South Table Mountain Mesa CDPHE Air Monitoring; NREL Tracking No. 15-014 Award Number: DE-AC36-08GO28308 CX(s) Applied: DOE/EA-1968, B1.31 National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Date: 04/14/15 Location(s): CO Office(s): Golden Field Office
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
April 14, 2015
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South Table Mountain Mesa CDPHE Air Monitoring; NREL Tracking No. 15-014
Award Number: DE-AC36-08GO28308
CX(s) Applied: DOE/EA-1968, B1.31
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Date: 04/14/2015
Location(s): CO
Office(s): Golden Field Office
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to provide continued property access and logistical support to the state environmental agency for regional air quality monitoring at the DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) South Table Mountain (STM) campus in Golden, Colorado.
DOE allows the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) to operate a regional air quality monitoring station on DOE-property on the mesa top of South Table Mountain. Currently, CDPHE operates various air samplers located on top of a shed immediately west of the fence line of the NREL mesa top facilities. The particulate matter sampler requires a CDPHE technician to change filters daily, which presents fall protection and other safety hazards especially in icy conditions. To mitigate these hazards, DOE proposes to allow CDPHE to relocate the particulate matter sample from the roof of the shed to a three-foot tall platform to be constructed near the shed in a previously disturbed area. The platform would be secured to the ground using two-foot long rods at each corner and would have guard rails on three sides for operator safety. The platform would be secured to the frame using wind clamps to prevent wind damage. There would be two or three stair steps up to the top of the platform. A 10' L x 10' W x 6' H chain link fence would be built around the platform to protect the sampler and prevent vandalism, and 9-gauge fabric with twist up would be installed on the fence. Electrical power would be connected by an approved electrical contractor by trenching a 8’L x 2’ D x 1.5’ W trench from the existing air monitoring station to the proposed platform. Figures and a site diagram are uploaded to the PMC database.