statement of qualifications · maintenance, quality control checks, data management, data valida...

AIR QUALITY MONITORING

METEOROLOGICAL MONITORING

CALIBRATIONS AND AUDITS

DISPERSION MODELING

AIR PERMITS

APPLIED METEOROLOGY

Meteorological Solu ons Inc.

4525 Wasatch Blvd., Suite 200

Salt Lake City, Utah 84124

801.272.3000

801.272.3040 fax

www.metsolu ons.com

STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS

2

Statement of Qualifica ons September 2013

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduc on to Meteorological Solu ons .................................................. 3

2.0 Geographic Coverage ................................................................................ 4

3.0 Air Quality Monitoring .............................................................................. 5

4.0 Meteorological Monitoring ....................................................................... 6

5.0 Calibra on, Audit, and Maintenance Services ........................................... 7

6.0 Dispersion Modeling ................................................................................. 8

7.0 Air Permi ng ............................................................................................ 9

8.0 Applied Meteorology .............................................................................. 10

3


Introduc on to MSI

Meteorological Solu ons Inc. (MSI) has earned a solid reputa on as a na onal and

interna onal provider of environmental consul ng services with emphasis on

meteorological and air quality monitoring, calibra on, audit and repair services, air

permi ng and dispersion modeling, and applied meteorological services. Our technical

excellence, depth of skills, and client focus are the basis of our reputa on for providing

high quality and responsive services.

At MSI we believe the art of listening and understanding is the founda on of a good

consul ng rela onship. We work closely with our clients, beginning with their specifica-

ons requirements and con nuing through to the mely delivery of our services. At MSI,

we have the vision and experience to handle jobs of any size and the diligence to provide

rou ne services with appropriate a en on to detail. We have structured MSI to maintain

low overhead costs while at the same me providing our clients with responsive, high

quality consul ng services. At MSI, we realize that our company exists because of our

clients; therefore, we strive to provide unparalleled consul ng services in a highly econom-

ical manner.

MSI’s staff provides services to a wide range of clients including state and federal

government agencies, universi es, and small to large industrial sources and businesses.

MSI is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Company History

MSI is an environmental consul ng company comprised of dedicated professionals with a

combined experience of over 150 years. Our core professional staff have worked together

as a team since 1985 and founded MSI in 1996. MSI’s technical staff is comprised of

meteorologists, air quality engineers, atmospheric scien sts and computer programmers.

Two of the staff meteorologists are cer fied by the American Meteorological Society as

Cer fied Consul ng Meteorologists.

Our office is located on the east side of the Salt Lake Valley in a state-of-the-art 5000

square foot complex. Facili es include a instrumenta on laboratory, filter weighing labor-

atory, environmentally controlled server room, spacious mee ng facili es with full media

integra on, complete prin ng and binding resources, and a vast technical library.

MSI has a A+ ra ng at the Be er Business Bureau and has earned an accredited business

status. We carry complete general, commercial and automo ve liability coverage

(5 million) and also have a professional liability policy in place. In addi on to workers

compensa on coverage, MSI has their own corporate safety officer who insures that our

employees follow safe job prac ces. MSI is registered with both BROWZ and ISNetworld.

4


Introduc on to MSI

Geographical Service Area

MSI has served clients in more

than thirty states throughout

the United States and has

provided services to

interna onal clients in South

America, Asia, and Europe.

We currently have over 150

ac ve projects sites in 30

states. We have a fleet of

vehicles available for installa-

on and on-going opera on of

monitoring equipment.

Consul ng Services

MSI provides complete

meteorological and air quali-

ty solu ons. Approximately

half of our projects consist of

either meteorological or air

quality monitoring and asso-

ciated data management

and repor ng. Another 25%

of our business is associated

with air permi ng and dis-

persion modeling. The re-

mainder of our projects are

all performed at client loca-

ons and consist of either

audit/calibra ons, field stud-

ies, or other applied meteor-

ological services.

5


Air Quality Monitoring Services

Select Clients:

Wyoming Department of

Environmental Quality

PacifiCorp

Devon Energy

Holcim Cement

Tall Grass Energy

Sevier Power Company Norwest Corp.

Univ. of Nevada at Carlin

Ute Indian Tribe

Micron Technology

Kinder Morgan

LS Power

Cyanco

Encana Oil & Gas

ATK Launch Systems

ExxonMobil

RN Industries

J. R. Simplot

Potash Ridge

Tallgrass Energy Partners

Services Provided:

Ambient Air Quality Monitor-ing for NO/NO2/NOx/NOy, SO2, O3, CO, TSP, PM10, PM2.5, Methane/Non-Methane, Vola le Organic Compounds Quality Assurance Project Plan Acceptance Tes ng Site Technicians Calibra on and Quality Assurance Performance and System Audits Automated Zero, Span, and Precision Checks Remote Data Management, Data Verifica on, Data Valida-on, Data Repor ng

Complete Gravimetric Weigh-ing and Repor ng Services for PM10 and PM2.5 filters

MSI provides complete turn-key ambient air quality monitoring

services including site selec on, equipment procurement and

acceptance tes ng, equipment installa on and integra on, rou ne

field opera ons, training of site personnel, calibra on and

maintenance, quality control checks, data management, data

valida on, data repor ng and data forma ng, quality assurance

performance and systems audits, and emergency trips. Air quality

equipment is housed in temperature-controlled shelters to insure

op mum performance.

Calibra on and quality assurance performance and system audits

are provided to determine the equipment’s precision and accuracy.

MSI has an EPA cer fied ozone primary reference standard and

several cer fied transfer standards.

Automated zero, span, and precision checks are performed to

verify the opera onal status of the monitoring system.

To preserve data integrity and high data recovery, MSI conducts on

-going (24/7) interroga on and download of air quality monitoring

data and performs electronic and visual scanning of these data by

trained meteorologists and air quality specialists. This approach

iden fies problems quickly so that a site technician could be

dispatched promptly, if necessary. Quality-assured data sets are

compiled and monthly data summaries prepared. Data valida on is

performed in accordance to established guidance.

MSI also has a climate controlled gravimetric weighing laboratory

for PM10 and PM2.5 filter analyses.

6


Meteorological Monitoring Services

Select Clients:

PacifiCorp Graymont Western US Holcim Cement Lafarge Nucor Steel Williams Field Services Ashgrove Cement Co. Intermoutain Power Sevier Power Company Bluecastle Holdings Mid-America Energy Cyanco Uintah Partners Norwest Corp. Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Devon Energy Homestake Mining ExxonMobil LAC Minerals Ute Indian Tribe URENCO USA Univ. of Nevada - Carlin Western Zirconium J. R. Simplot

Services Provided:

Mul -Level Meteorological Measurements Quality Assurance Project Plan Acceptance Tes ng NIST and A2LA Cer fied Reference Equipment Calibra on and Quality Assurance Performance and System Audits Remote Data Management, Data Quality Assurance, Data Verifica on, and Data Valida on Data Repor ng

MSI provides turn-key meteorological monitoring services from

project design to data valida on and repor ng. Meteorological

towers, from 10 to 100 meters in height, are installed to collect

mul -level measurements of horizontal and ver cal wind direc on

and speed, temperature, delta-temperature, rela ve humidity,

barometric pressure, solar radia on, net radia on, and

precipita on. The goal of these projects is to obtain

meteorological measurements to be used in future U.S.

Environmental Protec on Agency (EPA), state, and Nuclear

Regulatory Commission (NRC) permi ng, and dispersion modeling

analyses.

Quality assurance project monitoring plans are developed and

provide the basis for the monitoring opera ons. These plans

receive regulatory agency approval prior to the conduct of

monitoring.

Calibra on and quality assurance performance and system audits

are provided to determine the equipment’s precision and accuracy.

To preserve data integrity and high data recovery, MSI conducts

on-going (24/7) interroga on and download of meteorological

monitoring data and performs electronic and visual scanning of

these data by trained meteorologists. This approach iden fies

problems quickly so that a site technician could be dispatched

promptly, if necessary. Quality-assured data sets are compiled and

monthly data summaries prepared. Data valida on is performed in

accordance to established guidance.

7


Calibra on, Audit, and Maintenance Services

Select Clients:

AMEC Engineering and

Consul ng

Tooele County Emergency

Management

Kenneco Utah Copper

EnergySolu ons

Sandia Na onal Laboratory

SLR Interna onal Corp.

PacifiCorp

Intermountain Power

J. R. Simplot

FRV/Sun Edison

Arizona Electric Power

Florida Power & Light

ATI Titanium LLC

Hill Air Force Base

Monsanto

Cargill Salt

MWH Americas

City of West Jordan

Molycorp Minerals LLC

Eaglewood Golf Course

Services Provided:

Instrument Repair and Replacement Data Acquisi on and Data logger Programming Cellular, Satellite, Land-line Communica on Systems NIST and A2LA Cer fied Reference Standards EPA Cer fied Ozone Primary Standard Auditor Cer fied through EPA’s PEP Audit Program Large Inventory of Spare Parts and Sensors

MSI provides calibra on and maintenance services for large

meteorological and air quality monitoring networks throughout the

United States. These services include: (1) biannual field calibra on

services at nearly 30 of EPA’s CASTNET monitoring sta ons; (2) a

31 sta on meteorological network as part of the emergency alert

system in Tooele County, Utah; (3) a 9 sta on meteorological

network for Kenneco Utah Copper; (4) an 8 sta on

meteorological and air quality monitoring network at Sandia

Na onal Laboratory; and (5) approximately 30 towers for electric

genera on and manufacturing companies in the Intermountain

West. These services include sta on upgrades, sensor repair and

replacement, data logger replacement, instrument calibra ons,

rou ne maintenance such as bearing or radia on dome

replacement, opera on verifica on of powering systems, and

valida on of data collec on. Calibra ons are performed using NIST

or A2LA cer fied reference equipment.

Performance audits are part of a comprehensive air monitoring

quality assurance program to validate and document the

measurement system data accuracy. MSI auditors have performed

hundreds of system and performance audits on every type of

meteorological sensor and air quality analyzer being operated. MSI

auditors, some cer fied through EPA’s PEP audit program, u lize

NIST, A2LA, or EPA cer fied reference and transfer standards. All

audits are an independent assessment and are performed in

accordance with EPA guidance.

8


Dispersion Modeling Services

Select Clients:

PacifiCorp

Holcim Cement

Lafarge

Intermountain Power

Sevier Power Corpora on

Uintah Partners

Holly Refining & Marke ng

Fresenius Medical Care

Staker Parsons Company

Geneva Rock

DG&T

Great Salt Lake Minerals

ATK Launch Systems

Magnum Energy

Paragon Consul ng

RN Industries

MWH Americas

U.S. Gypsum Corp.

HollyFron er

University of Utah

Oldcastle Materials Inc.

Stewart Environmental

Methanol Holdings (Trinidad)

Limited

Nucor Steel

Services Provided:

Meteorological Data Processing Regulatory Modeling Long Range Transport Visibility Assessments and Class I Area Impact Studies Secondary Pollutant Forma on and Par culate Ma er Modeling Hazardous Air Pollutant Modeling Accidental Release Screening Analyses

MSI’s experienced modeling staff provides dispersion modeling to

assist facili es in determining their emissions impact on ambient

air quality. MSI has an extensive in-house library of surface

(METAR) and upper air data. In addi on, MSI has Weather

Research and Forecas ng (WRF) data for the con nental United

States from 2006-2008. The latest visualiza on so ware is u lized

for quality assurance purposes.

Regulatory dispersion modeling, to demonstrate compliance with

the Na onal Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), state

standards, Significant Impact Levels (SILs), Preven on of Significant

Deteriora on (PSD) Class 1 and Class II increments, regional haze,

and deposi on is performed using EPA approved modeling systems

such as AERMOD and CALPUFF. Analyses in the near-field (out to

50 kilometers) and in the far-field (out to 300 kilometers) are

performed.

In AERMOD, several pre-processors are used including: AERMET

and AERMINUTE which prepares the meteorological data for

AERMOD; AERSURFACE, to determine site characteris cs; and

AERMAP, to extract eleva on data from 7.5-minute USGS digital

eleva on data.

The CALPUFF modeling system also u lizes several pre- and post-

processors that prepares the geophysical (land use and terrain)

data, meteorological data (surface, upper air, precipita on, and

buoy data), and interfaces to other models such as the WRF model.

9


Air Permi ng Services

Select Clients:

Lafarge

Nevco Energy

Uintah Partners

Holly Refining & Marke ng

Fresenius Medical Care

Staker Parsons Company

Geneva Rock

DG&T

Magnum Energy

U.S. Gypsum Corp.

HollyFron er

Johnson Ma hey

Asarco – Ray Complex

University of Utah

Oldcastle Materials Inc.

Holcim Cement

Anesta Corpora on

US Department of Army,

Chemical Agent Muni ons

Disposal System

Salt Lake Interna onal Airport

EG&G Defense Materials Inc.

Genwal Resources

ATK Launch Systems

Services Provided:

PSD Permit Applica ons and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Permit Applica ons Non-A ainment Area (NAA) New Source Review (NSR) and NSR Pollutant Permits Title V Permits Emission Calcula ons Control Technology Demon-stra ons (BACT/LAER/RACT/MACT) Regulatory Analysis Regulatory Agency Nego a on Expert Tes mony

MSI’s experienced permi ng staff has assisted small businesses to large major industries with their permi ng

needs. From a basic pre-construc on to more complex PSD, federal GHG, NAA NSR, and Title V permits, MSI has

successfully prepared and secured these types of permits for our clients.

MSI structures a permit applica on around the following sec ons: (1) introduc on, facility descrip on and

company informa on; (2) project and emission source descrip on including process flow diagrams; (3) project

emission es mates and calcula on methodologies for criteria and hazardous pollutants, and greenhouse gases;

(4) federal and state applicability regulatory analysis; and (5) control technology analysis. As needed, addi onal

sec ons of the permit, such as dispersion modeling results are included.

Depending on the loca on of the project and pollutants involved, MSI has extensive control technology

evalua on experience under PSD and NAA permi ng programs, and for USEPA Consent Decree nego a ons.

MSI u lizes the EPA recommended top-down process that ranks all available control technologies in descending

order of control effec veness. The most stringent or top alterna ve is established as BACT unless it is

demonstrated through technical considera ons of energy, environmental or economic impacts jus fy that the

most stringent control technology is not achievable. Innova ve technologies are reviewed and control cost

analyses are prepared as part of this evalua on.

MSI has prepared Title V permit applica ons. These permits bring together applicable state and federal air

pollu on control requirements, provide a means of implemen ng federal maximum achievable control

technologies standards and acid rain requirements, and require recordkeeping and monitoring.

10


Applied Meteorological Services

Select Clients:

ATK Launch Systems

Salt Lake Olympic Commi ee

Sacramento Municipal U lity

District

Infrastructure Corpora on of

America

Manitoba Hydro

LA County Public Works

North American Weather

Consultants

RES Environmental

Utah A orney General

Brown LLC.

Smith & Glauser

Waste Isola on Pilot Project

Sheehan Pipeline

Twen eth Century Fox

Utah State University

Services Provided:

Forecas ng Li ga on Support and Expert Tes mony Micrometeorological Measurements Site-Specific Climatologies 1 to 1000 year Return Period Precipita on Es mates Depth-Area-Dura on Precipita on Es mates Hydrology Studies Precipita on Es mates from Radar Imagery Wind Resource Assessment Upper Air Support

MSI’s staff of meteorologists, two of whom are Cer fied Consul ng

Meteorologists, provide a wide range of applied meteorological

services from site-specific weather forecasts, long-range weather

predic ons, li ga on support and expert tes mony, site-specific

climatologies, micrometeorological measurements,

One to 1000 year return period es mates and precipita on

es mates based on archived radar imagery can be determined.

MSI staff also has extensive experience conduc ng upper air

meteorological measurements to obtain wind and temperature

informa on in the boundary layer structure u lizing radiosonde

measurement systems and acous c sounding systems. In addi on,

MSI has assisted numerous organiza ons in support of large-scale

field research applica ons with upper air and ozone measurements

using radiosonde/ozonesonde systems.

With MSI’s large database of meteorological informa on and the

ability to quickly access these records, MSI meteorologists can

provide a comprehensive analysis of past weather events.

MSI has wri en a so ware package called StormView. StormView

produces a calibrated isoheytal (contours of constant precipita on)

storm map over any area of interest. Precipita on es mates

extracted from the developed isoheytal maps can be used to

es mate the temporal and spa al distribu on of a precipita on

event. Precipita on frequency data provides informa on on how

o en a storm of a specific magnitude and over a specific me

period can be expected to occur (return period).

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