HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 02/26/2008• MINUTES
AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
DATE: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
LOCATION: 200 West Mountain — Suite A — Conference room.
TIME: 5:30 -8:00 P.M.
For Reference: Eric Levine, Chair - 493-6341
David Roy, Council Liaison - 407-7393
Brian Woodruff, Staff Liaison - 221-6604
Board Members Present: Eric Levine, Jeff Engell, Dale Adamy, Dennis Georg, Greg
McMaster, Dave Dietrich, Katrina Winborn, Nancy York, Kip Carrico
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present: Brian Woodruff, Alexis Hmielak
Eric Levine called the meeting to order at 5:45 pm
Announcements:
Jeff Engell announced that Dr. Henry Liu, founder and president of The Green Brick Company
will make a presentation on fly ash brick, the nation's "Greenest Brick" at the Spotlight on CSU
Luncheon, Thursday, March 13, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Hilton, Fort Collins.
425 W. Prospect
Eric Levine announced that the March AQAB meeting will be moved from Tuesday, March 25,
to Monday, March 24 so that AQAB's Council Liaison David Roy can attend. Staff will check
availability of the room and coordinate with David Roy. Ben Manvel has agreed to attend in
April. However, that meeting will also have to be moved to a Monday, April 21, the day before
the regular meeting.
Kip Carrico stated he thought it would it be useful to have the Electric Board agendas also sent
with the monthly AQAB packets. The group agreed to receive the Electric Board agenda for a
few months to see if there are any agenda items impacting air quality.
Opportunity for Public Comment
none
Approval of January 22, 2008 minutes
Dale Adamy moved to approve the minutes and Dennis Georg seconded the motion.
The minutes were approved unanimously.
Ozone
The Regional Ozone Stakeholder Meeting was held at the main Fort Collins Public Library on
February 11, 2008. The agenda included information about ozone itself, the process to come up
with an ozone control plan, various pollution sources and the methods available to control them.
Several of the AQAB members attended and shared their perspectives on the meeting.
Dennis Georg was pleasantly surprised at the number of people who attended (45-60). It
certainly indicated to him there was sufficient interest in Fort Collins to have a
Stakeholder Meeting here, especially compared to the one person that attended the
Windsor Stakeholder meeting. He talked with one of the presenters about their
modeling, potential performance and accuracy concerns.
Katrina Winborn reported the meeting was briefly mentioned in the paper. She also
asked the organizers to schedule another Stakeholder Meeting in Ft. Collins soon.
Eric Levine asked what questions were asked at the stakeholder meeting. Some of them
were:
o A basic overview of the ozone issue.
o How did we miss the first compliance.
o How much of this is background vs. locally -generated ozone
• Dave Dietrich discussed precursors that move in at night, bake during the
day, go out as NOx and back in as ozone.
• Kip Carrico pointed out our location near the foothills can have stagnant
conditions where Ozone can pile up.
• In answer to a question from Nancy York, Brian Woodruff stated the
morning rush hour has high precursor emissions, but peak ozone is later
in the day.
• Dave Dietrich pointed out the formation of ozone depends on solar
radiation and is not temperature -sensitive. Ozone in the winter when it's
sunny and with reflection off the snow can be equal to or higher than in
the summer. Colorado does monitor ozone year-round, where some
states do not in the winter.
Greg McMaster asked why there is no buildup of NOx over time. Kip
Carrico stated that typically you have a peak of NO in morning, then
NO2 then ozone a few hours apart. The conversion to NO2 is fairly
quick.
Dennis Georg asked what the impact of the new EPA standard effective March
16, would be. However, the presenters didn't have a direct answer, nor did they
have a direct answer for the social impact of their current plan.
Old, bad -emitter cars have a large impact; not the classic cars that are well cared
for and rarely driven.
23% of VOC sources were from oil and gas, and it is increasing. The Regional
Air Quality Council is meeting with oil and gas manufacturers.
• Katrina has copies of "issue papers" from their website about the
proposed control on the oil and gas industry's equipment. The
information is short and very general.
• Eric asked if the SIP would be able to handle the new ozone standard to
be adopted soon. Brian Woodruff answered they spoke of the
implementation plan they have to write now, the governor's directive for
reductions this summer, and a new ozone standard that won't become
effective until 2011. After the new standard comes out, EPA will review
• the data and designate the non -attainment areas, which will start the
clock on the process to write a new SIP.
• Dennis specified 4 plans:
• 2008 summer plan
• Plan for compliance with the known standard
• Achieve a goal of less than 80 ppb every day
• Address the new standard to be adopted soon
• Mr. Silverstein told Dennis that model uncertainty huge and it would be
a problem even for the experts who understand it. They are basing their
professed improvements on the model they are currently developing and
are betting on faith that they will be closer to the good than bad side.
Katrina added Mr. Silverstein said last time their model predicted results
marginally better than the standard. They took the bet and lost.
• Eric understood the uncertainty in the modeling, but asked how
hundreds of oil and gas sources in Weld County could have been
overlooked.
• Dennis said it was good to see everyone working together and
using their mandate from the governor to energize action as an
ongoing process. This is the start of a regular learning process to
steadily improve the data accuracy and make the model better
and actions better.
• Eric asked what kind of a form does an emitter have to fill out.
Katrina stated all oil and gas operations are filling out the forms
now.
• • Dave Dietrich pointed out it's a timeline issue. A lot of wells do
not have permits. The state has to catch them. The past state
administration didn't want to, but the current administration is
getting on board. It's about time and money.
• Eric remembered the number of inspection personnel for toxics
were cut by 1/3 in last administration. You can't check if you
don't have manpower.
• Katrina said the state is proposing to lower the thresholds for
reporting and permitting. This is likely to throw them into an
annual reporting process so that the emissions are tracked. So
some of the proposed measures will help to achieve that.
• Eric Levine stated that under the Clean Air Act, failure to report
the chemicals you are emitting is subject to fines of $10,000-
$25,000/day for non-compliance.
• Katrina stated there will also be Stakeholder Meetings in March in Denver on major
topics: oil and gas; March 4 - modeling with consultants; March 5 - VOC stationary
sources and March 19 - transportation measures.
• Dennis complimented the Regional Air Quality Council's website, www.ozoneaware.org
that has lots of information on it.
Mobility Management
The committee on Mobility Management is coming to the end of its review of best practices to
reduce transportation demand /vehicle miles traveled. Dave Dietrich gave a brief update on the
• committee's work and recommendations.
o The subcommittee has met 6-7 times over 6-7months. Participants were Nancy York,
Dale Adamy, Dave Dietrich and Katrina Winborn.
o As part of their investigation, the subcommittee went through the Mobility Management
Best Practices report and each member of the committee gave a presentation on the
individual sections so all would have a better understanding of entire process.
o When the subcommittee completes its study, they will encourage the AQAB to send a
letter to City Council to encourage them to enable the city staff to move forward to
implement mobility management best practices throughout the city. There will also be a
bulleted section describing key points of the Mobility Management Plan.
o Dave explained the subcommittee is giving the proposed City Council letter to the AQAB
at this meeting to review and then discuss at the March AQAB meeting. The purpose of
the letter is to have Council authorize, require, and empower city management and staff
to integrate mobility management in all city planning activities.
o Katrina Winbom pointed out the bullet points are a summary of what the committee
discussed. The committee recognized the city already does a lot about mobility
management, but would like the authority to do more.
o Greg McMaster voiced his appreciation for all the work put into the plan and how it is
presented and that it makes it easier for the Board to review and comment.
o Brian Woodruff agreed if the AQAB would email their review track changes back to
staff, they could collate and synthesize them into a final edited product.
o Dave Dietrich pointed out the letter going to council would not include the bullet points,
which are more of a reminder to the AQAB. City staff is able to do more this and needs
someone to say, "Go." The subcommittee wants to get the Council to commit.
o Nancy York stated her opinion is that city administration is not holding staff back; it's
their training from the past. Dave stated it's important to specify they have permission to
act. Katrina expanded that is why the wording says "authorize, require and empower."
Greg said the board is saying they encourage the mobility management plan to become
part of the general standard.
o Dennis said the report outlines places where city staff can rise above and make process.
o Eric Levine agreed that progress is being made in many areas, however, Fort Collins is
about to go into non-compliance for ozone and traffic congestion and population is
growing.
o Brian Woodruff pointed out that supplying adequate services to cars is taken more
seriously than the idea of reducing the number of trips. Directive to staff is to value the
one over the other. Therefore, unless a shift is made to reduce travel demand with staff
and resources assigned to that goal, it will not be taken seriously.
o Nancy York sees this as an impending crisis of not being able to maintain Fort Collins'
existing infrastructure. She thinks this crisis also in cities throughout the state, resulting
in a tax increase by 2010 to raise $4 million for transportation maintenance. She also
reported CSU is looking into more funding to Transfort to extend the hours of bus service
for students.
o Eric also pointed out that the Climate Task Force projects that electric rates will go up
drastically, along with transportation costs. He also stated the Climate Task Force has
some incentives in their plan to reduce the effect of transportation on air quality. The
Brendle Group is also aware of the impact of the transportation issue and will scan and
send their report to the AQAB.
Planning for the March meeting
• The group discussed the March AQAB meeting agenda when Council liaison David Roy will be
present.
o Brian Woodruff suggested the AQAB ask David Roy how the AQAB can best
communicate with Council and how he sees the AQAB's effectiveness.
o Dennis Georg thought it might also be helpful to add the West Nile Virus plan and a
summary of recommendations or reports the AQAB has made to the Council in the last
year. Dennis also suggested the AQAB convey to the City Manager's office that their
staff isn't giving the WNV plan the urgency it needs.
o Greg McMaster suggested they also discuss mobility management.
o Brian pointed out that building code changes are also on the agenda, and it will be the last
opportunity to make a recommendation to council on radon.
o The group could not remember when City Council responded to any of their
recommendations, even though they are not required to.
o Brian pointed out the board liaisons are also to be neutral on issues.
o Dennis suggested the AQAB could be more forceful.
o Brian felt the communication setup facilitates Council response, since Eric e-
mails Board letters directly to them, rather than through staff.
o Eric explained the Council packets are huge and seem to be unorganized with no
hierarchy and would be a challenge for Council to review it all. He wondered
where the Board's letter would fall in this packet and suggested they should be
set aside from the rest of the packet.
o Brian also explained the Council reviews staff presentations on television before
the meetings, which requires more of their time.
o Dennis suggested the AQAB talk with individual Council members about hot
• topics.
o Eric asked Brian if any joint board meetings are still happening. Brian explained
there used to be joint -chair meetings once a year with chairs from AQAB,
Transportation Board, and P&Z Board. Eric felt they should discuss how the
Council reacts to the various boards' input to them.
o Dennis suggested the recommendations from all the boards should be posted on
the city's website. Brian will check with the City Clerk if this is possible.
o The group discussed that Council goes through a very careful interviewing
process with the board candidates, which implies they are concerned with the
caliber of board members and what they can bring to the board. The AQAB's
concern is why the City is not acknowledging input by these carefully -chosen
people.
• The AQAB discussed how to be more effective regarding the City Council.
o Eric stated in 2007 he met with city management staff and shared his concern that AQAB
wasn't in the loop about air quality issues, that Council moved on their own and he
wanted to know how to get in the loop.
o After Eric met with Council they said they were looking into it but they also said there is
no way to do this. Eric stated he has kept a list of subjects where the AQAB was out of
the loop.
o Nancy York thought the Climate Task Force work might be an opportune time to pull
boards together to focus on the issue and to communicate that this is something the
various boards have opinions on. She also suggested having departments make
presentations to AQAB and establish a good connection so that when an air quality issue
comes before them, they think of the AQAB.
• o Brian pointed out the AQAB's charter says the Board has an obligation to coordinate its
work with the Transportation and Zoning boards. However, the Transportation and
Zoning boards are not similarly obligated to coordinate with the AQAB.
o Greg McMaster wondered if the City Council thought the recommendations of the
advisory boards might be considered "shallow" since the boards only meet twelve times a
year and recommendations are typically limited to a one -page letter. Perhaps they could
attach more in-depth backup.
o Dennis stated the advisory boards can point the direction and in some cases raise the red
flag but he doesn't know how the board can go to the next depth. Perhaps the AQAB
should ask what kind of issues would the City Council like the AQAB to take a look at
and give a more detailed recommendation on.
o Eric stated they can convene an expert sub -group to report back to the board, if
necessary, however, sometimes all the board is asked to do is to give approval of various
presentations.
o Dennis pointed out the City Council's agenda has an item called `Board
Recommendations" and wondered how to get on that item. Nancy stated a Leadership
Team forms the agenda.
o Dave Dietrich suggested the City Manager and Mayor should meet with all the board
chairs once a year.
o Dennis quoted William A. Galston, a member of the School of Public Policy at the
University of Maryland regarding the impact of working democracies: "Public choice is
to involve "justification, not just the aggregation of wants and interests." Unfortunately,
modern city governments systematically fail to foster this disposition for three reasons.
These governments are execution -centered and are therefore not geared to eliciting
reasoned argument from individual citizens, or listening attentively if it happens to be
forthcoming. They induce citizens to relate to one another as interest bearers and as
bargainers rather than as participants in a shared process of justification. And, finally,
many urban citizens relate to one another as "clients" whose interests are defined and
mediated by bureaucratic experts. Thus, Stephen Elkin has argued that the operation of
urban political institutions has a pervasive and predominantly negative effect on the
character of the citizenry." Dennis stated the quote is a little dark but useful. He thinks it
is in Fort Collins interest to make sure that the relationships among the citizens, boards,
council and staff is transparent, positive, and both efficient and effective. That is what we
were asking. How can we be more effective in working with council?
Nancy York suggested a future agenda item to look at code changes and incentives for
Transit Oriented Development [TOD] particular in reference to the Mason Corridor, and the
proposed Public Access to Transit [PATT] fee paid with the issuing of a building permit
within a TOD zone. Eric Levine agreed this could be a future agenda item.
Eric pointed out, on occasion, if a board has done a lot of work on an issue, they can sit with
council to discuss the issue in a work session. However, the Climate Task Force has done a
lot of work for over a year and no one was invited from the Task Force during Council work
session.
Election of Officers
• Eric Levine stated he would be interested in being chair for another year.
• Dennis complimented Eric Levine for his service during the past year.
Dennis Georg moved and Nancy York seconded a motion to nominate Eric Levine as chairman
of the Air Quality Advisory Board.
Vote was unanimous — Eric Levine was elected Chair of the AQAB.
Nancy York moved and Kip Carrico seconded a motion to nominate Greg McMaster as
Vice Chairman of the Air Quality Advisory Board.
Vote was unanimous — Greg McMaster was elected Vice Chair of the AQAB.
• Brief updates
• West Nile Virus Technical Advisory Committee
Greg McMaster reported that the committee has had 4 — 5 meetings so far, every Monday 5 —
6:30 p.m. through March
o Greg reported it is an interesting group of people - very talented and knowledgeable with
different perspectives. The group may be lacking in having an environmental scientist
and Fort Collins citizen on the committee, however. He also does not think there is a
good representative looking at the social implications.
• Tess Heffernan facilitates the meetings.
• Members of group are: Roger Nachy from CDC (chief mosquito expert), Chet
Moore (CSU), Adrian LaBailey (Larimer County), Amy Dean (Natural
Resources Advisory Board) Boris C Kondratieff (CSU— entomology), Jackie
Fields (medical doctor with experience in treating West Nile Virus) and Eric
Levine and Greg McMaster (Air Quality Advisory Board)
o They are getting ready to address adulticiding and Greg anticipates a heated discussion
on this topic.
o The goal is to make the rest of the program as good as possible so that the perceived need
for adulticiding would be minimized, since it is the most problematic and expensive. He
also pointed out that at some point there will not be much more that can be done and the
public will have to take measures themselves such as wearing long sleeves, using
personal insecticide and not going out during peak hours.
o Greg stated the city put together the previous plan and policy. A lot of the decisions and
changes have been done "behind the scenes" and the West Nile Task Force has been
• discussing that. However, some decisions do have to be made quickly and too much
oversight could slow the process down. There will be an annual review of the program at
the end of each year.
o Greg pointed out the initial "trigger points" evolved with little scientific and public input
but they reflect more input from scientific sources.
o Eric added that regarding larviciding, there are few new, best practices; however, some
could be valuable.
• Mercury issue at proposed crematorium
The group discussed the air quality impacts of crematoriums
o Eric Levine asked, since Fort Collins is a home ruled city, is there anything on the books
the city can do to address air quality issues from current crematoriums and to discourage
the construction of new ones. No one had an answer.
o Brian stated possible air pollution would be from particulates and gases containing
mercury from dental work. The control equipment is very expensive some
crematoriums are removing teeth prior to cremation to avoid the cost of the control
equipment. In addition, the state health department is trying to get an initiative to deal
with the mercury emissions.
o Eric pointed out a Coloradoan article about mercury advisories in the local rivers and the
effect on the fish population.
o Dennis did a Google search on articles about mercury sources in the environment and
was amazed at the sources such as crematoriums and medical waste disposals. Top ones
include industrial boilers, medical waste, incinerators, coal fired power plants, mining in
general and chlorine production plants. He also stated most cleaning products have
• mercury in them.
o Brian asked if he should get an expert to address the board about chlorine. The board
agreed that would be helpful.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:59.
Submitted by Alexis Hmielak
Administrative Secretary 1
Approved by the Board on , 2008
Signed
Date
Ad ative Secretary I
Extension: 6600