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Home My WebLink AboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 10/19/2020 AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR October19, 2020 5:30 – 8:00 pm Colorado River Room, 222 Laporte Ave. 10/19/20 – MINUTES Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:30pm 2. ROLL CALL • List of Board Members Present − Matt Tribby, Chair − Karen Artell − Harry Edwards − Emily Bitler − Wayne Chuang − Nina Forsyth − Jason Miller • List of Board Members Absent – Excused or Unexcused; if no contact with Chair has been made - Greg Clark - Jim Dennison • List of Staff Members Present − Cassie Archuleta, Staff Liaison − Jason Komes, Specialist, Air Quality • List of Guests − Dan Welsh, CDPHE Meteorologist 3. AGENDA REVIEW • No changes 4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION • None 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • Karen moved and Nina seconded a motion to approve the September 21, 2020, minutes as amended. Motion passed, with Harry abstaining. 5-0-1 AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/19/20 – MINUTES Page 2 6. PREVIOUS BUSINESS a. Staff updates • Budget discussion - Matt had a discussion with AQAB's Council liaison, Julie Pignataro, regarding the need to have money budgeted to pay for someone to take the minutes of the AQAB. - Cassie informed the board that City Council had another work session regarding budget and, as a result, funds for air quality and climate programs will not be reduced, including the City’s contribution to the RAQC. Funds for these items will come from the City's reserves. Council's first reading of the 2021 budget will take place on November 3. o Staff follow up - Cassie will send the board the amended recommended 2021 budget and what the changes are regarding air quality and climate programs. She will also present this as a staff update at the November AQAB meeting. • Board appointments - Board members appointed in 2020 are expected to have terms automatically extended another year so they will not need to reapply in January. - Harry's and Greg's terms will end on December 31, 2020. Harry will not be re- applying. Greg is eligible to reapply. If he does not, there will be a vacancy that needs to be filled. • Oil and gas - Council has moved their discussion on oil and gas from a November to a January work session. The AQAB schedule will be adjusted accordingly so the board can make timely recommendations to Council. • Our Climate Future - Now that public workshops have ended, the program will distill information gathered and move into the next stage of community input. Cassie will keep the board apprised of opportunities to provide input into the process. - Matt asked if the City's goal of "20% carbon emissions reduction below 2005 AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/19/20 – MINUTES Page 3 levels by 2020" had been met. o Staff follow up - Cassie said good results are anticipated and will report back to the board when the final inventory has been released. - Regarding the 2030 Climate Action goal, Matt stated it would be of interest to the AQAB to know the procedures and dates of how and when the City will be checking to be sure it is on track to achieve this more aggressive goal. The board would also like to see any documents showing progress and how the City does its reporting to the state. o Staff follow up - Cassie will schedule a climate inventory update presentation to the board in the future. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Air quality impacts from recent wildfires in northern Colorado - presented by Dan Welsh, Air Quality Meteorologist with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Meteorology and Prescribed Fire Unit (MPF)  The CDPHE MPF Unit has the responsibility to protect public health by performing: − Daily air quality forecasts and advisories, including a Colorado Wildfire Smoke Outlook, and Air Quality Health Advisories, when conditions warrant. − Write technical support documents for exceptional events including blowing dust, stratospheric intrusions, and wildfires. − Communication and outreach, − Research with other entities.  The MPF has access to various air monitoring tools: − A network of monitoring sites throughout the state that monitor PM2.5, PM10, ozone, NO2, SO2, CO, and other air pollutants, including portable monitors to use in wildfires and other pollution events. - Dan pointed out there are still large areas that have no monitors in Colorado, mostly because of low population. - New satellite technology has greatly improved increased spatial and temporal resolution for assessment of smoke impacts; identifying hot spots; monitoring fire intensity and growth; and first fire detection. - Use of webcams to see air quality on the ground operated by the state, CDOT, various cities and counties, aviation, and private entities. - Use of various modeling techniques for forecasting, including for fire/smoke, AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/19/20 – MINUTES Page 4 standard air quality, and weather modeling - Making observations/predictions relevant to fires/smoke using aspects of weather, fuels, terrain and back burning.  Currently there are eight wildfires burning approximately 500,000 acres in northern Colorado that are affecting our air quality.  Caveats/context regarding data presented on their websites - The entire front range non-attainment area gets a pollution alert if any location within it is expected to have a high pollution issue. - Front Range Regulatory Action Day Program for ozone (ozone season) is June 1 - August 31, 2020. Current wildfires are happening in "off season" - Wildfire smoke contains PM2.5 and can contribute to ozone - AQI only considers single highest contributor pollutant, not all pollutants.  Comparisons to past years (excluding fires after August 1, 2020) - Looking at the past 9 years, the number of wildfire smoke advisories ranged from 0 - 133. This year PM2.5 concentrations are twice as high as in previous years.  Larimer County Impacts of wildfire smoke in August, September and first half of October were in the unhealthy ozone with 47 action days/advisories and high particle days..  For more information and a link to CDPHE APCD advisory page: https://www.colorado.gov/airquality/colo_advisory.aspx  Board discussion: − Q - Matt asked if CDPHE has been in contact with forest management services regarding any inadequate forest management that may be adding to the severity of the fires. A - CDPHE does interface with forestry entities regarding air quality impacts of smoke from forest fires, but Dan cannot speak to forest management being a cause of extraordinary fire events. He does know forestry management frequently use safely-conducted prescribed burns. − Q - Matt asked if CDPHE tracks the penetration that their advisories have and if they are effectively getting the word out to the public. A - Dan is unclear if the CDPHE logs metrics on all advisories but they are always looking for ways to increase their reach. Having CDPHE advisories on the National Weather Service webpage www.weather.gov has greatly increased the reach of their advisories. − Q - Karen asked why www.AirNow.gov seems to have a reporting delay from on the ground air quality issues. What is the turnaround for them? A - AirNow.gov's numbers tend to lag an hour. The calculation of the AQI depends on what you AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/19/20 – MINUTES Page 5 are looking at and is based on different time periods of measured exposure, i.e.PM2.5 has a 24 hour averaging period. Other reporting sites like EPA and Purple air have different turnarounds due to various calculation and averaging methods. − Q - Cassie asked about diurnal patterns of the smoke from the wildfires as it relates to offering shelters for the city's homeless population. A - In general, the expectation is over night and early morning (midnight to noon) are most likely to have the heaviest smoke impact. − Q - Jason asked what the State's policy is regarding monitoring in low-income areas. A - Dan was not aware of any particular programs through the state's Office of Health Equity that are aimed at disadvantaged populations and was unsure how that would work. Monitors are located where there are the most air quality issues. − Q - Karen asked if the ozone season will be extended because of the wildfires. A - The ozone season is established and that's what the regulatory action program is based upon. However, they can write exception reports. b. 2021 Work Plan - Matt and the group finalized the 2021 AQAB work plan.  The Board discussed a slightly different structure this time and is focused around three specific goals that the AQAB can give tangible, focused input to Council:  Matt revised the proposed 2021 work plan document according to board member comments and asked the group to re-read, make any necessary adjustments, and finalize the document.  Board action: − Nina moved and Wayne seconded a motion to approve the amended 2021 AQAB work plan - Motion approved unanimously 7-0-0 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS BOARD REPORTS • Harry reported the Chemical and Engineering News magazine also stated smaller smoke particles are the ones more implicated in health issues. • Karen attended the September 28, Super Issues Meeting that discussed the City's budget and reimagining boards. There will be another one November 2. • Jason mentioned that Council will be hearing about the future of bike sharing and e- bikes later in October. AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 10/19/20 – MINUTES Page 6 • Matt reported that PRPA has a new solar module (22 megawatts) that is close to being active. They have also made a new purchase of wind power (Roundhouse Renewable Energy Project) and are exploring additional solar. When all of these projects go live, PRPA will be above 50% renewables. This will assist in the City's climate action goals. 9. OTHER BUSINESS a. 6-month Calendar review • none b. Agenda planning • November - oil and gas discussion and AQ ozone season/data update • December - Oil and gas recommendation, climate planning and inventory updates, draft 2020 annual report due 1/31/21 10. ADJOURNMENT 8:01pm