HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019 - Air Quality Advisory Board - Work PlanEnvironmental Services
222 LaPorte Ave
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6600
970.224.6177 Fax
fcgov.com/environmental services
Air Quality Advisory Board
2019 Work Plan
September 17, 2018
Purpose
The Air Quality Advisory Board (AQAB) will advise the City Council on matters pertaining to policies,
plans, programs, and ordinances to improve the City’s air quality. The AQAB will coordinate closely with
and advise other City boards, City staff, and regional authorities on air quality issues. The AQAB by-laws,
including a more detailed statement of the Board’s purpose and functions, are available at
http://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/air-quality-advisory.php.
Air Quality Topics of Greatest Interest (in alphabetical order):
• Air Quality Criteria Used in City Planning and Contracting
• Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change
• Ozone Non-Attainment and Mitigation
• Particulate Matter
• Radon and Indoor Air Quality
• Transportation Emissions
These topics are aligned with a number of the City’s Strategic Plan Objectives (available at
www.fcgov.com/citymanager/files/2018-strategic-plan.pdf), which guides the City’s biennial budgeting
process.
Major Focus Areas for 2019 Work (in no particular order):
1. Provide input, feedback, and advice on the implementation of the Dust Prevention and Control
Manual and the Transportation Air Quality Impacts Guidance Manual. Evaluate other opportunities
for the City to incorporate air quality and greenhouse gas emission criteria into its planning and
contracting procedures.
2. Review progress and provide recommendations on accelerating the implementation of the Climate
Action Plan and related initiatives, with the goal of helping the City achieve its carbon neutrality and
net-zero emissions goals. This could include addressing issues such as energy production and use,
building codes, organic waste, transportation, land-use planning, and the development of a
greenhouse gas impacts guidance manual.
3. Assist with the update the Fort Collins Air Quality Plan, after seeking public input through a citizen
survey (last conducted in 2017), public forum, and/or other means.
4. Address planning, development and policy decisions that have the potential to positively or
negatively affect regional haze and ozone levels in Fort Collins and recommend integrated,
leveraged actions to reduce haze and ozone formation or to mitigate its impacts. The focus will be
on the sources of ozone precursors and haze that the City can effectively address.
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5. Review City policies and enforcement practices related to indoor air quality and recommend
changes as needed. This may include developing recommendations for:
a. sustaining and improving the City’s Healthy Homes program, which promotes voluntary
indoor air quality improvements, as well as potentially expanding the program to reach
more homes and commercial buildings;
b. reducing exposure to asbestos; and
c. more aggressive radon mitigation policies/programs that the City could adopt, based
upon its 2018 research into the impacts and costs of a variety of such options.
6. Propose and review mid-term budget offers relating to or affecting air quality. These could include
offers to fund further study or implement recommended actions resulting from the City’s 2018
research programs focused on reducing exposure to radon and addressing the impacts of residential
outdoor burning.
7. Provide recommendations and advice on the development and implementation and updating of
policies and programs for reducing the public’s exposure to outdoor air pollutants, such as:
a. transportation-related emissions (e.g., emissions from diesel vehicles, vehicles idling,
and in-commuters),
b. fugitive dust, and
c. smoke from wildfires, woodstoves, bonfire pits and other outdoor burning activities.
8. Address unanticipated air quality issues and respond to requests from City Council for advice on any
subject relevant to the Board’s purpose.
9. Communicate regularly with the Transportation Board, Energy Board, Natural Resources Advisory
Board, Planning and Zoning Board and other relevant Boards and Commissions and collaborate with
those Boards, where appropriate, to better advise City Council and to educate and collaborate with
the public on air quality and climate change issues.
10. Advise Council on any opportunities that might arise for the City to participate in and influence air
quality-related decisions affecting Fort Collins but falling under the jurisdiction of county, regional,
state or national air quality authorities.