HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 - Air Quality Advisory Board - Annual ReportCITY OF FORT COLLINS
AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD
Memorandum to City Council
TO: Mayor Hutchinson and City Council members
FROM: Eric Levine, Chair
DATE: January 30, 2007
SUBJECT: 2006 Air Quality Advisory Board Annual Report
In 2006 the Air Quality Advisory Board held twelve regular meetings and one special joint
meeting with the Transportation Board.
The Board sent the following recommendations to City Council:
A June 2006 memo recommending that the City of Fort Collins join the Local
Government Coalition in support of regulating mercury as a hazardous air pollutant and
that the MACT (Maximum Achievable Control Technology) be implemented as
expeditiously as possible on a source -specific basis. Result — the City did join the Local
Government Coalition and the final mercury rule -making is scheduled for January 2007.
A June 2006 memo to Council stating AQAB support for a resolution being proposed by
the Fort Collins Sustainability Group asking the City to reconvene a task force to update
the climate plan, to ensure that energy measure are included, and to host a public forum
series on the possibility of Fort Collins becoming a climate neutral city. Result - at a
January 2007 study session, Council indicated support for a modified version of the
FCSG resolution.
An August 2006 memo to Council noting that due to the demonstrable effects of
secondhand smoke, the AQAB recommends that City Council adhere to the original
intent of the 2002 Smoke Free Fort Collins law by prohibiting smoking in all indoor
public places, that the City Code conform to Colorado state law, that the City use the
term "cigarette butt receptacles" rather than "ashtrays" within the 20' prohibited
perimeter, and that the City should not grant certain businesses exclusive rights to operate
smoking lounges and thereby limit free trade. Result — Ordinance 122, 2006 allows
limited use on -site use of tobacco smoke at retail tobacco businesses.
• An October 2006 memo to Council asking the City to provide input into the Colorado
Regulation 7 hearing to place more stringent controls on oil and gas well emissions in the
Ozone Early Action Compact area and across the state. Result — the City did provide
written input and the state did move to promulgate these tighter regulations.
• An October 2006 memo to Council that the AQAB recommends transportation planning
based on an all inclusive mobility management strategy to yield a comprehensive
approach for fee assessment and reduction in taxpayer burdens, and letting Council know
that over the next year, as the AQAB continues to assess mobility management strategies
and implications on air quality, they will provide specific action items for council
consideration."
A December recommendation led to a January 2007 memo to Council recommending
that the City of Fort Collins strengthen its greenhouse gas reduction target by signing on
to the Seattle mayor's agreement and make a commitment to the achieving the USA
Kyoto Protocol (7% greenhouse gas reduction below 1990 levels.)
The Board spent significant time throughout the year discussing and giving input on the
following issues:
• Mobility Management Best Practices Study for Fort Collins
• Discussion to identify longer -term barriers and opportunities related to air quality
improvement
These topics were discussed at eight of 13 total meetings.
In addition, the Board also received information and updates and discussed the following
programs and issues:
• Status of ozone levels and actions to reduce ground level ozone.
• Fleet emission reduction practices of Poudre School District.
• Discussed and made plans to reconvene the West Nile Virus Task Force during the winter
2006/2007 to prepare recommendations for the 2008/20009 budget cycle.
• Provided input into the upcoming 2007 air quality survey.
• Status of 2005 Track To Win program and plans for the 2006 Track to Win program.
• Status of the Fort Collins High -Emitter project.
• Status of the citywide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and on Climate Wise
• Results of the 2006 study to evaluate the effectiveness of the radon mitigation systems
that are required to be installed in new homes built sine 2005.
• City progress on alternative fuels.
• Discussion about grade -separate road crossings.