Section 250-RICR-120-05-10.5 - Episode CriteriaA. Conditions justifying the proclamation of an air pollution alert, air pollution warning or air pollution emergency shall be deemed to exist whenever the Director determines that the accumulation of air pollutants in any place is attaining or has attained levels which could, if such levels are sustained or exceeded, lead to a substantial threat to the health of persons. In making this determination, the Director will be guided by the following criteria: 1. An air pollution forecast is an internal watch by the Office of Air Resources actuated by a National Weather Service advisory that an Atmospheric Stagnation Advisory is in effect or an equivalent local forecast of a stagnant atmospheric condition is in effect.2. The Air Pollution Alert level is that concentration of pollutants at which first stage control actions are necessary. An Alert will be declared when any one of the following levels is reached at any monitoring site and meteorological conditions are such that pollutant concentrations can be expected to remain at the levels specified in §§ 10.5(A)(2)(a) through (e) of this Part for twelve (12) or more hours or increase above these levels unless control actions are taken: a. Sulfur Dioxide or SO2 - 800 µg/m³ (0.3ppm), 24-hour average.b. Particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter or PM10 - 350 µg/m3, 24-hour average.c. CO - 17 mg/m3 (15 ppm), 8-hour average.d. Ozone (O3) - 400 µg/m³ (0.2 ppm), 1-hour average.e. Nitrogen Dioxide or NO2 - 1130 µg/m³ (0.6 ppm), 1-hour average or 282 µg/m³ (0.15 ppm), 24-hour average.3. The Air Pollution Warning level indicates that air quality is continuing to degrade and that additional control actions are necessary. A Warning will be declared when any one of the following levels is reached at any monitoring site and meteorological conditions are such that pollutant concentrations can be expected to remain at the levels specified in §§ 10.5(A)(3)(a) through (e) of this Part for twelve (12) or more hours or increase above these levels unless control actions are taken: a. Sulfur Dioxide or SO2 - 1600 µg/m³ (0.6ppm), 24-hour average.b. Particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter or PM10 - 420 µg/m3, 24-hour average.c. Carbon Monoxide or CO - 34 mg/m³ (30 ppm), 8-hour average.d. Ozone(O3) - 800 µg/m3 (0.4 ppm), 1-hour average.e. Nitrogen Dioxide or NO2 - 2260 µg/m³ (1.2 ppm), 1-hour average or 565 µg/m³ (0.3 ppm), 24-hour average.4. The Air Pollution Emergency level indicates that air quality is continuing to degrade to a level that should never be reached and that the most stringent control actions are necessary. An Emergency will be declared when any one of the following levels is reached at any monitoring site and meteorological conditions are such that pollutant concentrations can be expected to remain at the levels specified in §§ 10.5(A)(4)(a) through (e) of this Part for twelve (12) or more hours or increase above these levels unless control actions are taken: a. SO2 - 2100 µg/m³ (0.8 ppm), 24-hour average.b. Particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter or PM10 - 500 µg/m3, 24-hour average.c. Carbon Monoxide or CO - 46 mg/m³ (40 ppm), 8-hour average.d. Ozone(O3) - 1000 µg/m³ (0.5 ppm), 1-hour average.e. Nitrogen Dioxide or NO2 - 3000 µg/m3 (1.6 ppm), 1-hour average of 750 µg/m³ (0.4 ppm), 24-hour average.5. Termination, once declared, any status reached by application of these criteria will remain in effect until the criteria for that level are no longer met. At such time, the next lower status will be assumed, or the episode will be declared over.250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-120-05-10.5
Amended effective 12/24/2018