framework principles and conceptual approach
The Capital Region Air Steering Committee was tasked with applying the principles and concepts of the draft Lower Athabasca Region Air Quality Management Framework to the Capital Region. The conceptual approach of that framework is to identify contaminants of concern, triggers, limits and action levels, and associated mitigative and adaptive management approaches to achieve desired environmental outcomes. Air quality is most frequently described in relation to objectives or standards against which the ambient concentration of the substance can be compared. This framework outlines how to address air quality with respect to the Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives for nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide, and Canada-wide Standards for fine particulate matter and ozone. There are two drivers that have guided development of the framework. The first is the need to build on provincial environmental protection and management policies and emission minimization practices. The second is the need to adopt a cumulative effects management approach in the Capital Region for holistically managing ambient air quality. The Capital Region Air Quality Management Framework confirms that the province will continue to require industrial sources of the four contaminants of concern to employ pollution prevention and emission minimization principles as outlined in the current regulatory and non-regulatory approach.
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS MANAGEMENT AND MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS The Government of Alberta has made a commitment to cumulative effects management, which focuses on the achievement of outcomes, understanding the effects of multiple development pressures (existing and new), assessing risk, collaborative work with shared responsibility for action, and improved integration of economic, environmental and social considerations. It follows an adaptive management model where decision-makers learn from experience and new information and adapt to changing social expectations and demands. Performance management, along with pollution prevention principles, is essential to providing information on environmental conditions and identifying the need for any adjustments and changes on an ongoing basis. The development of management frameworks is an important way to accomplish this shift to a cumulative effects management approach. The management framework approach is depicted in Figure 3.
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