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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAir Quality Advisory Board - Minutes - 02/25/2019AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR February 25, 2019 5:30 – 8:00 pm Colorado River Room, 222 Laporte Ave. 2/25/19 – MINUTES Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:31 pm 2. ROLL CALL • List of Board Members Present − Karen Artell − Greg Clark − Jim Dennison − Harry Edwards − Arsineh Hecobian, Chair − Jakob Lindaas − Jason Miller • List of Board Members Absent – Excused or Unexcused; if no contact with Chair has been made − Matt Tribby • List of Staff Members Present − Cassie Archuleta, Staff Liaison − Megan DeMasters, Senior Air Quality Coordinator − Selina Lujan, Senior Air Quality Specialist • List of Guests − N/A 3. AGENDA REVIEW • Arsineh reviewed the evening’s agenda. 4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION • N/A 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • Karen moved and Greg seconded a motion to approve the January 28, 2019 minutes as revised. Motion passed, 7-0-0. AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 2/25/19 – MINUTES Page 2 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS • N/A 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Board Orientation and Issue Index Overview, 5:45 – 6:15 Key Board roles and duties were reviewed for new members, including Chair, Vice Chair, Staff Liaison and Council Liaison. Packets will be distributed to new members outlining Boards and Commission rules and guidelines for discourse. Key points included maintaining transparency and avoiding conflicts of interest. Staff Follow-Up: Cassie will investigate whether a video orientation for new Boards and Commission members still exists. The Board reviewed the Issue Index tool, which is used by the Staff Liaison to determine member interests and identify priorities for the AQAB. Cassie regularly updates the Issue Index with dates relative to action items or presentations. The Index will be circulated digitally to AQAB members to fill out the columns highlighted in yellow; Members should denote their level of interest in the issues listed. Cassie will compile responses and present a completed Index to the Board. Staff Follow-Up: Cassie will re-circulate the Issue Index to members via email with instructions and a deadline for completing it. b. Radon, 6:15 – 7:15 Megan DeMasters, Senior Air Quality Coordinator, and Selina Lujan, Senior Air Quality Specialist, provided results from 2018 policy work regarding radon and the Board discussed the next steps (2019 Work Plan Item 5). Presentation • Council designated radon as a top priority in 2017 following memo from the AQAB; funds were allocated to research ways to effectively reduce the levels of radon exposure experienced by Fort Collins’ residents. The City currently operates a radon program that sells short- and long-term test kits in addition to the Healthy Homes Program, which offers free radon test kits. Since 2005, the City has required radon passive mitigation systems in all new builds and radon literature must be provided at the point of sale of a home, however, testing/mitigation is not required at this time. • Fort Collins and most of Colorado lies within Zone 1, so most homes will likely test high for radon. 56% of homes (2014-2018 average) tested in Fort Collins reported high (>4pCi/L) radon levels, while only 26% of questionnaire respondents who test high chose to mitigate. • Staff research was residential in scope and focused on barriers to mitigation and AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 2/25/19 – MINUTES Page 3 whether mitigation rates have changed over time. • The City researched radon programs for other states and communities and used the results from a mitigation questionnaire, general knowledge questionnaire and stakeholder group to formulate a plan that consists of increasing awareness, decreasing misinformation and increasing testing/mitigation rates. Awareness, cost and rental properties continue to pose a barrier to radon mitigation. • The City has also placed a new ad warning residents of the risks associated with radon exposure. The next steps will include further efforts to increase education and outreach; there will be a strategy discussion at the upcoming air quality forum and staff will continue to cultivate partnerships within the City which will incorporate radon testing/awareness into other programs (ex. Efficiency Works, etc.). Discussion • The Board discussed the priorities identified by City Staff and the stakeholder group. Two AQAB members were present at the stakeholder meeting and elaborated on the process taken to rank the priorities presented. They agreed that proper disclosure (during home sales and in rental properties) will be an important element in helping to reduce radon exposure. • Members discussed the variability of radon levels in Fort Collins due to factors including geographic fluctuations due local geology and home construction. Levels are typically tested in the lowest, most lived in level of the house. Residents should retest approximately every 2 years, as levels may fluctuate over time. The results of test kits sold through the City are not public information, but they are tracked in a database; however, this database is not entirely representative of City-wide results as there are many private companies/laboratories that perform testing. • Board members inquired about the possibility of offering more financial incentives to mitigate and discussed the possibility of using 48 hour radon tests via the Healthy Homes Program to increase the urgency for mitigation. • The next step for staff will be to present a memo on the radon report to City Council. Currently, staff are working to integrate radon mitigation into energy efficiency loans. • The Board discussed items to be incorporated in a memo to Council regarding the priorities identified by the working group and potential next steps, including: − Requirements for radon testing and disclosure to accompany all transactions (home purchases and rental agreements); disclosures should include the last known test date, concentrations, EPA thresholds and health effects of radon. − Allocation of funding or implementation of incentives to increase testing and mitigation rates. • The Board’s primary concerns include legal liability and logistics associated with tracking mitigation rates and the omission of public/commercial buildings including dormitories, AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 2/25/19 – MINUTES Page 4 schools and elderly housing from the scope of the project. • Jim will draft a summary memo and distribute it digitally for comments. Comments and edits will be discussed at the next AQAB meeting and a decision will be made on sending the memo. City Staff will also send a memo to Council. c. Outdoor Burning, 7:15 – 7:45 Cassie Archuleta, Air Quality Program Manager, provided an updater regarding Council direction on outdoor residential burning. This topic is scheduled for Council consideration on March 5 (Work Plan Item 7). • After being identified as a Council priority, City Staff worked throughout 2018 to develop recommendations to protect human health and reduce nuisance from outdoor burning. Extensive public engagement revealed the issue to be highly polarizing amongst citizens. Most recent feedback from Council is to modify the current air pollution nuisance code (Section 20-1) to limit the negative effects of residential burning. − Historically, it has been difficult to enforce this code as its violation is a criminal offense and it necessitates proof of public nuisance. The City will change the language of the code to make it more enforceable; infractions will be civil violations and the burden of proof will be lowered − Operational requirements are proposed, including a midnight curfew and 15-foot property line setback. Investigations and citations will be issued in response to complaints. − Staff support will be provided by leveraging environmental compliance resources and converting a ¾ time position to a full-time position. − Education and outreach will be emphasized in this plan. The City hopes to foster neighborhood conversations and will provide resources on how to report nuisances. The City hopes to collect more data during the 2019 season to determine the effectiveness of this solution. Discussion • The Board requested quantitative data specific to Fort Collins regarding the health effects related to the inhalation of particulate matter at concentrations emitted from residential fires. They discussed the difficult nature and cost barriers associated with collecting such data; furthermore, any data collected would be difficult to compare to EPA exposure thresholds as the NAAQS for particulate matter is a 24-hour average and the residential fires in question are relatively short-lived events. • They also expressed uncertainty that the 15-foot setback or midnight curfew would have a significant effect. AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 2/25/19 – MINUTES Page 5 • The Board prepared the following statement for Council: The AQAB recommends Council adopt the Air Pollution Nuisance Code changes, contingent on the adoption of resources to collect more data, as these changes may not be adequate to address the issue. Additional resources supported should include monitored particulate levels, assessment of impacts (health and nuisance), and the number of people affected, with a goal of considering a stronger approach after a year review. Bans on high pollution advisory days are also recommended. One dissenting opinion was that just the decriminalization of the code adequately addresses the issue. 8. BOARD MEMBER AND STAFF REPORTS Staff Report • 3/12/19 – A joint-meeting will be held with the state at the Larimer County Courthouse. • 4/12/19 – A joint-meeting pertaining to the Triple-Bottom-Line will be held. Cassie asked if child care availability would increase meeting attendance (one Board members responded yes) • Jason has volunteered to act as liaison to the Bicycle Advisory Committee. • Cassie recently attended a wildland fire and air monitoring conference that featured particle monitors and ways to identify and create clean air shelters. Member Reports • Karen noted that there were 52 more applications for oil and gas operations in southeast Larimer County during 2018. She expressed interest in reviewing the monitoring network assessment done by NCAR and possibly arranging a presentation. Cassie noted that the study resulted in a recommendation to add a meteorology monitoring site in west Fort Collins, which has since been added to the State’s monitoring plan. Questions regarding this can be directed to Gordon Pierce when he presents to the Board. Staff Follow-Up: Cassie will share the results of the FRAPPÉ Study with the Board. • 2/25/19 – Jakob attended a joint board meeting to discuss the objectives and guidance for the upcoming TBL meeting. Megan will present the scan tool at the next AQAB meeting. • Harry noted an article in Chemical & Engineering News entitled “Tackling Delhi’s Air Pollution Problem” that pinpoints combustion as single major source of PM pollution. • Greg attended a workshop hosted by CSU during which the standardization of alternative methods of emissions testing and monitoring was discussed. 9. OTHER BUSINESS • There will be a potential West Nile update on 5/20/19. AIR QUALITY ADVISORY BOARD TYPE OF MEETING – REGULAR 2/25/19 – MINUTES Page 6 • Board members can now ride City buses for free with a photo badge; Christine Macrina will attend an upcoming meeting to take photos for AQAB Member badges. 10. ADJOURNMENT 8:07 pm