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<br />AIR QUALITY IMPACT FROM BRANNAN PIT 29
<br />I. INTRODUCTION
<br />The Brannan Sand and Gravel Company plans to
<br />mine and process sand and gravel at its Pit 29 which
<br />is located east of Old Brighton Road in the north half
<br />of the section north of the section in which
<br />Henderson, Colorado is located. The property extends
<br />east to Nome. It is a wet area on the east side of the
<br />Platte River.
<br />Brannan plans to mine 3000 tons per day during 167
<br />spring, summer and autumn days. Thus, the annual
<br />total production will be 500,000 tons. Overburden
<br />will be used to build a berm around the area to shield it
<br />from view from outside and to shield outside areas
<br />from the noise of the operation. These berms will be
<br />revegetated as rapidly as possible to reduce wind
<br />erosion from both the berms and the protected area
<br />within.
<br />Operations at the pit will create dust, some of which
<br />will remain airborne long enugh to be carried by the
<br />wind to adjacent areas. The dust emissions to be
<br />expected have been calculated and are reported
<br />here.
<br />II. EMISSIONS
<br />The only significant pollutant emission expected
<br />from operation of Pit 29 is particulate matter.
<br />Emissions have been calculated using factors
<br />approved by the Colorado State Air Pollution Control
<br />Division. The operations to which the factors have
<br />been applied are: 1) removal of overburden, 2) mining
<br />and processing the sand and gravel, and 3) vehicle
<br />traffic. Also, emissions from wind erosion of
<br />disturbed areas have been calculated. Each of these
<br />is discussed briefly in this section.
<br />A. REMOVAL OF OVERBURDEN
<br />It is anticipated that 20 acres of land will be
<br />mined each year. The topsoil is 1.5 to 2 feet deep.
<br />Additional overburden is 2 to 2.5 feet deep. In the
<br />calculations a total overburden depth of 4.0 ft
<br />has been used. The overburden will be removed
<br />by scrapers and placed in berms around the
<br />property or used to reclaim mined areas.
<br />Disturbed areas will be revegetated as rapidly as
<br />possible so that no more than 20 acres will be
<br />subject to wind erosion at any time.
<br />Emissions from the removal of overburden were
<br />calculated by using a factor of 16 pounds of
<br />particulate matter per hour of scraper operation.
<br />The following formula applies
<br />E = D
<br />27 C S 2000
<br />in which E is emission in tons; A is the area (A=
<br />43,500 ft 2 X 20 X 43,600 ft );
<br />d is the depth of overburden
<br />in feet; C is the capacity of the scrapers in cubic
<br />yards; D is the round trip distance in miles
<br />traveled with each load; S is the scraper speed in
<br />miles /hour, and EF is the emissions factor in Ibs
<br />per scraper hour.
<br />E= 872.000 X 4.4 X _ L X 9.2_`,z X 16
<br />27 25 3.75 2000
<br />E= 2.8 tons /year
<br />B. MINING AND PROCESSING
<br />The emissions factor for mining and processing
<br />sand and gravel is 0.1 lb/ton of material
<br />processed. This yields an annual emission of
<br />E= 0.1 x 500,000 = 25.0 tons /year
<br />2000
<br />C. VEHICLE TRAVEL
<br />The emissions factor for vehicle travel for speeds
<br />under 30 miles per hour is given bythe following
<br />formula:
<br />EF= 1.81 s ( S ) 2 ( 365 - w ) N
<br />30 365 X 4
<br />in which EF is the emissionsfactor in pounds per
<br />mile traveled; s is the silt content in percent of
<br />the surface traveled; S is the vehicle speed in
<br />miles per hour; w is the average number of days
<br />per year with 0.01 in or more of precipitation;
<br />and N is the number of wheels on the vehicle.
<br />With s= 10 and w= 100, the formula reduces to
<br />EF = 1.63 X 10 -4 S
<br />*The caterpillar tractor is not a wheeled vehicle, but it
<br />travels so slowly that emissions are very small.
<br />Since the vehicles are to operate 167 days per
<br />year, the annual production is 15.8 tons.
<br />D. DISTURBED AREA EROSION
<br />Wind erosion from exposed areas is given by the
<br />universal soil loss equation
<br />EF = a1KCL'V' (tons /acre year)
<br />in which a is the portion of erosion losses that
<br />can be measured as suspended particles; I is soil
<br />erodibility in tons per acre year; K is a surface
<br />roughness factor which varies from 0.5 for
<br />deeply furrowed ground to 1.0 for a smooth
<br />surface; C is a climatic factor which has a value
<br />of 0.5 for this site; L' is an unsheltered width
<br />factor which ranges from 0.7 for a disturbed area
<br />1000 feet wide to 1.0 for an area 2000 feet wide,
<br />and V' is a vegetative cover factor which ranges
<br />from 0.0 for good, dense cover to 1.0 for no cover.
<br />For Pit 29, the equation is
<br />EF = 0.025 X 38 X 1.0 X 0.5 X 0.7 X 1.0=0.33
<br />tons /acre year
<br />For 20 acres, this yields 6.6 tons per year of
<br />particulate emissions.
<br />E. EMISSION CONTROLS
<br />In a sand and gravel pit where materials are wet,
<br />dust is controlled by the natural wetness of the
<br />material. The emissions factor for mining and
<br />processing takes account of this. Therefore,
<br />although spray bars will be used on the
<br />processing equipment, no control of the mining
<br />or processing is assumed in calculating con -
<br />trolled emissions.
<br />The formula for calculating vehicular emissions
<br />is based on a dry surface. Consequently,
<br />controls, both natural and sprinkling, are
<br />assumed in calculating emissions.
<br />The emissions factor for removal of topsoil also is
<br />based on working in soil that is naturally moist
<br />but not wet. The overburden at Pit 29 will
<br />probably be more moistthanthe soil on which the
<br />factor was based, but it is assumed that no
<br />controls will be used. Hence potential and
<br />controlled emissions are equal.
<br />Much of the disturbed area will be wet and not
<br />subject to erosion. Also, the exposed overburden
<br />will have a rough surface. Nonetheless, no
<br />controls are assumed in calculating controlled
<br />emissions from wind erosion.
<br />F. SUMMARY
<br />Calculated emissions from Pit 29 are
<br />summarized in the table on the following page.
<br />OPERATION
<br />Overburden Removal
<br />Mining and Processing
<br />Vehicle Travel
<br />Disturbed Area Erosion
<br />2.8
<br />25.0
<br />15.8
<br />6.6
<br />TOTAL 50.2
<br />TOTAL W/O
<br />EROSION
<br />POTENTIAL
<br />(T /Y)
<br />Emissions
<br />(1 b /day) .
<br />2.6 X 10
<br />2.4 X 10 -3
<br />176.4
<br />2.0
<br />0.6
<br />0.3
<br />9.8
<br />189.1
<br />METHOD OF
<br />PERCENT
<br />DAILY VEHICULAR EMISSIONS
<br />Vehicle
<br />Speed
<br />Wheels
<br />EF
<br />Dist.
<br />Type
<br />(m /h)
<br />(N)
<br />(1 b /mi)
<br />(mi /day)
<br />Cat Loader
<br />0.5
<br />4
<br />1.6 X 10 -3
<br />16
<br />D -8 Cat
<br />0.25
<br />4*
<br />4.08 X 10 -4
<br />4
<br />Tractor Trailer
<br />10
<br />18
<br />2.94
<br />60
<br />Pickup
<br />10
<br />4
<br />0.65
<br />3
<br />Grease Truck
<br />5
<br />6
<br />0.24
<br />2,5
<br />Mechanics Truck
<br />10
<br />4
<br />0.65
<br />0.5
<br />Water Truck
<br />10
<br />10
<br />1.63
<br />6
<br />TOTAL UNCONTROLLED
<br />*The caterpillar tractor is not a wheeled vehicle, but it
<br />travels so slowly that emissions are very small.
<br />Since the vehicles are to operate 167 days per
<br />year, the annual production is 15.8 tons.
<br />D. DISTURBED AREA EROSION
<br />Wind erosion from exposed areas is given by the
<br />universal soil loss equation
<br />EF = a1KCL'V' (tons /acre year)
<br />in which a is the portion of erosion losses that
<br />can be measured as suspended particles; I is soil
<br />erodibility in tons per acre year; K is a surface
<br />roughness factor which varies from 0.5 for
<br />deeply furrowed ground to 1.0 for a smooth
<br />surface; C is a climatic factor which has a value
<br />of 0.5 for this site; L' is an unsheltered width
<br />factor which ranges from 0.7 for a disturbed area
<br />1000 feet wide to 1.0 for an area 2000 feet wide,
<br />and V' is a vegetative cover factor which ranges
<br />from 0.0 for good, dense cover to 1.0 for no cover.
<br />For Pit 29, the equation is
<br />EF = 0.025 X 38 X 1.0 X 0.5 X 0.7 X 1.0=0.33
<br />tons /acre year
<br />For 20 acres, this yields 6.6 tons per year of
<br />particulate emissions.
<br />E. EMISSION CONTROLS
<br />In a sand and gravel pit where materials are wet,
<br />dust is controlled by the natural wetness of the
<br />material. The emissions factor for mining and
<br />processing takes account of this. Therefore,
<br />although spray bars will be used on the
<br />processing equipment, no control of the mining
<br />or processing is assumed in calculating con -
<br />trolled emissions.
<br />The formula for calculating vehicular emissions
<br />is based on a dry surface. Consequently,
<br />controls, both natural and sprinkling, are
<br />assumed in calculating emissions.
<br />The emissions factor for removal of topsoil also is
<br />based on working in soil that is naturally moist
<br />but not wet. The overburden at Pit 29 will
<br />probably be more moistthanthe soil on which the
<br />factor was based, but it is assumed that no
<br />controls will be used. Hence potential and
<br />controlled emissions are equal.
<br />Much of the disturbed area will be wet and not
<br />subject to erosion. Also, the exposed overburden
<br />will have a rough surface. Nonetheless, no
<br />controls are assumed in calculating controlled
<br />emissions from wind erosion.
<br />F. SUMMARY
<br />Calculated emissions from Pit 29 are
<br />summarized in the table on the following page.
<br />OPERATION
<br />Overburden Removal
<br />Mining and Processing
<br />Vehicle Travel
<br />Disturbed Area Erosion
<br />2.8
<br />25.0
<br />15.8
<br />6.6
<br />TOTAL 50.2
<br />TOTAL W/O
<br />EROSION
<br />POTENTIAL
<br />(T /Y)
<br />Emissions
<br />(1 b /day) .
<br />2.6 X 10
<br />2.4 X 10 -3
<br />176.4
<br />2.0
<br />0.6
<br />0.3
<br />9.8
<br />189.1
<br />METHOD OF
<br />PERCENT
<br />EMISSIONS
<br />CONTROL
<br />CONTROL
<br />FACTOR
<br />None
<br />0
<br />16 lb /hr
<br />None
<br />0
<br />0.1 lb/ton
<br />Wetting
<br />50
<br />189.1 lb/day
<br />None
<br />0
<br />0.33 T /acre yr
<br />EMISSIONS
<br />CONTROLLED
<br />HOURLY RATE*
<br />(T /Y)
<br />W/O
<br />2.8
<br />0.53
<br />25.0
<br />4.72
<br />7.9
<br />1.49
<br />6.6
<br />1.12
<br />42.3
<br />7.86
<br />35.7 6.74
<br />ESTIMATED PRECIPITATION
<br />Heaviest precipitation occurs during the spring and
<br />summer months of April through June.
<br />Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug.
<br />.60 .70 1.10 1.80 2.50 1.80 1.70 1.20
<br />Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Annual Total
<br />1.10 1.00 .70 .40 14.60
<br />WINDS
<br />ANNUAL The predominant wind direction at Pit 29 is from the
<br />(g /s) south - southwest. The annual mean wind speed is
<br />0.00 near 7 miles per hour (mph). Strongest winds
<br />0.72 typically occur in March or April. The predominant
<br />0.23 direction for wind speeds 25 mph or more is from the
<br />0.19 northwest. The direction of daytime winds from 8
<br />1.22 a.m. through 5 p.m. is highly variable. The direction
<br />arc of greatest frequency for daytime winds is in the
<br />quadrant from north through east.
<br />*The hourly rate is the rate at which emissions occur
<br />during working hours. For calculating maximum
<br />(worst case) 24 -hour concentrations in the vicinity of
<br />the site; hourly rates are assumed to exist for eight
<br />hours, except that the disturbed area rate is assumed
<br />to exist for 24 hours.
<br />III. APPLICABLE REGULATIONS
<br />Potential emissions will be 50.2 tons per year. This is
<br />well under the 100 tons per year specified in Section
<br />3.IV.D.4. of the Colorado Air Quality Control
<br />Regulations. Hence that Section applies. It states
<br />The Commission may only direct the Division to
<br />issue an Emission Permit when the Commission
<br />finds that one of the following conditions are
<br />met:
<br />That in the case of sources with potential
<br />(uncontrolled) emissions of less than one-
<br />hundred (100) tons per year of a single air
<br />contaminant or which are otherwise exempt
<br />from the requirements of Section IV.D.3.c. and
<br />where the emissions would interfere with the
<br />attainment or maintenance of national
<br />ambient air quality standards (i.e., cause or
<br />contribute to ambient concentrations which
<br />exceed a national ambient air quality standard
<br />in designated non - attainment areas), the
<br />applicant will meet all other applicable
<br />standards and regulations of the Commission
<br />and that despite the emissions which will
<br />result from the proposed new source or
<br />modified source, reasonable further progress
<br />toward the attainment of the national ambient
<br />air quality standards is not impaired.
<br />It is also pertinent that controlled emissions are 42.3
<br />tons /year, 640 Ibs /day, and 62 Ibs /hour. The daily
<br />and hourly rates occur during periods when wind
<br />erosion is ocurring. Therefore, they are maximum
<br />values. With these values, Section 3.IV.D.5.B.(vii)
<br />exempts the operation from requiring offsets.
<br />AMBIENT ANALYSIS, INC.
<br />Al Morris
<br />CLIMATIC INFORMATION RELATED TO PIT 29
<br />Pit 29 is located in Adams County on the east
<br />shoulder of the Platte River in the vicinity of 138th
<br />Avenue and Highway 1 -76. It is in a zone of semi -arid
<br />climate. Extreme warm weather in the summer
<br />months produces daytime maxima temperatures in
<br />the 90's. On a few morning in the winter, minima
<br />temperatures go below 0 ° F.
<br />TEMPERATURES
<br />Mean monthly temperatures, based on comparative
<br />historical records from Denver and Brighton, are as
<br />follows:
<br />Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug.
<br />28.4 31.8 36.5 47.0 56.5 65.5 72.0 70.6
<br />Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
<br />61.8 51.0 38.4 31.1
<br />LOREN W. CROW
<br />Certified Consulting Meteorologist
<br />TRAFFIC AND ACCESS ANALYSIS
<br />ACCESS ROADWAYS
<br />All vehicular access is planned to be limited to one
<br />Nome Street driveway location which will be
<br />relocated from time to time during the phased
<br />development of the project. Nome is a two -lane,
<br />paved roadway having limited north /south
<br />continuity between US 85 and CR 31 at 136th
<br />Avenue. Present traffic activity on Nome is minimal
<br />due to the low intensity of land uses which it serves.
<br />Southbound Nome Street traffic is controlled by a
<br />Stop sign at US 85.
<br />US 85, which will serve as the project's access route
<br />to and from the southwest, is a major divided four -
<br />lane highway with a posted speed limit of 55 miles
<br />per hour. Based on recent counts taken by the
<br />Colorado Division of Highways, about 15,500
<br />vehicles travel along US.85 in the vicinity of the site.
<br />No other nearby roadways will be affected by the Pit
<br />29 project.
<br />TRAFFIC GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION
<br />The generation of traffic by Pit 29 should be
<br />considered in a different light than atypical industrial
<br />operation. First of all, very few employees are
<br />involved in the gravel mining process and traffic
<br />activity is uniformly distributed throughout the work
<br />day. "Peak hour" traffic generation is therefore
<br />virtually non - existent. Secondly, traffic consists of a
<br />relatively small number of large vehicles, and such
<br />activity is very dependent on factors such as weather
<br />and construction scheduling. Because of these
<br />characteristics, the operation will have only minimal
<br />traffic impact. The Pit 29 operation is expected to
<br />produce an estimated 500,000 tons of material per
<br />year with a maximum daily production of 3000 tons.
<br />This is equivalent to approximately 125 truck loads of
<br />material on a maximum day.
<br />The routing of Pit 29 vehicles dictates that all gravel
<br />truck travel will be oriented to and from the south
<br />along Nome Street and US 85. The only access
<br />oriented to the north could be an occasional service
<br />or employee vehicle.
<br />CONCLUSIONS
<br />The Pit 29 project will generate a maximum of 125
<br />entering and 125 exiting vehicles on a maximum day
<br />of production. All traffic will be destined to and from
<br />the southwest via Nome Street and US 85. Both of
<br />the affected roadways and their related traffic
<br />controls are more than adequate to accommodate
<br />this small increase in traffic activity.
<br />LEIGH, SCOTT & CLEARY, INC.
<br />Consulting Traffic Engineers
<br />AIR QUA►LITY CLIMATOLOGY
<br />& TRAFFIC ANALYSIS TEXT
<br />Pa 21 of 23
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