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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-161-09/05/2003-ADOPTING THE FORT COLLINS BETTER AIR COMPAIGN FOR INCLUSION IN THE FORT COLLINS ELEMENT OF THE STATE RESOLUTION 89-161 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS ADOPTING THE FORT COLLINS BETTER AIR CAMPAIGN FOR INCLUSION IN THE FORT COLLINS ELEMENT OF THE STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR AIR QUALITY WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins recognizes the value of clean air to its citizens; and WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins has a principal role in the effort to improve air quality in the Fort Collins area; and WHEREAS, the City supports improving air quality through programs such as the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign; and WHEREAS, in 1982, the Larimer-Meld Regional Council of Governments adopted the State Implementation Plan for carbon monoxide, which plan was subsequently approved by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission; and WHEREAS, said Plan does not include the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign as a strategy; and WHEREAS, the Larimer-Weld Regional Council of Governments, which was the designated lead planning organization for air quality pursuant to section 174 of the Clean Air Act, no longer exists, and a replacement lead planning organization has not yet been created; and WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Fort Collins has held a public hearing on the proposed addition of the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign to the 1982 State Implementation Plan; and WHEREAS, as a prerequisite to obtaining the adoption of the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission as a part of the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality, it is necessary for the City Council to first adopt the Better Air Campaign as a part of the Fort Collins element of the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the Council adopts the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign, attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by this reference, as a part of the Fort Collins element of the 1982 State Implementation Plan for Air Quality. Section 2. That the Council of the City of Fort Collins requests the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission to adopt said Better Air Campaign as part of the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins held this 5th day of September, A.D. 1989. Mayor ATTEST: City C erk Qi EXHIBIT "A" FORT COLLINS BETTER AIR CAMPAIGN AN ADDENDUM TO THE CARBON MONOXIDE STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE FORT COLLINS AREA I . Overview This addendum to the carbon monoxide State Implementation Plan (SIP) establishes the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign as an education strategy. With this addendum, the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign is recognized as a valuable and continuing component in the overall effort to clean the air. II. Background Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels burn inefficiently. In Fort Collins, 86 percent of the carbon monoxide comes from vehicles, 12 percent from wood-burning, and two percent from other fuel combustion. Carbon monoxide presents a health hazard because it replaces oxygen in the blood system affecting all parts of the body. Exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide may produce dizziness, fatigue, headaches, mental confusion, and- ultimately, death. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed standards for maximum allowable concentrations of carbon monoxide in the ambient air: a one-hour concentration of 35 parts per million (ppm) and an eight-hour-average concentration of 9 ppm. These standards have been set at concentrations where symptoms may begin to appear. Carbon monoxide monitoring since 1980 has shown that Fort Collins does not violate the one-hour concentration standard. The city does, however, violate the eight-hour-average concentration standard two to ten days each year, with a median of six days. These high pollution days occur only during the fall and winter months (October through February) . The Clean Air Act requires, among other things, that Colorado develop a plan for reducing carbon monoxide levels in designated non-attainment areas -- areas that violate the EPA's carbon monoxide standard more than once a year. Fort Collins is classified as a non-attainment area. In 1982, a revised carbon monoxide SIP for Fort Collins was developed by the Larimer-Weld Regional Council of Governments. This plan was adopted by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission and accepted by the EPA in early 1983. The Better Air Campaign was not part of this adopted plan. III . Fort Collins Better Air Campaign Since that time, the City of Fort Collins has begun a local effort to educate the community about air pollution and the choices available. The Fort Collins Better Air Campaign is a voluntary program that encourages citizens to take positive, personal action to reduce carbon monoxide levels during the fall and winter months. Since its inception in 1986, the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign has received increasing public support including municipal , county, and community involvement. Results of a 1989 survey indicate that Fort Collins residents are concerned about air quality and support the goals of the Better Air Campaign. The survey also indicated that the specific activities and goals of the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign need to be made more visible to the community. IV. Program description The purposes of the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign are to -- o Educate children and adults about local , regional , and national air quality issues; o Inform Fort Collins residents of current air quality conditions, issues and concerns; o Provide and promote choices and alternatives to improve Fort Collins air quality. Specific activities of the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign include -- o Monitoring air quality and predicting high pollution (carbon monoxide) episodes; o Producing and presenting air quality education and information materials; o Coordinating and supporting individual and collective efforts to improve the air. An important activity during the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign is the monitoring of carbon monoxide and other pollutant levels in the air and predicting days when those pollutants might be expected to violate federal standards. When weather conditions warrant, a "high pollution day" is forecast for the following day. The local media are contacted to announce that the following day is expected to be a high pollution day and to ask residents to take measures to reduce driving and woodburning. This effort to get citizens to reduce or avoid their pollution-causing activities on high pollution days is an important component of the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign. The Fort Collins Better Air Campaign also provides information to the public on air quality issues and solutions. This is done through press releases, events (e.g. Car Care Day) , presentations to civic and professional groups, educational programs for public schools, and public service and purchased advertising. The success of the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign is tied to the success of these information and education efforts. Another activity of the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign is coordinating and supporting efforts by individuals anzVor groups to improve air quality. This includes promoting carpooling through Commuter Pool , a regional ride-finding service; working with the Chamber of Commerce to provide business outreach services; encouraging bus and carpool use by city government, university, and industry; developing telecommuting guidelines and programs; and taking part in state and regional air quality programs and promotions. The components of this activity comprise an area of potential growth with far-reaching benefits to Fort Collins. The Fort Collins Better Air Campaign is currently managed by the City of Fort Collins Natural Resources division. The staff is advised by the Better Air Campaign Steering Committee made up of representatives from city and county government, the State Health Department, the local business community, TRANSFORT (local bus company), and the community. As the Better Air Campaign evolves and grows, this program administration may change in response to changing needs. The state Better Air Campaign is currently undergoing major changes. Now called Clean Air Colorado, the campaign has changed from a wintertime focus on carbon monoxide only to a year-round program designed to reduce all forms of emissions into the air. The impact of these changes on the Fort Collins Better Air Campaign is unclear at this time although there appear to be positive opportunities for inter-city cooperation along the Front Range. As in the past, Fort Collins' campaign will continue to be coordinated with similar efforts within state and local governments.