04_AECOM_Environmental Report_Final

Air Quality Madeling Report 4. Modeling Analysis The USEPA's AERMOD air emissions dispersion model (version 23132) was used to estimate concentrations (g/m) of PM25 and PAH from the proposed wood-fired smokers for comparison to USEPA NAAQS and NJDEP health screening risk threshalds. AERMOD is USEPA's recommended dispersion model for evaluating industrial air emission sources. The suitability of an air quality dispersion model for a particular application is dependent upon several factors. The selection and application of AERMOD was based upon analysis of the following criteria: . stack height relative to nearby structures; . dispersion environment; * local terrain; and . representative meteorological data. The modeling analysis was conducted in accordance with the NJDEP air quality modeling guidance provided in Technical Manual 1002 (NJDEP, 2021) and the USEPA Guideline on Air Quality Models (°"GAQM", USEPA, 2017). 41 Land Use Analysis and Local Topography The application of AERMOD requires characterization of the local (within 3 kilometers (km)) dispersion environment as either urban or rural based on prevalent land use. According to USEPA modeling guidelines (USEPA, 2017), if more than 50 percent of an area within a 3-km radius of the proposed project is classified as rural, then a rural modeling application is required. Conversely, if more than 50% of the area is urban, an urban dispersion adjustment can be used. Using the Auer methad recommended by the USEPA (2017), urban land use types are classified as categories 11. 12, C1, R2, and R3. Table 4-1 describes these categories and maps them to reasonably equivalent USGS 2016 National Land Cover Database {NLCD) categories. While the two sources do not use the same terms to define their categories, the similarities between the five Auer categories and NLCD categories 23 and 24 are apparent. Thus, itis reasonable to classify NLCD categories 23 and 24 as urban land use. Figure 4-1 displays the 2016 NLCD data superimposed aver aerial imagery within 3 km of the facility. The NLCD data were processed with USEPA’s AERSURFACE processor to determine the different land use types within 3 krn of the facility. AERSURFACE is typically used to process NLCD data for input to AERMET, the AERMOD model's meteorological data processor. In this case, AERSURFACE output in the form of the pixel count for each

cility. AERSURFACE is typically used to process NLCD data for input to AERMET, the AERMOD model's meteorological data processor. In this case, AERSURFACE output in the form of the pixel count for each of NLCD’s land use types was used to determine the total pixel count of urban land use types within 3 km As noted above, urban land use types were assumed to be NLCD categories 23 and 24: “Developed, Medium Intensity" and “Developed, High Intensity’, respectively. The pixel count for these categories was 20.3% of the total pixel count for all categories. Thus, a majority (79.7%) of the 3 km area around the facility can be classified as rural land use and AERMOD was not applied with the urban model option. Table 4-2 provides the pixel counts as reported in the AERSURFACE autput. AECOM ga