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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 - Air Quality Advisory Board - Annual Report1 Air Quality Advisory Board (AQAB) 2015 Annual Report AQAB Membership Tom Moore (chairperson January – April; resigned in April) John Shenot (vice-chairperson January – April, chairperson April – December) Mark Houdashelt (vice-chairperson April – December) Jim Dennison Rich Fisher Tom Griggs Rob Kirkpatrick Greg Miller Vara Vissa Major Agenda Topics and Invited Presenters for 2015 AQAB Meetings The AQAB had 12 meetings in 2015. Major agenda topics for each meeting are listed below, along with invited presenters where appropriate. (Some agenda items consisted of Board discussion only, with no formal presentations.) In addition to the listed major agenda topics, each meeting also included brief updates and minor informational items not noted in the table. Formal actions taken by the Board are also noted. Date Major Agenda Topics Presenter(s) Formal Action 1/26/15 Climate Action Plan Strategies and Tactics Lucinda Smith (1) The Board supported adoption of the goals in the 2015 Climate Action Plan (CAP) Framework. (2) The Board recommended that Council direct city staff to develop near-term CAP implementation plans for the next two budget cycles consistent with the framework plan and the long-term goals for 2030 and 2050, and direct city staff to solicit and consider input from appropriate boards and commissions and the public. Fugitive Dust Melissa Hovey 2/23/15 Economic Health Strategic Plan Josh Birks Fugitive Dust Melissa Hovey The Board submitted a written recommendation to Council on a Fugitive Dust Control Ordinance. 3/3/2015 Climate Action Plan (outside of meeting) Vice-Chair Mark Houdashelt testified at a Council meeting to present the Board’s recommendations regarding adoption of a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals ordinance and Climate Action Plan framework. 2 Date Major Agenda Topics Presenter(s) Formal Action 3/16/15 AQAB Meeting Topics Transportation Air Quality Impacts Guidance Manual Fugitive Dust 4/20/15 Energy Policy Lisa Rosintoski, Peter O’Neill, and John Phelan Transportation Air Quality Impacts Guidance Manual Fugitive Dust Pilot Project 5/18/15 Climate Action Plan (CAP) Implementation Lucinda Smith Transportation Air Quality Impacts Guidance Manual Fugitive Dust Pilot Project 6/15/15 Lose-A-Watt Campaign Katy Bigner AQAB Priorities June through September 7/20/15 Energy Policy Update Downtown Plan/Old Town Neighborhoods Plan 8/17/15 Draft Energy Policy John Phelan The Board agreed on a written recommendation regarding the Energy Policy Update that was submitted to Council on 8/29/15. Downtown Plan Rebecca Everette Environmental Services Strategic Plan Lucinda Smith 9/21/15 Community Recycling Ordinance Caroline Mitchell 3 Date Major Agenda Topics Presenter(s) Formal Action CAP Implementation Update Lindsay Ex and Lucinda Smith 10/19/15 Transportation Air Quality Impacts Guidance Manual Lucinda Smith AQAB 2016 Work Plan Draft 11/16/15 Dust Control Project Lucinda Smith AQAB 2016 Work Plan Draft The Board agreed on a 2016 work plan and submitted the plan to Council on 11/20/15. 12/21/15 West Elizabeth Enhanced Travel Corridor Plan Amy Lewin and Rachel Prelog Dust Control Project Lindsay Ex AQAB 2015 Annual Report – Review Draft Other Board Activities In addition to the regular meetings, during 2015 AQAB members acting in their official capacity also participated in the following activities: • Chair John Shenot attended the final two meetings of the Climate Action Plan – Citizen Advisory Committee in January; • Chair John Shenot attended the State of the City event in February; • Several Board members attended a Fugitive Dust Open House in February; • Vice-Chair Mark Houdashelt testified at a Council meeting on March 3 to endorse the Climate Action Plan; • Vice-Chair Mark Houdashelt attended a Superboard meeting in March on affordable housing; • Chair John Shenot and Vice-Chair Mark Houdashelt attended the Boards & Commissions Breakfast in May; • Vice-Chair Mark Houdashelt attended the City’s oil and gas forum in June; • Board members Tom Griggs and Greg Miller attended a July meeting of the Fort Collins Transportation Board at which there was a presentation by the Regional Air Quality Council; • Chair John Shenot and Vice-Chair Mark Houdashelt met with our Council Liaison Ross Cunniff in November to discuss our 2016 work plan; • Board member Jim Dennison attended a December meeting of the Planning and Zoning Board where changes to the land use code stemming from the proposed fugitive dust ordinance were considered; 4 • Chair John Shenot and Board member Vara Vissa attended a public forum on the CAP in December; • Vice-Chair Mark Houdashelt attended multiple meetings of the Bicycle Advisory Committee throughout the year and one joint meeting of the Transportation Board and the Bicycle Advisory Committee; and • Board member Jim Dennison attended all of the stakeholder meetings of the city’s Fugitive Dust Working Group. Progress on Major Focus Areas Identified in AQAB 2015 Work Plan This final section of the annual report compares AQAB activities and milestones to the “major focus areas” in our 2015 Work Plan. The numbered focus areas are copied verbatim from the 2015 work plan. 1. Review and provide recommendations on the Climate Action Plan update and climate change adaption and resiliency initiatives. • This was a major agenda topic at AQAB meetings in January, May and September. • AQAB members also participated in other public meetings on this topic in January and December. • The AQAB provided formal recommendations to Council in January and March. • Council unanimously adopted new emissions goals based on the CAP in March. 2. Support efforts to reduce emissions, encourage multiple modes of transportation, and encourage energy production alternatives and conservation that improve air quality. • The Community Recycling Ordinance, considered for its impact on reducing emissions, was a major agenda topic at the AQAB meeting in September. • Ways to encourage multi-modal transportation were a significant part of the discussion of the West Elizabeth Enhanced Travel Corridor Plan at the AQAB meeting in December. • Energy conservation was a major agenda topic at the AQAB meeting in June. • The AQAB provided a formal recommendation regarding the Community Recycling Ordinance to Council in September. • Council has placed Community Recycling on the agenda for a work session in January 2016. 3. Review and provide recommendations on the Energy Policy and enhance collaboration with the Energy Board. • This was a major agenda topic at AQAB meetings in April, July and August. • The AQAB provided a formal recommendation to Council in August. • Council unanimously approved and adopted the updated Energy Policy in December. 4. Guide the selection and implementation of the transportation assessment tool to adequately assess impacts to air quality from transportation projects and corridor plans. • This was a major agenda topic at AQAB meetings in March, April, May and October. • The AQAB offered informal suggestions to City staff on the scope and content of an RFP in October. 5 • City staff issued the RFP to select a contractor for this work in November. The impact assessment manual and any related tools will be developed in 2016. 5. Advise Council and provide recommendations on selected air quality initiatives for 2015 including ozone, fugitive dust, woodstoves and outdoor burning, indoor air quality, rail emissions and emergency response, and Air Quality Plan update and citizen survey. • Fugitive Dust was a major agenda topic at each AQAB meeting from January through May, and again in November and December. • AQAB members also participated in numerous public stakeholder meetings concerning Fugitive Dust from early summer through the end of the year, and one meeting of the Planning and Zoning Board on this topic in December. • The AQAB provided a formal recommendation on Fugitive Dust to Council in February 2015. • Council has placed Fugitive Dust on the agenda for a work session in February 2016. 6. Identify local community and regional planning and development decisions and actions that may adversely affect city air quality and carbon emissions and recommend integrated, leveraged actions to mitigate impacts. • Local planning and development decisions were major agenda topics at AQAB meetings in February, July, August and December. • The AQAB offered informal suggestions to City staff on air quality-related matters for each project. The AQAB also noted that each of the transportation projects considered underscored the importance and need for the city to develop and use a Transportation Air Quality Impacts Guidance Manual. 7. Broaden communications and collaboration with the Transportation Board, Energy Board, and Natural Resources Advisory Board and the community to better advise Council on air quality and climate change issues. • AQAB representatives attended a July meeting of the Transportation Board at which there was a presentation by the Regional Air Quality Council and attended multiple meetings of the Bicycle Advisory Committee (a subcommittee of the Transportation Board). • The AQAB communicated with and offered suggestions to the Energy Board on multiple occasions leading to Council’s adoption of an updated Energy Policy. 8. Establish direct, cooperative working relationships with pertinent county, regional, and state air quality organizations to better advise Council on air quality issues. • The AQAB did not make as much progress as was hoped on this major focus area. • AQAB representatives did attend a July meeting of the Transportation Board at which there was a presentation by the Regional Air Quality Council. • The AQAB also received updates and information and had brief discussions of several air quality topics that required or will require coordination with county, state, and federal air quality officials: the Martin Marietta Materials (MMM) Asphalt Plant Permit issued by CDPHE and a Memorandum of Understanding between Fort Collins and MMM; the Federal Clean Power Plan for reducing power plant carbon pollution; and revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Ozone which will require development of a state implementation plan by CDPHE. The Board provided Council with a recommendation regarding adoption of the Community Recycling Ordinance.