Air pollution comes not only from nearby sources, but it also comes from sources upwind of our state--sometimes even from thousands of miles upwind. We look at the wind direction to forecast tomorrow's weather, but we should also be looking in that same direction to see what air pollution is coming. That same air bringing the weather also brings air pollution along with it. However, it's not a simple process. Pollution is added to the air and removed from it along the way, and complex atmospheric chemical reactions occur.

Achieving healthy air quality in New Hampshire is not entirely within our own reach, and this is the case for many areas of our country. In order to succeed in clearing our air, we must work within our state but also apply pressure for negotiating and coordinating emission reductions in upwind areas. Focusing on local emission reductions works for pollutants with tendencies to develop localized "hot spots," such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, large particles, and certain air toxics.

For other pollutants, such as ozone, fine (very small) particles, regional haze, and acid rain, New Hampshire's emissions are minimal compared to what blows in from upwind areas. Still, New Hampshire targets local emission reductions comparable to what we would expect areas upwind of the state to achieve in order to minimize our impact on our own residents and those living downwind of our state.

Air Pollution Transport Characteristics

Negotiating regional emission reduction strategies can make a big difference as to what local businesses must face in terms of emission controls and permit restrictions. If the state were to not coordinate regionally, the emission sources within our borders would face much larger emission reduction requirements in order to offset dirtier air blowing into the state. Remember that if the air blowing into the state is already dirty, there is less allowance for local businesses to emit before "local" air becomes unhealthy. In fact, there are already many instances when there are no allowances at all for local emissions because the incoming air is already unhealthy. The price of not acting regionally comes in the form of stricter operating restrictions and higher operating costs for local businesses, higher health impacts in terms of decreased cardiopulmonary function, and virtually no local capability to improve the situation.

DES recognizes that New Hampshire is naturally disadvantaged because it is located downwind of most of the country and, as a result, suffers from air pollution transport. In order to rectify the situation, DES is working to develop scientifically sound and cost-effective methods for reducing air pollution transport and by working on a regional and national basis to implement them. Technical and policy recommendations are provided by the program to top state officials for a variety of regional and national air quality issues.

Issues currently requiring regional coordination include:

DES works on regional, national, and international policy and technical committees and workgroups of such organizations as the State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators/Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials (STAPPA/ALAPCO), the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC), the Mid-Atlantic Northeast Visibility Union (MANE-VU), Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), Northeast Center for Atmospheric Science and Policy (NCASP), and the Northeast States Center for a Clean air Future (NESCCAF). DES also participates on committees of the New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP), New Hampshire Public Utilities (PUC), several New Hampshire State Energy Plan workgroups and the U.S. EPA. Where sufficient scientific information is not available, the DES Regional and National Issues Program advocates that more research be conducted to ensure that appropriate and cost-effective progress is made against regional air pollutants, while trying to minimize the financial burden on local businesses and residents. Legal action may be used as a last resort in order to defend the well-being of New Hampshire residents.

Additional details on how air pollution transport affects New Hampshire can be found in the 2004 DES report Air Pollution Transport and How It Affects New Hampshire.