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.