STATEMENT OF VINCENT D. PATTON, FLORIDA AIR AND WATER CONSERVATION COMMISSION; ACCOMPANIED BY K. K. HUFFSTUTLER AND BEN BRUCE

Mr. PATTON. Thank you, Senator Randolph, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Mayor.

The Governor asked me to express his regrets that he would not be able to be with you today as originally planned.

Mr. Reed, who is another member of the commission, also had anticipated being here. I talked to him a very few minutes ago and he stated that business had come up such that he could not be present.

The Governor asked me to extend the warmest greetings and welcome to you and tell you that he is away because of problems which have arisen. He extends his cooperation, and any assistance that you need, we shall be glad to furnish within our capabilities.

The first statement, Senator, that I would like to have presented by Mr. K. K. Huffstutler is a general overview of the air pollution problem of the State of Florida and some of the things that have happened in the past to bring these under control.

Mr. Huffstutler.

STATEMENT OF K. K. HUFFSTUTLER, FLORIDA AIR AND WATER CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Mr. HUFFSTUTLER. Senator, members of the committee, Mayor Tanzler.

Senator, please understand that this presentation is a grossly oversimplified brief résumé of the status of the air pollution situation in the State of Florida.

Senator RANDOLPH. Now, if you desire to just comment on the statement, it will be included in the record as if read. If so, that would be agreeable with the Chair.

Mr. HUFFSTUTLER. I believe this will save time, Senator. (The statement referred to follows:)

STATEMENT BY K. K. HUFFSTUTLER ON AIR POLLUTION IN FLORIDA, STATUS REPORT

AS OF JULY 1, 1969

Florida has five major industrial categories that constitute the bulk of actual and potential air pollution problems. They are electrical power generating, phosphate fertilizer manufacturing, pulp and paper producing, citrus cattle feed processing and sugar cane harvesting and processing.

Heavy chemicals, exclusive of the above, are so diverse in their manufacturing processes and products, and so scattered throughout the state that they are generally thought of in terms of individual companies at specific locations instead of a specific group. Air pollution wise, this group constitutes a minor part of Florida's overall problem.

Briefly, the status of the five industrial categories listed above is as follows: The power industry in Florida is in the same position as those throughout the United States. The state of the art of removal of sulfur oxides from exhaust gases remains a serious problem from both a technical and economic standpoint. Much research and study is being conducted across the United States, and a break-through is anticipated in the near future. Because of more serious problems to cope with, the Florida Power Industry has been placed near the bottom of our list of priorities. Recent acquisition of a large allotment of natural gas is expected to improve the situation on Florida's lower east coast in the immediate

The phosphate industry, which has caused serious problems to the cattle raisers and citrus growers in the central part of the state has, for all practical purposes, solved that particular problem. It can be said that in so far as gaseous and water soluble fluoride are concerned, the problem has been solved to the limits of modern technology, and evidently to the satisfaction of the citrus and cattle people. Complaints of adverse effects from these people are practically nil, and informal reports express relief.

The air quality in Polk and Hillsborough Counties is continuously being evaluated by such programs as ambient air monitoring for fluoride, sulfur oxides, ammonia and particulates. Resulting effects of this ambient air is constantly evaluated by sampling pasture grasses, gladioli and native vegetation for fluoride content. Spot checks of in-plant sources of evolution are also part of the routine control activities.

Since the phosphate industry and its fluoride emissions have gained the most notoriety nationwide, we would like to go into the status of this category in greater detail than the others.

In December 1964 a fluoride emission limit regulation was adopted by the now defunct Florida Air Pollution Control Commission. It became effective January 1965, and allowed the industry approximately a year to comply. The effect of this regulation, and conference, conciliation and persuasion is aptly depicted by the following table.

This data is derived from “Plant Operation Reports" which are submitted annually by the individual phosphate company as required by regulation. The validity of these reports is substantially by spot checks of sources of emission. For instance, in 1968 sixty-nine of approximately three hundred sources were checked. Over the years sufficient sampling has been carried out by state personnel to establish the general characteristics of each and every source of fluoride emission within the phosphate industry. Our spot checks discover any significant change in these characteristics, which by and large indicate that the company reported figures are reliable.

The fluoride emissions, as tabled on page 3, have resulted in an ambient air quality described by the following table.

It is realized that these values are all encompassing, since they include results from a maximum of eleven sampling stations operating at the same time and spread over a two county area. They include special studies where the collection of high values was the goal.

To apprise the success of control efforts of the past few years, the conditions reported in the above tables should be considered in light of increased production. Using phosphoric acid, expressed as P2Os or its equivalent as a barometer, the following table shows an increase in production of some 387% between 1955 and 1966, the peak year.

INCREASES IN PHOSPHORIC ACID PRODUCTION, POLK-HILLSBOROUGH PHOSPHATE INDUSTRIES

Phosphoric acid manufacturing is a minor source of fluoride evolution but its percentage increase in production will be similar to the percentage increase of finished fertilizer products, which are the major sources of fluoride emission. It is suspected that the actual emissions are lower than the 3,000 pounds recorded in the first table because over-all production of phosphatic compounds is reported to be below normal.

Complaints having to do with nuisance, personal discomfort and adverse human effects have increased in the phosphate area. The cause can be attributed to the visible "pollution" experienced by the general public as far as five to ten miles away from the phosphate complex. The visible pollution is steam, smoke, fumes and dust. The manufacture of elemental phosphorus which loses phosphorus pentoxide, and production of diammonium phosphate which loses considerable quantities of free ammonia are the prime sources. The ammonia reacts with moisture, sulfur oxides, phosphorus oxides, fluorides and most other chemical elements or compounds present to form a heavy blue fume. A most eerie phenomenon is experienced when one sees this fume form a few hundred feet downwind from a sulfuric acid and diammonium phosphate plant where the discharges from each plant mix. The resulting fumes are heavier than air, take extended time and distance to dissipate, consequently are usually seen by large numbers of people.

Also adding to the visible pollution is a considerable amount of dust being lost through the drying of raw phosphate rock. All of the above mentioned emissions seem to be synergistic to frequent inversion conditions that are a typical part of Central Florida's evening and night weather. During the evening and night hours these so called "pollutants" are discharged into a still atmosphere and drift over an area of several square miles. An umbrella or mushroom is created and in the early hours of the morning people can see and smell the results, and thereby become alarmed. There is adequate knowledge as to the sources of these emissions and their ambient air concentrations, but little or no evidence of adverse effects on plant, animal or human life. Without this vital evidence we are unsure as to what limits to recommend or regulation to propose for adoption.

The phosphate industry can hardly be discussed without including their sulfuric acid plants and sulfur oxide emissions. There are thirty-one sulfuric acid plants in Polk and Hillsborough Counties. Twenty-five of these are in Polk County, and within an area encompassed by a circle with a radius of seven and one-half miles. The following tables provide SO2 emissions and the resultant ground level concentrations.

A review of the 1968 data indicates that the SO2 concentration in Polk County is lower by a factor of 10 or more than the values cited by the U.S. Public Health Service as capable of causing adverse effects on human, plant and animal life. With respect to the pulp and paper industry, inspections of Florida's nine paper mills have been made. Information was gathered as to the sources of pollution, existing control equipment, source sampling facilities and techniques, and laboratory procedures. Of primary concern are particulate and odorous emissions from the individual plants. Much diversity was found in terminology; sampling facilities, equipment and techniques; laboratory methods; etc. A logical first step toward pollution control is standardization of these items with technical and managerial personnel. This will be done at a meeting of representatives of each company and state pollution control personnel. Once communication has been established and standardization of technology and procedures has been developed, a cooperative survey can be conducted to establish sources and quantities of pollutants being discharged, and their effects. This information will provide criteria upon which to base regulations for necessary improvements.

Much of the waste products of citrus juice canning and processing is diverted to a drying operation which results in a cattle feed. This drying process discharges particles of fly ash resulting from burned citrus peel, plus volatilized oils, waxes, sugars, etc., which in turn condense in the atmosphere and leave a sticky residue on neighboring homes, automobiles, etc. The current program toward a solution of this problem involves working with the Florida Canners Association, who have every citrus feed mill as a member of their organization. Working with this organization, the individual plant and their consulting engineers, a concentrated effort has been made to develop a satisfactory stack sampling method. To date it has been impossible to adequately capture, in a satisfactory manner, all of the particulate and condensibles contained in a representative sample of the gases discharged from a peel dryer. Until a satisfactory source sampling method and analytical procedure is developed, it is difficult to assess the magnitude of the problem or the relative success of numerous possible solutions.

Nearly all of the feed mills in the state, some 34, have been visited by state personnel to determine the operating methods, view existing control devices and determine adequacy of stack sampling facilities. During the 1968-69 citrus season 31 stacks were sampled, but the majority of them on a study or research basis.

The United States Department of Agriculture at the request of the Florida Canners Association has recently provided funds for a research project to determine the improvement that can be gained through various operating conditions. Florida's sugar industry grows, harvests and processes approximately 195,000 acres of sugar cane per year. During harvest, the cane is defoliated by burning the fields. The smoke and particulates reaching the atmosphere are beginning to cause concern on the more populated lower east coast of the state.

Nine mills are involved in the processing of sugar cane, seven of which are located in western Palm Beach County. Each mill contributes particulate matter to the atmosphere through their boiler operations which utilize waste pressed ane as fuel to generate process steam and electricity. Even though the mills nre in sparsely populated areas, all are in violation of existing particulate emis<ion regulation. The industry has banded together, hired consulting engineers, and assessed the magnitude of their problem. They have asked for, and received, additional time to study methods of air pollution control to determine whether or Lot the existing regulation can be met. As an industry they are also investigating

ways and means of harvesting raw cane without the normal burning practice. A practical and economical solution to this problem does not appear promising at this time.

Experience has taught that a large reduction in air pollution can be brought about by proper and conscientious operation of an industrial complex; therefore continued efforts to reach and educate not only managerial and technical personnel, but also the labor group of the operations. If we can instill a sense of concern on the part of the operator and personnel closest to the source of pollution then great strides toward improving our situation can be accomplished.

The most significant single air pollutant in Florida is smoke because it is most uniformly distributed over the state and originates at the most numerous locations. Each county has one or more so-called sanitary land fill where burning is freely practiced. Most larger cities have one or more of such solid waste disposal methods. In addition, there is a multitude of scrapped metal enterprises who practice burning of wrecked automobiles. When one considers the land clearing operations going on over the state; occasional frost and freeze protection; forest and muck fires; and saw mills and other wood preparation operations; then he can begin to comprehend the magnitude of our smoke problem.

The plan of attack on these problems is a statewide campaign to inform all these sources that air pollution rules and regulations are being violated, and cooperative efforts to reduce or eliminate burning must be initiated. From that point, when complaints or reports of violations occur, the necessary legal abatement actions will be carried out. It is believed that the political subdivisions will cooperate, thereby bringing about a reduction in air pollution with a minimum of effort on the part of our control agency.

There are ten counties in the state that have some type of air pollution control program. Six of these have their programs defined by implementation with budgeted funds, personnel and equipment. The others are more or less "bootlegging" their activities in conjunction with existing health programs through more efficient utilization of personnel, funds and equipment.

The state is working closely with most of the local programs in order to coordinate sampling technique, analytical methods, interpretation and reporting of data and dissemination of the information obtained. Equipment is loaned and personnel are trained by the more experienced state personnel, in source sampling procedures, laboratory techniques, ambient air sampling, and construction and maintenance of sampling equipment.

There has been a "Florida Air Sampling Network" in existence for the past twelve years. It is in cooperation with the National Air Sampling Network. In the beginning, for six years, it consisted of five of the state's larger cities. In 1965 seven additional locations were established. In 1969 the total was raised to fifteen, and several samplers relocated for information and data could be obtained at "hot spots" and on specific industries, agricultural operations, etc. The data collected from these samplers reveal that Florida's air quality is pretty good when compared with the rest of the United States. Between early 1957 and late 1968 our particulate concentrations ranged from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 264 micrograms/cubic meter of air.

We foresee a definite improvement in Florida's air quality in the near future. The quality is generally good except for a few localized problems where population and industrial growth have been exceedingly rapid. However, the problems are known and the state of the art of control is such that improvements can be accomplished without undue delay.

FIVE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO AIR POLLUTION

Mr. HUFFSTUTLER. Senator, we have five major industries in the State of Florida that contribute to most of our air pollution and most of the potential air pollution. I have gone into a treatise here in some detail of each five of these.

I think perhaps of greatest interest to the committee would be the phosphate industry. Consequently, we have expanded the writeup on the phosphate industry a little bit out of proportion with the other five-the other four, I should say, the other four being the power industry, the paper industry, the citrus fed industry and the sugar