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Home My WebLink About2021 - Air Quality Advisory Board - Annual Report AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD 2021 Annual Report 2021 ANNUAL REPORT Page 1 The Air Quality Advisory Board (AQAB) was formed in 1994. In 2021, meetings were held remotely due to COVID-19 concerns. AQAB members discussed and provided feedback to Council regarding various topics related to current and future air quality, in alignment with the Board’s 2021 Work Plan. Members who served in 2021 included: • Matt Tribby (chair) • Emily Bitler (vice-chair) • Karen Artell • Greg Clark • Jim Dennison • Jason Miller • Nina Forsyth (January - April) • Wayne Chuang • Dan Welsh (March – December) Staff and Council representatives included: • Council Liaison: Councilmember Pignataro • Staff Liaison: Cassie Archuleta, Air Quality Program Manager In 2021, the Board used goals identified in the 2021 Work Plan to invite speakers and develop recommendations, which were submitted to the Council liaison in the form of a presentation and discussion with two AQAB members and the Council liaison on December 8, 2021. Key recommendations are listed below, and the final presentation is included as an attachment. Goal 1: Provide City of Fort Collins Council formal communication by end of year on following topics: a. Progress on City of Fort Collins goal to have 100% of light-duty fleet vehicle purchases be electric vehicles (EV) by 2025 b. Current estimated penetration of EVs in City of Fort Collins c. Recommendations (as necessary) on path forward to achieve goals (policy, infrastructure, etc.) Goal 1 Recommendations: • Continue to promote EV adoption with City fleet • Implement “social cost of carbon” into financial decisions with fleet vehicles • Continue aggressive build out of EV infrastructure for new and existing buildings AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD 2021 Annual Report 202 1 ANNUAL REPORT Page 2 • Collaborate with state and federal agencies for funding support • Invest in additional staff and resources for EV planning and implementation within City of Fort Collins Goal 2: Provide City of Fort Collins Council formal communication regarding adoption of City of Fort Collins oil and gas regulations. Goal 2 Recommendations: • City of Fort Collins should adopt aggressive O&G regulations to protect public health and the environment • At a minimum, new O&G operations should meet the following requirements o 2,000-foot setback from any residential or commercial structure o Operate in an area designated "Industrial Zone District" • New and existing O&G operations should control operations and "leaks" to the greatest extent possible and provide continuous monitoring capabilities to inform surrounding communities of emissions • Additional efforts should be taken to protect natural areas and specifically the Soapstone area • Policies should be developed to allow flexibility and modifications in the future, if necessary, if growth management area and city limits expand Goal 3: Provide City of Fort Collins Council formal communication by end of year on programs and associated progress for energy efficiency and indoor air quality (building air sealing, radon testing/mitigation, etc.) in alignment with City of Fort Collins 2019 Air Quality Plan a. The Board would specifically focus efforts on program progress towards associated goals and data metrics Goal 3 Recommendations: • Continue to support and fund Epic Homes and Healthy Homes programs o Develop strategy on how to solve most common issue in structures being inadequate seals • Continue collaboration with Platte River Power Authority with Efficiency Works program • Work to offer rebates/subsidies on renewable energy-based home equipment such as: o Solar water heaters o Geothermal heating systems o Community solar o Electric water heaters AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD 2021 Annual Report 202 1 ANNUAL REPORT Page 3 o Passive and Active heating homes • Work with developers to ensure new construction can add or incorporates renewable energy infrastructure such as: o Solar panels o Charging stations for EVs o Geothermal heating systems The table below lists the major agenda topics, presenters, and formal actions taken by the AQAB for each of the 2021 meetings. Date Major Agenda Topics (and invited presenters) Formal Action(s) taken 1/25/21 2020 Annual Report Adopted 2020 Annual Report. Board Updates Adopted a memo for City Council regarding recent air quality awards City and City staff received, with the Board’s congratulations. City 2021 Air Quality Work Plan Update (City AQ staff) AQAB - 2021 Work Plan Discussion (Matt Tribby) 2/22/21 Climate Inventory Update (Adelle McDaniel) 3/15/21 Board elections Matt Tribby elected as chair, Emily Bitler as vice-chair Environmental Compliance: Policy Implementation and Enforcement (Jason Komes and Linda Hardin) Indoor AQ Grant (Cassie Archuleta) 4/19/21 Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness Roadmap Update (Amanda Mansfield) Our Climate Future – SHIFT Campaign (Jensen Morgan) 5/17/21 West Nile Update (Matt Parker and Jason Komes) Air Quality Data Webpage (Cassie Archuleta) 6/21/21 Council Priorities (Councilmember Pignataro) Municipal Fleet Electrification (Tracy Ochsner) 7/19/21 2021 Budget Process Updates (Cassie Archuleta) 8/16/21 Oil and Gas Updates (Cassie Archuleta) Jason Miller elected to continue as AQAB representative to the Bicycle Advisory Committee AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD 2021 Annual Report 202 1 ANNUAL REPORT Page 4 Date Major Agenda Topics (and invited presenters) Formal Action(s) taken 9/20/21 Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency Programs (Megan DeMasters and Carolyn Conant) 2021 City Budget Discussion 10/18/21 Climate Program Manager Introduction (Honore Depew) AQAB 2021 Recommendations (Matt Tribby) Adopted Council recommendations related to Board’s 2021 work plan. Adopted a memo for City Council regarding 2022 Air Quality budget recommendations 2022 Work Plan (Matt Tribby) 11/17/21 Joint Board Meeting – Recovery Planning 11/15/21 Ozone Season Update (Wayne Chuang) 2022 AQAB Work Plan 12/8/2021 AQAB Recommendations presented to Council liaison (Matt Tribby and Wayne Chuang) 12/13/2021 2022 AQAB Work Plan Adopted final 2022 work plan 1/24/2022 1 2021 Work Plan Update City of Fort Collins Air Quality Advisory Board 1 Work Plan Purpose •Highlight priorities for Air Quality Advisory Board (AQAB) for upcoming year •Historically AQAB has focused on several “high level” topics •Advise on air quality topics •Help improve indoor and outdoor air quality •The AQAB wanted to focus on a more detailed and “measurable” approach to three topics for the 2021 work plan 2 1 2 Attachment 1/24/2022 2 3 Goal #1 – Electric Vehicles •AQAB identified electric vehicle transition as a priority to reduce transportation related emissions •Initial motivation came from Mike Silverstein from Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) advice during 2020 meeting that best thing cities can do to reduce emissions is electrify as quickly as possible •Transportation sector now has highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of any other economic sector in United States •Adopting electric vehicles will reduce transportation GHGs and align with City of Fort Collins Climate Action Plan goals 4 3 4 Attachment 1/24/2022 3 Source: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources‐greenhouse‐gas‐emissions Largest sector for GHG emissions 5 Colorado GHG Emissions Source:2021 CO GHG Inventory Report_final.pdf ‐Google Drive 6 5 6 Attachment 1/24/2022 4 Electric Vehicle Goals •City of Fort Collins outlined several goals for electric vehicles in 2018 Electric Vehicle Readiness Roadmap 7 8 7 8 Attachment 1/24/2022 5 Electric Vehicle Goal Progress •City of Fort Collins is currently on pace to achieve goal that all new fleet vehicle purchases will be electric by 2025 •Most new vehicle purchases are prioritized to be electric •Several awards recently won from City’s great program and progress •Department seems to be spread thin and needs additional resources •Some challenges with replacing existing fleet not due for replacement •Opportunity to re‐evaluate what true “costs” are with social cost of carbon •City fleet is roughly 1,200 vehicles, currently about 94 vehicles (~8%) are electric 9 ar0 10 9 10 Attachment 1/24/2022 6 Electric Vehicle Adoption in Fort Collins •Roughly 620 total electric vehicles were registered in Fort Collins in 2018 •Estimated roughly 39,500 EVs in all of Colorado •Roughly 1.8 million total vehicles in Colorado •EVs account for ~2.2% of vehicles in Colorado •Colorado has adopted state goals •Executive Order B2019‐002 –rule to develop zero emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption •Executive Order B2019‐016 – reduce GHG emissions from state fleet vehicles •AQCC Regulation 20 – requires certain percentage of vehicles sold in Colorado be ZEVs (5% by 2023; 6% by 2030) 11 Goal #1 Recommendations •Continue to promote EV adoption with City fleet •Implement “social cost of carbon” into financial decisions with fleet vehicles •Continue aggressive build out of EV infrastructure for new and existing buildings •Collaborate with state and federal agencies for funding support •Invest in additional staff and resources for EV planning and implementation within City of Fort Collins 12 11 12 Attachment 1/24/2022 7 Goal #2 –Oil and Gas •Oil and Gas (O&G) was a priority topic identified by the AQAB due to the regional issues with ozone and methane emissions •Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are precursors to ozone formation and pollutants emitted from O&G activities •Methane (CH4) is also a potent GHG that is emitted in some O&G operations and contributes to climate change issues •City of Fort Collins staff are on track to have draft policies available for council review in March 2022 13 Regional Oil and Gas Activity 14 13 14 Attachment 1/24/2022 8 Colorado NOx and VOC Emissions 15 On a modeled average high ozone day of 78.5 ppb ozone, oil & gas contributes 8.6 ppb. 2015 NAAQS Standard: 70 ppb 16 15 16 Attachment 1/24/2022 9 Current Oil and Gas Proposals •City of Fort Collins has explored a policy of new O&G operations meeting the following requirements •2,000‐foot setback from any residential or commercial structure •Only permitted in areas designated as "Industrial Zone District" •This policy would essentially make no land in current city limits available for production •AQAB is in favor of this approach but has concerns about future city boundaries (growth management area) and how to protect natural areas such as Soapstone •Appears city staff are having conversations about how to adequately anticipate Fort Collins growth and making sure policies can protect the public in the future 17 Current Oil and Gas Proposals contd. 18 17 18 Attachment 1/24/2022 10 Current Oil and Gas Operations •There is one operator in city limits (Prospect Energy) with wells operating in NE Fort Collins •Roughly 10 active wells and 20 inactive wells in Fort Collins and Larimer County •Prospect Energy has submitted applications to COGCC to recomplete or redrill three wells •AQAB is concerned and would want city staff to thoroughly vet any proposals to ensure state, county, and soon to be city regulations are met 19 Fort Collins Oil and Gas Activity 20 19 20 Attachment 1/24/2022 11 Goal #2 Recommendation •City of Fort Collins should adopt aggressive O&G regulations to protect public health and the environment •At a minimum, new O&G operations should meet the following requirements •2,000‐foot setback from any residential or commercial structure •Operate in an area designated "Industrial Zone District" •New and existing O&G operations should control operations and "leaks" to the greatest extent possible and provide continuous monitoring capabilities to inform surrounding communities of emissions •Additional efforts should be taken to protect natural areas and specifically the Soapstone area •Policies should be developed to allow flexibility and modifications in the future if necessary if growth management area and city limits expand 21 Goal #3 – Energy Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality •The AQAB identified this topic as a priority given the quantity of emissions that are associated with commercial and residential structures •Emissions from commercial and residential buildings are a large source of GHG emissions in the Colorado (~20% from CDPHE data) •Emissions are associated with activities such as electricity usage, heating/cooling, and cooking •Implementing sustainable infrastructure (solar panels, EV charging) in new builds and retrofitting existing buildings (electric water heaters, electric stoves) are needed to reduce emissions and meet city goals 22 21 22 Attachment 1/24/2022 12 Current City Programs •Epic Homes is a program City of Fort Collins has for efficiency audits/loans for potential upgrades •Healthy Homes is a program the city provides to residents which provides assessments for biological and chemical pollutants in homes •Most common issue discovered is home or building does not have adequate seals and excess air leaks occur •Building Energy and Water Scorecard program allows for comparison and accountability for structures in the city •Fort Collins Radon program provides information and test kit resources for residents to test radon levels in homes and be educated on risks •Efficiency Works is a collaboration between Platte River Power Authority and four owner communities (Fort Collins included) that offers rebates on efficiency upgrades such as smart thermostats and light bulbs •Efficiency Works also collaborates with Epic Homes to assist with efficiency audits 23 Current Programs contd. •The AQAB is very impressed with current programs and applauds the City of Fort Collins for all that has been accomplished with respective programs •Total energy and CO2 emissions saved from upgrades associated with Epic Homes/Efficiency Works programs •3,693 MWh •3,867 tons CO2e 24 23 24 Attachment 1/24/2022 13 25 Radon Focus •Radon is a particularly important hazard in Colorado given the state is in Zone 1 which indicates elevated amounts naturally occurring •The AQAB would like to remind council of recommendations provided in an April 24, 2019 memo as follows: 1. Require radon testing and disclosure in residential house sales and residential rental transactions 2. Require all radon contractors and/or all persons performing radon mitigation work to be certified 3. Offer mitigation assistance based on staff recommendation for maximum gain 4. Provide support for additional education and outreach ideas as presented by staff 26 25 26 Attachment 1/24/2022 14 Goal #3 Recommendations •Continue to support and fund Epic Homes and Healthy Homes programs •Develop strategy on how to solve most common issue in structures being inadequate seals •Continue collaboration with Platte River Power Authority with Efficiency Works program •Work to offer rebates/subsidies on renewable energy‐based home equipment •Solar water heaters •Geothermal heating systems •Community solar •Electric water heaters •Passive and Active heating homes •Work with developers to ensure new construction can add or incorporates renewable energy infrastructure •Solar panels •Charging stations for EVs •Geothermal heating systems 27 Thank you Questions? 28 27 28 Attachment