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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResponse To Constituent Letter - Mail Packet - 1/30/2024 - Letter From Mayor Jeni Arndt To Air Quality Advisory Board Re: Board Recommendations For The 2024-2025 Council Priorities Setting Retreat Mayor City Hall 300 LaPorte Ave. PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.416.2154 970.224.6107 - fax fcgov.com January 25, 2024 Air Quality Advisory Board c/o Selina Lujan, Staff Liaison PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Dear Chair Houdashelt and Board Members: On behalf of City Council, thank you for providing us with the January 23, 2024 memorandum regarding Recommendations for the 2024-2025 Council Priorities which will be discussed at the upcoming City Council Retreat. We appreciate your recommendations including improving communication, growing the indoor air quality program, focusing on the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, dealing with wildfire smoke, and addressing ozone production. Thank you for the expertise and perspectives that you bring to the Board and share with City Council. Best Regards, Jeni Arndt Mayor /sek cc: City Council Members Kelly DiMartino, City Manager City Clerk’s Office 300 LaPorte Avenue PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.221.6515 970.221.6295 - fax Boardsandcommissions@fcgov.com MEMORANDUM DATE: January 23, 2024 TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Mark Houdashelt, Chair for the Air Quality Advisory Board RE: Recommendations for 2024-2025 Council Priorities CC: Boards and Commissions via email boardsandcommissions@fcgov.com Given that City Council will be holding its retreat on January 26-27 to set its priorities for the next two years, the Air Quality Advisory Board (AQAB) would like to offer the following recommendations for air quality (AQ) priorities, not listed below by priority: • Improve communication between City Council and the AQAB. The AQAB understands that we are only an advisory board, but we need more feedback to effectively develop recommendations for City Council. Members of the AQAB have expressed frustration that the Board is spending a lot of time and effort to address issues of concern and is expected to submit recommendations to City Council that are then only acknowledged with a simple letter of receipt. • Grow the City's indoor AQ programs - Expand the Healthy Homes program to further address indoor AQ in Fort Collins. This could include performing more outreach to lower income and other disadvantaged communities, providing information about the hazards of and alternatives to using natural gas for cooking, emphasizing the importance of ventilation of natural gas appliances, and helping residents to improve the energy efficiency of their homes while not degrading indoor AQ. • Focus on achieving the City's 2026 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target (50% reduction from the 2005 emissions level) - The Our Climate Future program is multi-faceted. While there are important programs that will reduce GHG emissions in the long term (e.g., transit), the immediate priority must be placed on initiatives that will achieve significant reductions over the next two years. Revenue from the recently passed sales tax increase should allow Council to prioritize the funding of programs that will allow Fort Collins to achieve the 2026 goal. • Improve preparedness and outreach to deal with wildfire smoke - The City should ensure that it has in place a robust public notification program of wildfire smoke AQ impacts and designated sites for residents to seek relief from the health effects of wildfire smoke. Additionally, develop and promote wildfire risk mitigation and evacuation preparedness programs, potentially as a part of the Healthy Homes workshops. • Address ozone production - Northern Colorado has been in ozone non-attainment for many years. The primary contributor to ozone formation in Fort Collins is emissions of volatile organic compounds from oil and gas operations in Weld County, which the City cannot control. However, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sunlight are also needed for ozone to form, and NOx come from automobiles, the Rawhide Power Station, and gas-powered lawn and garden equipment. Implementing programs that will reduce the NOx emissions from these sources can help to reduce the ozone concentrations locally, as would strict regulations for oil and gas operational standards. The AQAB hopes that City Council has a productive retreat, and we invite further discussion of these recommendations with you.