]], [[Coal Terminals in the Port of Virginia|Kinder Morgen Bulk Terminals]], the former [[Coal Terminals in the Port of Virginia|Massey Terminal]], and the [[Coal Terminals in the Port of Virginia|Norfolk Southern Terminal]] have provided the [[Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ)]] with 24-hour averaged [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] filter-based measurements collected on a [[Air monitoring#Regulatory Air Monitoring|one day in six days schedule]]. This monitoring is often conducted by a third-party contractor, for example, [https://www.swa.com/ Simpson Weather Associates Inc.]. The exact location of monitoring is not always apparent nor is it clear whether [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] measurements are currently being collected.
 
:These data are typically discussed by [[Coal Terminals in the Port of Virginia|terminal]] and [[Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ)|VA DEQ]] employees in terms of identifying days when [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] mass concentrations exceed the 24-hour [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] [[Regulation under the Clean Air Act|National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)]] of 150 μg per m<sup>3</sup>. These data are not reported publicly but some reports are available through requests to the [[Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ)|VA DEQ]] under the [https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodepopularnames/virginia-freedom-of-information-act/ Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)] and are archived below. There are no recorded instances of 24-hour [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] concentrations being observed to exceed the 24-hour [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] [[Regulation under the Clean Air Act|NAAQS]]. However, there are periods where data are withheld or otherwise not reported for reasons that are unexplained. 
 
:'''[[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] composition and particle size:''' In October 5, 1989, the IIT Research Institute analyzed the [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] composition of samples collected near [[Coal Terminals in the Port of Virginia|Dominion Terminal Associates]] reporting: "raw coal represented 49% (40 μg/m<sup>3</sup>), 44% (52 μg/m<sup>3</sup>) and 27% (16 μg/m<sup>3</sup>) of the sample mass in the three full analysis samples with the highest [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] levels, and 18% (4 μg/m<sup>3</sup>) of the sample mass in the low [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] concentration sample (see Table 1). The mean particle size of the coal in each of the four samples was 8 μm."<ref>IIT Research Institute, [[:File:Monitoring data 30747049.pdf|Air Monitoring Data Report]], October 5, 1989.</ref> The particle size information is important because it highlights that most fugitive coal dust is much larger the [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] and therefore not regulated under the [[Regulation under the Clean Air Act|NAAQS]].


== Voices Network: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing ==
== Voices Network: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing ==
The [[VOICES: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing Network|VOICES Network: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing]] has measured [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>1</sub>]], [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>2.5</sub>]], and [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] across [https://app.quant-aq.com/s/FFTYOVPT40M1TNT4V3TZ Southeast Newport News] and [https://app.quant-aq.com/s/8PFU6TPHV819U66X1YQC Lambert's Point] since October 2024. The monitors are maintained by the [[The Repair Lab|Repair Lab]] as part of the [https://coaldustkills.wpcomstaging.com/ Coal Dust Kills] campaign.  
The [[VOICES: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing Network|VOICES Network: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing]] has measured [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>1</sub>]], [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>2.5</sub>]], and [[Particulate matter and coal dust|PM<sub>10</sub>]] across [https://app.quant-aq.com/s/FFTYOVPT40M1TNT4V3TZ Southeast Newport News] and [https://app.quant-aq.com/s/8PFU6TPHV819U66X1YQC Lambert's Point] since October 2024. The monitors are maintained by the [[The Repair Lab|Repair Lab]] as part of the [https://coaldustkills.wpcomstaging.com/ Coal Dust Kills] campaign. Read about the VOICES Network here: [[VOICES: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing Network]].  


''(More coming soon)''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20250718025412/https://virginiamercury.com/2022/04/19/virginia-will-begin-monitoring-air-pollution-around-hampton-roads-coal-terminals/ Vogelsong, S. Virginia will begin monitoring air pollution around Hampton Roads coal terminals. ''Virginia Mercury.'' April 19, 2022.]</ref>
== Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation (TAME) ==
The [[Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ)|VA DEQ]] received $526,603 from the [[U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)]] in 2020 to conduct the [[Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation (TAME)]],<ref>VA DEQ, [https://www.deq.virginia.gov/topics-of-interest/tidewater-air-monitoring-evaluation-project Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation Project].</ref> which according to the [[Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ)|VA DEQ]] was motivated by community concerns about [[Particulate matter and coal dust|coal dust pollution]].<ref>Vogelsong, [https://web.archive.org/web/20250718025331/https://virginiamercury.com/2022/04/19/virginia-will-begin-monitoring-air-pollution-around-hampton-roads-coal-terminals/ Virginia will begin monitoring air pollution around Hampton Roads coal terminals], ''Virginia Mercury'', April 19, 2022.</ref> After multiple years of delays, data collection and analysis are yet to start with no timeline publicly available. TAME is described in detail here: [[Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation (TAME)]].


== Documents ==
== Documents ==
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* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 12 Page 3.pdf|C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN, ''Daily Press'', December 12, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 12 Page 3.pdf|C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN, ''Daily Press'', December 12, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 18 Page 3.pdf|Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan, ''Daily Press'', December 18, 1956]]
* [[:File:Daily Press 1956 12 18 Page 3.pdf|Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan, ''Daily Press'', December 18, 1956]]
* [[:File:Coal Study-January 1987 21391318.pdf|Control of Fugitive Emissions from Open Coal Storage in Newport News, Virginia, 1987]]
* [[:File:Lamberts point PM10 LHC 7 19 2017 VDH FINAL.PDF|Public Health Implications of PM<sub>10</sub> Concentrations Collected near Lambert’s Point Coal Terminal, July 19, 2017]]
=== Air Permit-Related Monitoring ===
==== Dominion Terminal Associates ====
* [[:File:Monitoring data 30747049.pdf|IIT Research Institute, Air Monitoring Data Report, October 5, 1989]]
*[[:File:Monitoring data 18748582.pdf|Air Monitoring Data Report, March 12, 1992]]
* [[:File:Monitoring data 33210267.pdf|Air Monitoring Data Report, June 19, 1992]]
* [[:File:60997 - Annual Update - 20120202 57947226.pdf|Annual Update Report, Includes Air Monitoring Data, 2011]]
* [[:File:60997 - Correspondence - Source - 20120406 12940014.pdf|Air Monitoring Data Report with Monitor Location Map, April 6, 2012]]
* [[:File:60997 - Correspondence - Source - 20151207 37220484.pdf|Air Monitoring Data, December 7, 2015]]
* [[:File:60997 - Correspondence - Source - 20151207 33456452.pdf|Air Monitoring Data with Discussion of Higher PM<sub>10</sub> Concentration Measurements, December 7, 2015]]
* [[:File:2023 AUR 14723451.pdf|Annual Update Report, Includes Air Monitoring Data, 2023]]
==== Norfolk Southern Terminal ====


* [[:File:NS-Lamberts Point PM10 Monitoring Q4-Annual data report DEQ.pdf|Annual PM<sub>10</sub> Monitoring Data Report for Norfolk Southern’s Coal Pier – Lambert's Point, Norfolk, Virginia, October 11, 2016]]
* [[:File:NS-Lamberts Point PM10 Monitoring Q4-Annual data report DEQ.pdf|Annual PM<sub>10</sub> Monitoring Data Report for Norfolk Southern’s Coal Pier – Lambert's Point, Norfolk, Virginia, October 11, 2016]]
* [[:File:Lamberts point PM10 LHC 7 19 2017 VDH FINAL.PDF|Public Health Implications of PM<sub>10</sub> Concentrations Collected near Lambert’s Point Coal Terminal, July 19, 2017]]


== References ==
== References ==
<references />

Latest revision as of 22:41, 19 January 2026

Southeast Newport News Atmospheric Pollution Survey, 1956

In the mid-1950's, the City of Newport News hired Froehling and Robertson Inc., a Richmond-based chemical engineering firm, to quantify the amount of coal in airborne particles. The study was in response to a coal dust-related complaint to the Newport News City Council by the Garden-Shores Civic League.[1][2] Froehling and Robertson Inc. installed ten dust collection stations in Southeast Newport News. Each station consisted of two-foot square glass plates coated with a neutral paper and mounted on outdoor platforms. Every few days, technicians removed the paper coatings to analyze the settled particles in a laboratory for the presence of coal. Samples were collected for 30 days.[3]

The study produced evidence that coal was prevalent in airborne particles, with as much as 45% of airborne dust being un-combusted coal in one measurement period at the station located at 15th Street and Wickham Avenue.[4][5] City Manager J. C. Biggins reported to Newport News City Council that some stations were destroyed during the study period.[4]

These results compelled the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Railroad Company to install equipment to create a water fog over the coal piers to suppress dust.[5] A second outcome was that City Manager J. C. Biggins presented a draft local ordinance designed to control air pollution sources, including the coal terminals, to the Newport News City Council for approval.[6]

Control of Fugitive Emissions from Open Coal Storage in Newport News, Virginia, 1987

In January 1987, the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board (APCB) published a study on coal dust emissions from the terminals in Southeast Newport News: Control of Fugitive Emissions from Open Coal Storage in Newport News, Virginia. As part of this study, researchers developed a mathematical formula relating meteorological conditions, PM10 concentrations, and concentrations of un-combusted coal in particulate matter. The study is the basis for the water sprinkler dust suppression system, developing specific guidelines for when sprinklers must be turned on and how much water should be applied. To read more about the results of this study, see Particulate Matter and Coal Dust and Wet Dust Suppression.

Air Permit-Related Monitoring

Coal export terminals periodically conduct routine PM10 monitoring as required by their minor New Source Review (NSR) permits.

PM10: Dominion Terminal Associates, Kinder Morgen Bulk Terminals, the former Massey Terminal, and the Norfolk Southern Terminal have provided the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VA DEQ) with 24-hour averaged PM10 filter-based measurements collected on a one day in six days schedule. This monitoring is often conducted by a third-party contractor, for example, Simpson Weather Associates Inc.. The exact location of monitoring is not always apparent nor is it clear whether PM10 measurements are currently being collected.
These data are typically discussed by terminal and VA DEQ employees in terms of identifying days when PM10 mass concentrations exceed the 24-hour PM10 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 150 μg per m3. These data are not reported publicly but some reports are available through requests to the VA DEQ under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and are archived below. There are no recorded instances of 24-hour PM10 concentrations being observed to exceed the 24-hour PM10 NAAQS. However, there are periods where data are withheld or otherwise not reported for reasons that are unexplained.
PM10 composition and particle size: In October 5, 1989, the IIT Research Institute analyzed the PM10 composition of samples collected near Dominion Terminal Associates reporting: "raw coal represented 49% (40 μg/m3), 44% (52 μg/m3) and 27% (16 μg/m3) of the sample mass in the three full analysis samples with the highest PM10 levels, and 18% (4 μg/m3) of the sample mass in the low PM10 concentration sample (see Table 1). The mean particle size of the coal in each of the four samples was 8 μm."[7] The particle size information is important because it highlights that most fugitive coal dust is much larger the PM10 and therefore not regulated under the NAAQS.

Voices Network: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing

The VOICES Network: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing has measured PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 across Southeast Newport News and Lambert's Point since October 2024. The monitors are maintained by the Repair Lab as part of the Coal Dust Kills campaign. Read about the VOICES Network here: VOICES: Voices Organizing In opposition to Coal dust with Environmental Sensing Network.

Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation (TAME)

The VA DEQ received $526,603 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2020 to conduct the Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation (TAME),[8] which according to the VA DEQ was motivated by community concerns about coal dust pollution.[9] After multiple years of delays, data collection and analysis are yet to start with no timeline publicly available. TAME is described in detail here: Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation (TAME).

Documents

Air Permit-Related Monitoring

Dominion Terminal Associates

Norfolk Southern Terminal

References

  1. ↑ Newport News to Analyze Smoke and Soot Nuisance in Garden-Shores Sector, Daily Press, April 4, 1954.
  2. ↑ Study of Air Pollution Set to Start Soon, Daily Press, September 21, 1956.
  3. ↑ 10 Dust Collection Stations, Daily Press, October 4, 1956.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Council, Daily Press, December 4, 1956.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 C&O to Install Costly Equipment for Control of Air Pollution in NN, Daily Press, December 12, 1956.
  6. ↑ Council Gets Air Pollution Control Plan, Daily Press, December 18, 1956.
  7. ↑ IIT Research Institute, Air Monitoring Data Report, October 5, 1989.
  8. ↑ VA DEQ, Tidewater Air Monitoring Evaluation Project.
  9. ↑ Vogelsong, Virginia will begin monitoring air pollution around Hampton Roads coal terminals, Virginia Mercury, April 19, 2022.
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