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WESTAR Critical Loads Workshop:
Summing Up
Ira Domsky, Deputy Director
Arizona Depart of Environmental Quality
November 16, 2005
Building the Scientific Base
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Science is rigorous and well founded
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In some ways better than bases for NAAQS
Keying on the indicators
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Ambient monitoring network – good, but needs
protection
Deposition monitoring network – marginal in scope
and potential utility
Physical and chemical measurements of soil and
water
Species diversity and populations
Ecosystems
Diversity of Biotic Communities
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Alpine tundra
Subalpine conifer
forest and lakes
Hudsonian/mixed
conifer forest
Arid conifer
woodland
“Islands in the sky”
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High desert
Grasslands
Evergreen woodlands
Chaparral
Low desert
Riparian areas and
wetlands
Ecotones
Building the Scientific Base
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Funding the research to solidify causal
links
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FLM budgets
Clean Air Act grants to states and locals
Universities
Foundations
Public/private partnerships
Other considerations
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Climate change impacts
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Temperature
Precipitation types, quantities and distribution
Existing programs – ozone, PM and
Regional Haze
Population growth – traffic, energy and
water
Oil and Gas development
Communicating value and values
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What resources are at risk that are of
concern to people
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Popular species
Ecosystem Services
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Watersheds and water resources
Sustainability of timber and grazing
Recreation – tourism, hunting and fishing
Next Steps – for discussion
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Develop an action plan
Establish an ad hoc WESTAR work group
Identify priority areas
Move forward with test cases
Seeking funding