Environmental management of air quality issues in the Greater Yellowstone Area
Nanus L, McMurray JA, Blett TF. 2022. Environmental management of air quality issues in the Greater Yellowstone Area. Natural Resource Report. NPS/NRSS/ARD/NRR—2022/2441. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2294111
The Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) is a national treasure in the United States, containing sensitive resources of high value to the public such as scenic vistas, remote wilderness, intact fisheries, geothermal areas, and charismatic megafauna. The GYA also supplies ecosystem services including clean water, clean air, and recreation, as well as providing critical habitat for plant and animal species. However, air pollutants from local and regional sources are degrading key resources and pollutant emissions are expected to remain steady or increase in the next few decades. Four air quality issues in the GYA are identified along with associated effects on human health and ecosystem health from these pollutants: (1) smoke from wildfire; (2) atmospheric nitrogen deposition; (3) atmospheric mercury deposition; and (4) ozone. Key research to date is synthesized, important knowledge relevant to science-based land management and policy decisions is identified, and relevance for available air pollution emissions strategies and environmental management actions are highlighted. Because the GYA is comprised of many different jurisdictional boundaries spanning state and federal agencies, the environmental management of air quality and associated effects on human health and ecosystems in the area is complex. Understanding how the four issues affect human and ecosystem health, aids in development of a management strategy, which multi-agency groups can use to address air quality concerns and mitigation strategies in a cohesive manner. The insights and strategies provided here may be applied to other sensitive regions.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Nanus, Leora; McMurray, Jill; Blett, Tamara
- Date of Issue
- 2022-08
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2294111
- Units
- ARD , GRTE , NRSS , YELL
- Keywords
- Air Quality, Critical Loads, Mercury, Nitrogen, Ozone, Smoke
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Air Quality | Ozone , Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Air Quality | Wet and Dry Deposition , Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Air Quality | Visibility and Particulate Matter , Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Air Quality | Air Contaminants