Module 3 Air Quality Standards Worksheet

Module 3 Air Quality Standards Worksheet and Rubric

Student Name:

Timeliness

Fully Met

Partially Met/Good

Partially Met/Fair

Not Met
Timeliness Indicators

Posted by the deadline

Posted 1 day late

Posted 2–4 days late

Posted 5 or more days late
Grade Impact

No impact

10% reduction in overall assignment score

20% reduction in overall assignment score

0 points
Part 1: NAAQS Quiz (Short answer)

Go to EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards website homepage at http://www.epa.gov/air/criteria.html. Review the details of NAAQS for the criteria pollutants and answer the following questions:

Question (5 points each)

Response

Score
How many criteria pollutants are covered under the NAAQS?

In what year was the ozone standard first initiated?

For which pollutant has the standard been most recently strengthened?

Over what period of time are lead measurements made to assess meeting the standard?

What human health effect is associated with exposure to carbon monoxide?

List the top two sources of sulfur dioxide emissions in the U.S.

Define a “non-attainment” area with respect to the NAAQS.

For which regions of the U.S. is attainment of PM10 a particular problem?

Instructor comments:

Total Score
(40 possible points)

Part 2: Choosing national air quality priorities (short essay answer)
Review the background information on each of the pollutants covered under the NAAQS and, based on the available information and considering the questions you addressed above, indicate which ambient air pollutant you believe should be a national regulatory priority for the United States and why. Support your choice by describing the types of health consequences associated with the pollutant (including any susceptible populations), its major sources, and when the standards were last reviewed and/or changed. Then, provide a brief explanation of one or more global implications for regulation of this pollutant by the United States. Be sure to cite your sources.

Response:
Score (20 possible points):
Instructor comments:

Quality Indicators

Fully Met

Partially Met/Good

Partially Met/Fair

Not Met
Content Quality
(20 points)

Choice of regulatory priority was fully supported with quantitative data on health consequences, major sources of the choice pollutant, and when standards were last reviewed/changed
AND
Global implications of U.S. regulation of the pollutant were clearly discussed
AND
Data sources were referenced and highly appropriate to support the choice and discussion

(20 points)

One of the following expected criteria was not clearly discussed: health consequences, major source, when standards were last reviewed, or global implications.
AND/OR
Choice was mostly but not fully supported with quantitative data and references
AND/OR
Writing was a little unclear (typos, minor issues)

(16–19 points)

Two of the following expected criteria were not clearly discussed: health consequences, major source, when standards were last reviewed, or global implications.
AND/OR
Choice was not well supported with quantitative data and references

AND/OR
Writing was unclear (frequent typos, grammatical errors)

(14–15 points)

The pollutant choice was not a pollutant regulated under the NAAQS
AND/OR
Three or more of the following expected criteria were not clearly discussed: health consequences, major source, when standards were last reviewed, or global implications
AND/OR
Choice was not supported with quantitative data and references

(0–13 points)

Part 3: Identify Which Pollutants Significantly Contribute to These Issues
Although many pollutants get a bad reputation, certain types of gas emissions contribute more to specific environmental issues. Review section 4.1 in your text and the background information on each of the pollutants covered under the NAAQS. Choose from among the eight pollutants below and fill in the name of the correct pollutant in the grid below.

chlorofluorocarbons

particulate matter

dioxins

nitrogen dioxide
carbon monoxide

sulfur dioxide

ozone

carbon dioxide

Pollutant

Global warming

Ozone layer depletion

Acid deposition

Score
Response (5 points)

yes

no

no

Response (5 points)

yes

yes

no

Response (5 points)

no

no

yes

Instructor Comments:

Total Score
(15 possible points)

Final Score:

Part 1 Score (40 possible points)

Part 2 Score (20 possible points)

Part 3 Score (15 possible points)

Total Score (75 possible points)

Instructor comments (Timeliness):
Timeliness Factor (late points deducted):