SAMI Status Report -- May 2000

Emissions Inventory – Pechan, the emission inventory contractor, is drafting proposed methods to calculate the direct costs of emissions controls in 2010 for the On the Books and On the Way strategies.

Atmospheric Modeling – Atmospheric modelers have identified errors in stack parameters for several large utility and industrial sources in the SAMI emissions inventory. In cases where stack parameters are missing, the emissions are being dumped at ground level; in other cases where incorrect units were entered, emissions are being projected above the modeling domain. Some of these errors may have been in the OTAG inventory that was used as the basis for the SAMI inventory. Georgia Tech is now correcting these errors in the emissions model and providing the corrections to Pechan. Several of the atmospheric model runs that were "completed" will need to be rerun, resulting in a delay of 10-12 weeks to the atmospheric modeling schedule.

SAMI’s Technical Committee will meet on June 6, 2000 with the Atmospheric Modeling and Effects subcommittees to review integrated assessment schedule and budget and to develop options to overcome the atmospheric modeling delays.

Effects – The acid deposition and ozone effects contractors are proceeding to develop the necessary databases to model resource responses to changes in air quality as a results of SAMI strategies. These models will be ready for strategy results from the atmospheric model by fall 2000. The subcommittee is designing the Phase II approach for visibility and should also be ready for atmospheric model results in fall 2000.

Socioeconomics - A flurry of conference calls this week resulted in a final review of the RFP for Phase II that should be ready for release within a week. The group revisited the idea of analyzing morbidity in addition to mortality and how many resources to devote to human health generally, compared to other parts of the SE analysis. Consensus was reached to leave language in the RFP that will allow bidders to add topics to SAMI's list of topics for SAMI consideration. Morbidity was not added but the resources were not restricted for human health analyses at the RFP stage. Proposal selection is likely to be interesting.

Incentives Contract - A workshop is scheduled for June 8 to screen the strategies that SAMI and the consultant identified in a literature search. These will be narrowed to 10 energy efficiency and 10 transportation strategies for further analysis. If sufficient market penetration is possible with reasonable incentive systems, these strategies will be considered by the Policy Committee for analysis using a strategy run.

Web site -- Jake Gilmer is working with the PAC to revamp the SAMI web site to keep it current. Our goal is to have it be your best source for meeting information, results, publications and even… status reports. Check it out at www.saminet.org.

Strategies -- Bold and Bold with Constraints are nearing completion. The National Park Service developed suggestions for the industrial and utility sectors that the Policy Committee is considering.

AWMA -- SAMI technical results will be presented in a session at the Air and Waste Management Association on June 22. The papers will be posted on the SAMI web site.

Croquet Team -- Too many of our aging baby boomers are on the injured reserve list to field a virtual volleyball team this summer so we are considering challenging the WRAP to a sudden death croquet tournament. Please contact Tom if you are interested (dress whites required).