Dr. Richard Tropp

Title:Associate Research Professor
Affiliation: Division of Atmospheric Sciences
Location: DRI Reno
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: 775.674.7094
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Professional Interests

Dr. Richard J. Tropp is an Associate Research Professor in the Division of Atmospheric Sciences (DAS). He has more than 36 years of management and research experience in the areas of ambient air quality monitoring, aerosol and particulate measurements, visibility, acid deposition, data analysis, quality assurance, regulation development, and air pollution control. His experience includes university research, management of state agency regulation development and research, and management and participation in ~50 ambient air monitoring projects. He is currently Principal Investigator for the PM_2.5 FRM and chemical speciation laboratory support contracts with the TCEQ and for TexAQSII through the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Tropp managed acceptance tests for the new Teflon filters provided by EPA to state and local agencies for PM_2.5 monitoring at state and local air monitoring stations (SLAMS). He served as an invited external reviewer of EPA’s Quality Assurance Guidance Document 2.12 for monitoring PM_2.5, and helped EPA prepare its regulatory package for the proposed PM2.5 standard, respond to public comments on the proposed standard, and prepare the final promulgation package for the standard. Dr. Tropp has managed particulate and visibility monitoring projects in major urban areas in Texas, Manhattan, NY, Philadelphia, and in rural areas of the eastern US. In addition, he has provided technical advice to state, local, and tribal agencies on particulate sampling and analysis through EPA’s Saturation Monitor Repository. His experience in managing and conducting QA/QC includes: Acid MODES field study databases, QC for EPA’s Clinical Environmental Laboratory, QA/QC support for the Republic of China EPA, QA program support for the bi-national Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network and the Canadian Atmospheric Environment Service’s Air Toxics Program, and QA Manager for the Eastern Fine Particle and Visibility Network. He currently conducts systems audits of the EAF laboratories twice a year, and has served as QA Officer for IMPROVE carbon analysis since 2005. He also provided a QA/QC review of PM₁₀ emission inventory estimates for both point and area sources for the 2001 Clark County (Las Vegas) PM₁₀ SIP.

Dr. Tropp managed atmospheric sciences research for the Texas Air Control Board (TACB), including support for and assessments of new instruments (e.g., improved PM sampling methods), data assessment (e.g., a synoptic scale ozone classification scheme for assessing ozone trends and spectral analysis of VOC data), and new monitoring programs (e.g., urban visibility and trends within Texas). While with TRC Environmental, he conducted audits of aircraft operations and measurements for the Regional Acid Deposition Model field study.

Dr. Tropp also provided assessments of the bi-national Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network and recommendations to the Canadian Atmospheric Environment Service on how to improve its air toxics deposition network. He also provided technical support and review of EPA’s 1997 PM_2.5 regulations and support documents. Dr. Tropp has also written EPA’s guidance document on estimating ambient air monitoring costs. He also managed data analysis of the Dallas Brown Cloud and Year-Long Visibility Study. While with TRC Environmental, he was Project Manager for EPA’s Eastern Fine Particle and Visibility Network.

Dr. Tropp developed VOC control regulations for the 1981 Harris County SIP revision and also reviewed its emission inventory to assess potential reductions in air toxics as a result of proposed VOC control measures. While with TRC Environmental, he developed QA/QC procedures for Title V emission inventories and developed reconciliation and assessment procedures for using CEM data to provide more reliable short-term emission inventory estimates. He also developed and provided QC oversight of a SIP emission inventory assessment program for use by EPA and state and local agencies. The program assessed potential problems in both point and area source emissions based on AP-42 emission estimates and comparison with other inventories.