LGCAM Aug. 1999

August RAQC Meeting in Arapahoe County Spotlights, Littleton, Aurora and Southeast Business Partnership

At its August 5th meeting held at the Aurora Central Library, the members of the Regional Air Quality Council heard three presentations regarding local clean air strategies.

Aurora - A Leader in Street Sanding Reductions

Dave Chambers from the City of Aurora made a presentation to the RAQC on the City’s alternative de-icing strategies. His presentation showed how the City has reduced the annual amount of material used on its streets by almost 75% between the winters of 1994/1995 and 1998/1999. The City uses Ice Slicer and Ice Ban to significantly reduce the amount of particulate matter from street sanding in Aurora. Additional benefits they have found from using alternative de-icers include:

t less windshield damage;

t a reduction in skidding related accidents;

t less paint deterioration;

t less roadside vegetation damage;

t cleaner sidewalks and bikelanes;

t less street sweeping and disposal costs;

t and overall improved City appearance in winter.

Littleton Uses a Comprehensive Approach to Air Quality

Mayor Pro-Tem Susan Thornton of Littleton presented information to the Council on the City’s comprehensive approach to air quality. Littleton is a small town of under 40,000 population but nonetheless has undertaken a multi-faceted approach to helping improve air quality and thus the quality of life for Littleton Citizens. The City’s approach includes:

t hiking and biking trails in every major drainage channel;

t a pedestrian oriented downtown;

t support for light rail both politically and through rail-friendly development in the community;

t a locally supported transportation circular shuttle for seniors;

t pilot alternative de-icer projects;

t coordination of traffic signals;

t vacuum street sweepers to minimize fugitive dust;

t local power from Windsource.

Southeast Businesses Support Clean Air through Partnership

The Southeast Business Partnership is the parent organization for the Southeast Transportation Management Organization (SETMO). Linda Capra, spokesperson for the partnership explained to the RAQC that Transportation Management Organizations have been vital partners in the metro region’s progress in cleaning up our air. SETMO includes the Denver Tech Center, which is responsible for 25% of the economic activity for the entire state of Colorado.

Some of the accomplishments of the Southeast Business Partnership include a recently published Smart Growth agenda which is a comprehensive look at growth issues. In addition, the Partnership is working to get light rail to the Tech Center and to get better bus service to the area. Staff of the Partnership work with Southeast employers and employees to encourage alternate modes of transportation. The Partnership is supporting the upcoming two ballot initiatives to allow bonding for transportation improvements.

At the August 5th meeting the RAQC received a briefing on the development of a carbon monoxide maintenance plan for the region. The Council had previously agreed that staff should go forward with analysis of a maintenance plan that included:

t retaining the biennial transient inspection of vehicles but evaluate other methods of delivery and retain the exemption for the first 4 years of a new car’s life;

t using remote sensing to remove up to 80% of the fleet from the automobile inspection requirement.

Rick Barrett, air quality modeler for the Air Pollution Control Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment made a presentation to the Council on the status of the carbon monoxide technical analysis. Barrett stated that in order to meet EPA requirements for a federally approved maintenance plan, the region will be required to do relatively complex modeling and technical analysis. This is necessary in order to show that the above strategies will not cause any violations of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

DRCOG staff, Larry Mugler and Jeff May presented information on population projections and VMT growth in the metro area. Outstanding issues with the components of the carbon monoxide plan include the impact of the plan strategies on the regional transportation conformity analysis, and the impact of more rapid than anticipated VMT growth on the air quality modeling and conformity analysis. A draft discussion paper on options for changing the Inspection and Maintenance program is available from the RAQC office.

Theresa Donahue is the Manager of Environmental Health for the City and County of Denver. The Department includes Denver’s environmental regulatory and compliance programs, public health regulatory divisions, HIV resources office, and the medical examiner’s office. Theresa previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Wellington Webb, and prior to that as researcher for the Colorado legislature, and as the director of the state sunrise and sunset review programs. Theresa has been a RAQC member since 1991. She is committed to ongoing local government support for the RAQC and encourages local officials to attend RAQC meetings, held monthly throughout the region.

The City and County of Denver has long supported clean air in the region through helping to implement the elements of the Blueprint for Clean Air and through significant funding to the work of the Council. The City continues to work with the RAQC on reducing street sand, helping to implement Metro Vision 2020 and through reducing local contributions to ozone.

The Denver metro region has seen high (but not too high) ozone readings during the summer, particularly during the month of July when temperatures soared. The federal government measures ozone violations on a 3 year average of the fourth highest readings for ozone at 10 different monitoring sites throughout the region. Fortunately, none of the 4th high maximum ozone readings was sufficient to cause a violation so far in 1999. One monitor came exceedingy close, and next year will be crucial. Local governments in the region are encouraged to continue strategies to reduce ozone producing Volatile Organic Compounds, especially on high ozone days.

Ozone is harmful to human health and can cause lung irritation even to healthy adults. In addition, Federal “non-attainment status” for ozone carries with it a host of cumbersome requirements that will make air quality and transportation planning for the region, much more difficult.

As part of its ongoing effort to continue and enhance communication between the RAQC and metro area citizens and local governments, the September 2, 1999 Regional Air Quality Council meeting will be held at the Jefferson County Human Services Building, 900 Jefferson County Parkway, 3 PM. Local Government representatives from Jefferson County have been asked to make presentations on local air quality techniques or strategies.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CLEAN AIR MONTHLY: A monthly newsletter for local governments about air quality August 1999

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CLEAN AIR MONTHLY:
A monthly newsletter for local governments about air quality
August 1999