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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 03/15/2021 AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR March 15, 2021 5:30 – 8:00 pm via Zoom 3/15/21 – MINUTES Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:30pm 2. ROLL CALL • List of Board Members Present − Matt Tribby − Karen Artell − Emily Bitler − Wayne Chuang − Nina Forsyth − Jason Miller − Gregory Clark − Dan Welsh • List of Board Members Absent – Excused or Unexcused; if no contact with Chair has been made − Jim Dennison • List of Staff Members Present − Cassie Archuleta, Staff Liaison − Jason Komes, Air Quality Specialist − Linda Hardin, Sr. Environmental Compliance Specialist • List of Guests - none 3. AGENDA REVIEW 4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Some minor grammatical and clarification edits were made. Emily moved and Dan seconded a motion to approve the February AQAB minutes as amended. Motion passed unanimously. 8-0-0 6. PREVIOUS BUSINESS a. Staff Updates - Cassie Archuleta AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 3/15/21 – MINUTES Page 2 − Oil and gas − The COGCC is beginning a rulemaking process related to financial assurances for O&G operations. − The state has also adopted some new regulations related to pneumatics for the oil and gas sector. − Transportation − There are potential new requirements that any new State/regional (and potentially city) transportation plans would be required to include greenhouse gas inventories in those plans. − There is also state rulemaking that would require carpooling and reduced single occupancy vehicles for large employers. As one of the largest employers in the city, this would most likely affect the City of Fort Collins. − Discussion − Matt - The state is also in the process of a rulemaking that targets greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency management in manufacturing in Colorado, which should also affect Broadcom. − Other – Cassie will forward the national search announcement brochure for the Environmental Services Director position to the board for distribution to anyone who may be interested. b. Work plan discussion about electric vehicles − Matt pointed out the state of Colorado's EV goal is to have 940,000 light-duty EVs by 2030, and the City of Fort Collins' goal is to have 100% of light-duty vehicle purchases be plug-in electric by 2025. He feels the best use of the AQAB's efforts is to focus on the City's community-wide goals and the government-focused goals. − Matt - asked the board to focus on what they think the AQAB work plan goal should be around EVs. − Discussion − General agreement that tracking metrics on the progress of the City's fleet goals should be an AQAB focus. − Wayne has been in conversations with City representatives (OpenData group) that might be able to come present to the AQAB about how to reach EV goals. Also, there are only 3 fast charging stations in Fort AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 3/15/21 – MINUTES Page 3 Collins. − Denver is working with Lyft that is using 200 electric vehicles. Perhaps Fort Collins could partner with Lyft also. − Staff follow up - Cassie will pass these questions along to the City's EV Roadmap Coordinator who will be addressing the board in April. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Board Elections of Chair and Vice Chair − Matt agreed to continue being chair of the AQAB. There were no other candidates. Dan moved and Emily seconded a motion to elect Matt Tribby as Chair of the AQAB. The motion passed unanimously 8-0-0. − Karen nominated Emily as Vice Chair. There were no other candidates. Karen moved and Jason seconded a motion to elect Emily Bitler as Vice Chair of the AQAB. The motion passed unanimously 8-0-0 b. Environmental Compliance: Policy Implementation and Enforcement- Jason Komes and Linda Hardin − The City has environmental compliance programs for: - State and Federal regulation - implemented by Utilities Department, municipal compliance with state/federal regulations, ISO 14001 Maintenance, Environmental Due Diligence - Local regulation - implemented by Environmental Service Department Environmental Compliance. That group focuses on Municipal code compliance, including construction/demolition waste, wood smoke, fugitive dust, hauler licensing/reporting, hauler hours of operation, community recycling ordinance - The Implementation and Enforcement (I&E) plans determine roles and responsibilities, outreach and education, applicable municipal code, elements of evidence and enforcement procedures - Enforcement usually initiates with a complaint and flows from investigation to education after 1st violation, Notice of Violation after 2nd violation, and citation after 3rd violation. − Q - Are the educational materials provided to contractors prior to construction for review? A - Yes. Jason attends all development construction review meetings prior to permits being issued to discuss the various codes contractors are required to comply with, review their projects, hand out the educational AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 3/15/21 – MINUTES Page 4 materials, and explain that fugitive dust requirements will be enforced. − Regarding fugitive dust complaints - Discretionary procedural variances ask for voluntary compliance and use education versus Notice of Violation. However, enforcement will be escalated if necessary. Since 2019 we have gotten 45 fugitive dust complaints and 1 resulted in Notice of Violation. − Regarding outdoor residential burning complaints - Cassie and Jason are working on a two year implementation summary report. From 2012 to 2018, complaint responses were handled by the Poudre Fire Authority and Community Development and Neighborhood Services Departments. There was a general increase of complaints during this time. - In 2019 there were amendments made to the City's Air Pollution Nuisance Code establishing a curfew from 10 pm to 7 am for outdoor residential burning, At that time complaint management was transferred to the Environmental Services Department. Since then, complaints regarding outdoor residential burning have doubled, mostly from health concerns and the forest fires. − Q - Are most of the complaints due to lack of knowledge by the violator? A - Most of the actions taken to answer these complaints do not include a conversation with the violator. Educational letters are sent, assuming they were unaware of the rules. Many of the complaints are sent to us via email during the night and we don't receive them until morning. The City does not have the right to enter a person's private property to see the violation. If it is a safety issue, we can call PFA that does have authority to go on private property to investigate a fire hazard. Also, COVID restrictions prevent code compliance officers from knocking on doors and talking to people to validate the complaints. − Q- Is burning yard waste allowed in city limits? A - No − Current status of the program: - Public nuisance codes are difficult to enforce. - We work with Poudre Fire Authority, Community Development and Neighborhood Services, Environmental Regulatory Affairs, and the City Planning Department to enforce the codes. - There are neighbor-to-neighbor issues that can be impediments to enforcement. - There is ongoing refinement of fugitive dust guidance and requirements, AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 3/15/21 – MINUTES Page 5 complaint intake processes, and civic engagement. - Staff has developed an ArcGIS complaint tracking map to visually show where the complaints are. - Q - Can that map shared with the public? A - It is possible, but not at this time. − Discussion - Q - 2020 was an anomaly and comparing it to other years may not give you the helpful information you expected. Perhaps wait another year to see the data even out. As part of staff's evaluation of the program, she also suggested they send a survey to those who have complained to see if the issue was resolved for them or not. A - Council asked for a one year evaluation. We are still investigating how to properly evaluate the program, will consider these suggestions, and make a recommendation to Council. - Q - I was a renter when the new outdoor residential burning restrictions came out and I was confused by it. She suggested having the restrictions be in the daytime to help reduce ozone and allow burning at night. A - Ozone reduction was not a consideration with the burning curfew. Outdoor burning creates particulate matter that is an irritant and health issue. Making people more aware of nuisance smoke also alerts them to current fire codes regarding outdoor residential burning. - Q - Do you have a follow up questionnaire to see if issues have been resolved? Increasing numbers of complaints could also be a good thing because people have increased awareness of who to call about this issue. A - We do not currently have a follow-up survey, but we do talk to whoever gives us contact information to be sure their issue has been resolved. - Matt - Having another year of data makes the most sense. c. Indoor AQ Grant Application opportunity - Cassie Archuleta − Cassie shared that City of Fort Collins has been invited to make a pitch to apply for a world-wide competitive Bloomberg grant around indoor air quality and energy efficiency. The deadline for submission is March 21, 2021. There will be several winners. She invited the AQAB to brainstorm what kind of metrics would demonstrate success of such a program and how would air quality be a part of it. − Discussion − Matt - There are many challenges to get to cleaner energy sources and not AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 3/15/21 – MINUTES Page 6 sacrifice cost and reliability. From a metric standpoint, is there a way to estimate carbon reduction from City programs? − Q - What is the pitch? Is it to get money to bridge the gap between programs currently in place and where we want to be? A - We need a reimagining of our home intervention program to be more integrated from behavior to infrastructure, determine what is the City's role in doing this, and also help the underserved community. This is a 3-year grant so our efforts would have to be sustainable without personal investment. − Q - It is important to weigh both the health aspects and energy reduction aspects of things and evaluate what would be the most important thing to do for a low-income person. Health vs. greenhouse gases is something to consider. A - There would be different motivations and it would be important to get them identified. − Q - Another thing to pitch is that energy efficiency would reduce monthly bills after an investment. Some things are not important in other parts of the country like radon. He thinks it is important that the pitch says that our program is helping the larger climate change issue - i.e. reducing carbon emissions. A - Cassie- Maybe determine what is the City's role with on-bill financing for improvements? Is the program replicable and sustainable? Many City departments are working on a focus for the pitch, and is being lead by the City Manager's Office. − Equity should be an important part of the pitch. − Q - How much focus is on the City's infrastructure vs. a targeted individual household solution? A - Most thoughts are currently around individual homes. − Suggested staff ask the state and other powerful local entities on climate change to advocate to Bloomberg on behalf of the City of Fort Collins. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS a. Matt - Regarding the 2021 AQAB work plan: − Cassie and Matt will talk with the Transportation Board's new chair to see what opportunities the two boards might have to collaborate regarding electric vehicles. − The City and county are working on policy regarding oil and gas. He anticipates that the AQAB could provide insight on both policies by summer, 2021. AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 3/15/21 – MINUTES Page 7 − The Bloomberg Grant application will help develop topics that can be built upon regarding indoor air quality. b. Matt - The Environmental Defense Fund has proposed a cap and trade program to the Air Quality Control Commission. The state is proposing a carbon state-wide cap and trade bill. c. Karen - Shared a link to the county's Phase II Oil and Gas website. They have extended the rule making process and plan to have a hearing before the county commissioners in July, with adoption in August. There are also meetings posted on the site that AQAB members could attend. The county has hired an attorney to help with the changes to the regulations. d. Dan - Air quality awareness week is in May. We could promote any activities anyone knows about. 9. OTHER BUSINESS a. 6-month calendar review b. Agenda planning for April − Overview of EV Readiness Roadmap − Climate SHIFT program - Earth Day Challenge − CSU transportation initiatives - Colorado Energy Research Collaboratory − Set dates for work plan goals 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:02 pm.