What’s Happening Now
EPA News
2025 Regional/State/Local Modelers Workshop – Save the Date – EPA has announced the date and location for this year’s Regional/State/Local Modelers Workshop (RSL Workshop). This year’s workshop will be July 8-10, 2025 at the Nashville Main Public Library Building in Nashville, TN. *However*, there will not be a “Stakeholder Day” (public session) this year, as the workshop is limited to State/EPA, and other co-regulatory air permitting agencies. However, after the workshop, slides from all the workshop presentations will be posted to SCRAM.
Conferences and Workshops
2025 TCEQ Environmental Trade Fair and Conference – In 2025, the location of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Environmental Trade Fair and Conference will be in San Antonio, TX on June 3-4, 2025 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Providence will be there and we hope to see you there, too! Come by and visit us at booth 157 in the Exhibit Hall. Click here for more Trade Fair information as it becomes available.
AWMA ACE 2025 – The 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition (ACE) of the Air & Waste Management Association (AWMA) will be held June 9-12, 2025 at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, NC.
For more information on ACE 2025, click here.
If your company, organization, agency, State, etc. has an upcoming modeling or air quality-related event (virtual or otherwise) and you’d like it publicized in Providence/Oris Notes, please send that information to us at info@providenceoris.com, and we’ll be happy to include it.
Providence Products
Simply the best!
BEEST Suite
*HOT* BEEST 12.13 is out! This new version fixes bugs that were found in BEEST 12.12.
Speaking of BEEST 12.12, we held a double-header webinar back on February 27, 2025 – one for changes to BEEST 12.12 and one specifically discussing the 12.12 changes regarding receptor grids. If you missed them, you can click here to view them. On that same web page, we also posted a video identifying the bugs in BEEST 12.12 and discussed work-arounds.
As always, users in maintenance can download the most recent version of BEEST from https://www.providenceoris.com/software-downloads/.
“Go BEEST Mode !” We still have plenty of Go BEEST Mode t-shirts! You can request one of those by emailing us at info@providenceoris.com.
AerScreen for Windows
AerScreen for Windows 4.05 is now here! The update has these new features/enhancements:
- Runs AERMOD 24142
- Runs AERMAP 24142
Users in maintenance can download the most recent version of AerScreen for Windows from https://www.providenceoris.com/software-downloads/.
AERMOD Wizard
AERMOD Wizard 1.09 is out and includes these updates:
- Updated AERMET version to 23132
- Ability to download all of the EPA 2023 ambient monitoring data
- Ability to export Class I areas and Class I area receptors to Google Earth
- Ability to download ASOS data from the new NCEI website
- Inclusion of the 2020 National Emissions Inventory (NEI) data set (and ability to export them to Google Earth)
New features that will be in AERMOD Wizard 1.10 include:
- AERMET 24142 and AERSURFACE 24142 now supported
- Ability to export circles (e.g., 10km radius circle about a monitor) to Google Earth
- New download routine for Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA) upper air data
- Updated ambient air data (EPA data through November 2024)
- Added an option for specifying thresholds for NEI sources on the Options form
- PM2.5 annual SIL updated in MERPs Analysis form
Users in maintenance can download AERMOD Wizard from https://www.providenceoris.com/software-downloads/.
We’re off to use the Wizard!
If you have suggestions for an enhancement to any of our modeling software products, please let us know and we’ll do our best to incorporate it into the software ASAP!
Modeling Tip of the Month
If you look through the AERMOD *.LST output file and scroll toward the bottom, you may see something that looks like this:
Since a model run may be considered unacceptable for regulatory purposes if there’s more than 10% missing hours, it begs the question, how does AERMOD determine if an hour of meteorological data is missing? Does the meteorological data just skip hours, as in going from hour 1 to hour 3 because there’s no hour 2? No, according to section 3.2.2.1 of the AERMOD Users Guide, an hour is considered missing if one or more of the following surface variables have missing value indicators (e.g., -9.000, -999, etc.) for that hour:
- surface friction velocity (u*) – 7th field in each *.SFC record
- convective velocity scale; (convective hours only) (w*) – 8th field
- convective mixing height (convective hours only) (Zic) – 10th field
- mechanical mixing height (Zim) – 11th field
- Monin-Obukhov length (L) – 12th field
- wind speed (Ws) – 16th field
- wind direction (Wd) – 17th field
- ambient temperature (Ta) – 19th field
In this example, there are missing data flags (-9.000, -999) for w* and Zic but these are early morning/non-convective hours. Therefore, these five hours would all be considered valid/non-missing.
Providence Training
Modeling skills ready for an upgrade? We can help!
We want to note that many folks use our classes as credit toward professional engineer continuing education requirements. Check with your state’s licensing board or the National Society of Professional Engineers (see here or here) for more information on what is required.
**NSR Essentials**
Providence’s next NSR Essentials air permitting class will be May 5, 2025 and it will be online. This class is tailored to those folks who are new to air permitting or perhaps new environmental managers who need a good overview of the basic issues related to air permitting. Topics such as statutes, applicability, netting, emission calculations, and Title V are just some of the areas that are covered. To register for this NSR Essentials class, click here.
AERMOD Modeling for Permits
Our next AERMOD Modeling for Permits class will be May 6-7, 2025 and it will be online. If you are wanting to get started in air modeling, then this class is for you! If you want to register, please click here.
Advanced AERMOD
Similarly, our next Advanced AERMOD class will be May 8-9, 2025, and it will also be online.
Advanced AERMOD covers those topics that are near and dear to modelers, such as:
- NAAQS modeling for 1-hour NO2, 1-hour SO2, and 24-hour PM2.5 (including the new MaxDCont Viewer)
- Meteorological data processing with AERMET/AERMINUTE/AERSURFACE
- Culpability Determination
- Background Concentrations
- Emission scalars and Hourly Emission Rate files
- Changes in Terrain Data Processing
- AERMOD Wizard and its uses
To register for Advanced AERMOD, click here.
Just as a reminder, if you register more than 30 days before your training class(es), you will receive a $100 discount on the course fee (per class, per registrant).
On-demand Meteorological Data Processing webinar
We are planning to launch a new training option – on-demand webinars. The first of these to be released will be “Meteorological Data Processing for AERMOD”. Look for it at www.providenceoris.com coming soon.
On-demand AERSCREEN webinar
We will be releasing an on-demand training webinar for AERSCREEN. Watch this space for details!
Here are our class dates for 2025:
| Dates | Class | Location |
| May 5, 2025 | NSR Essentials | Online |
| May 6-7, 2025 | AERMOD Modeling for Permits | Online |
| May 8-9, 2025 | Advanced AERMOD | Online |
| August 18, 2025 | NSR Essentials | Online |
| August 19-20, 2025 | AERMOD Modeling for Permits | Online |
| August 21-22, 2025 | Advanced AERMOD | Online |
| December 8, 2025 | NSR Essentials | Online |
| December 9-10, 2025 | AERMOD Modeling for Permits | Online |
| December 11-12, 2025 | Advanced AERMOD | Online |
Don’t forget, if our schedule of classes doesn’t mesh with your schedule, or if you have several people that need to be trained at once, contact us about setting up your own onsite or online class. Have laptop, will travel! (including virtually)
Providence Services
BeestXpress
**BeestXpress now runs AERMOD 24142**
If you’ve never used our super-fast cloud-based BeestXpress before, now is the time. We have an on-demand webinar that steps you through the process of setting up an BeestXpress account and sending off your first BeestXpress run. You can view the webinar here. New BeestXpress users can complete their first run with up to 50 partitions absolutely FREE. Instructions about receiving the free run are given at the end of the webinar. Beyond the starter run BeestXpress will give you a per-run cost estimate before you begin. If you need help budgeting for BeestXpress, contact us for additional daily rate pricing options.
To date, BeestXpress has processed over 500,000 AERMOD runs.
BeestXpress users can log on at www.beestxpress.com to take advantage of our AERMOD “force multiplier”. That AERMOD run that might have taken a day or two to process on your desktop computer can finish in an hour or less on BeestXpress. When time is money, BeestXpress is the best modeling return on investment there is!
Meteorological Data Processing Services
Do you need AERMOD-ready meteorological data? If so, we can help! Whether it’s running national weather service data or onsite monitor met data through the AERMET/AERMINUTE system, Providence has the background, know-how, and experience to have your data processed and ready for you ASAP. If you’d like more information, contact us at info@providenceoris.com or jamesred@providenceeng.com.
Consulting Solutions
One thing that we’re very proud of is the depth and range of our modeling experience and expertise. The kinds of air quality models we’ve used include all types, ranging from simple screening tools like SCREEN and AERSCREEN to plume models like ISC and AERMOD. The types of analyses include basic Significant Impact Level, NAAQS, PSD increment consumption, Class I analyses, air toxics and SIP attainment demonstrations. So, we’ve seen it all. To that end, should you or your clients need additional modeling assistance or just a second set of eyes to QA or peer review your modeling (ranging from initial protocol up to final submission), we stand ready to help. Feel free to contact us at 512‑258‑8855, 828‑628‑0634 or info@providenceoris.com.
OR . . . maybe you just need advice about a particular project OR you need someone to do a QA review, OR you have a very small modeling task to complete. It would be too much of a hassle to set up a contract for just a few hours of work. What to do?
Easy! Now you can purchase individual air modeling consulting hours with a credit card online through our website! Just contact us first so we’re on the same page about the scope and schedule. Go to https://www.providenceoris.com/product/1-hour-of-expert-air-modeling-consulting/
For clarity, this small-job purchasing option is for air modeling consulting only. Software customers may receive help from us at any time for software-related issues at no cost (this is included in the maintenance fees). Recent trainees may also call to ask us training-related questions at no cost.
Calendar
NSR Essentials
May 5, 2025
Online
AERMOD Modeling for Permits
May 6-7, 2025
Online
Advanced AERMOD
May 8-9, 2025
Online
TCEQ Environmental Trade Fair and Conference
June 3-4, 2025
San Antonio, TX
AWMA ACE 2025
June 9-12, 2025
Raleigh, NC
EPA Regional/State/Local Modelers Workshop
July 8-10, 2025
Nashville, TN
Our complete class schedule can always be found at https://www.providenceoris.com/training/
For More Information:
Phone: (512) 258-8855
Email: info@providenceoris.com
Visit our websites:
www.providenceoris.com (software, support, and training)
www.beestxpress.com (cloud-based high speed AERMOD)
