Integrating Air Quality and Transportation Regional Challenges in Attaining New Ozone Standard

Transcription

1 Integrating Air Quality and Transportation Regional Challenges in Attaining New Ozone Standard NARC Workshop June 2006

2 Austin Round Rock MSA Air Quality Monitoring Network Dripping Springs C614 Monitor Pflugerville Wastewater C613 Monitor

3 Austin-Round Rock MSA 8-Hour Ozone Design Value Trend Last Year of Three-Year DV Average DV 8-hour Standard Design Value (ppb ozone)

4 Know Your Neighbors Just Whose Fault Is It, Anyway? Other Countries Other States NNAs Within State Or, do you have enough local emission sources?

5 Air Quality Planning Flow Chart Gather Air Quality Data (Ozone Monitoring) And Track A.Q. Plan Progress Is Air Clean? YES Attainment & Maintenance NO Project Future Emissions Estimate Current Emissions (Build Emissions Inventory) Develop Base Case Model Develop Emission Control Measures NO Is Control Strategy Adequate? Model Impact of Controls on Air Quality YES Develop Rules to Implement Controls Implement Rules and Program Enforce Rules and Program

6 Funding the Planning Effort! Good science does not come cheap but is necessary to get stakeholder buy-in! Photochemical modeling costly use existing data and models where possible! Look for partners (EPA, State, other local areas)! Funding authorities can be convinced that local attainment planning pays off for health and economic advantage

7 NOx Emissions

8 Man-made Sources of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Pollution VOC Emissions Austin MSA Emissions Inventory 2007 Austin MSA Emissions Inventory OnRoad Mobile Sources (tpd) 30% Point Sources (tpd) 2% Area Sources (tpd) 55% Tons per Day AREA NONROAD ONROAD POINT TOTAL Non-road Mobile Sources (tpd) 13% Man-made Sources of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Pollution OnRoad Mobile Sources (tpd) 21% Point Sources (tpd) 3% 1999 Man-made VOC Levels: 167 Tons Per Day Non-road Mobile Sources (tpd) 12% Area Sources (tpd) 64% 2007 Man-made VOC Levels: 165 Tons Per Day

9 Ozone Challenges faced by Austin Area! Significant amount of ozone at monitors is transported into the area from major point sources and nonattainment areas! Area monitors have measured ozone just slightly above and in some years below the standard! Population growth in the area continues to add more local emissions

10 Getting Political Buy-in to Moving Forward with Clean Air Plan! Need to bring together diverse interests in metro area (urban/rural)! Need convincing that it s s our problem to resolve not just State or EPA s! Must deal with perception that environmental controls drive away new business

11 Why get started now?! Clean air sooner; it s s a health issue! Nonattainment may negatively affect economy! Proactive plan provides local choice. Emission reduction measures are largely locally determined.! Transported and local pollution contribute to poor air quality. Both need to be reduced.! Continued planning role involves local officials in monitoring progress of clean air plan

12 Economic Effects! Non-attainment may result in: Negative stigma that affects economic development Emission control equipment that can increase costs to consumers Limits on business expansions Complicates highway planning resulting in delays in meeting transportation needs Diversion of resources to meet compliance needs

13 Establish Goals for Clean Air Plan! Ensure adequate safety margin against nonattainment! Develop a reasonable Clean Air Plan that works for all jurisdictions, given varied circumstances! Develop milestones for measuring progress! Essential to have adequate stakeholder involvement

14 Regional AQ Planning Structure! Clean Air Coalition (CAC) Elected officials from the 5 counties, 7 cities! EAC Task Force (EACTF) Staff from signatory governments Develop draft plans and agreements! CLEAN Air Force (CAF) non-profit Public involvement, voluntary programs! Capital Area Council of Governments(CAPCOG) State planning funds to provide technical analysis! Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

15 Public Involvement! 4 stakeholder workgroups point, area, non-road, on-road! 2 public opinion surveys 1 general, 1 measure specific! Outreach at events! Public meetings! Semiannual progress reports reviewed by elected officials and available to public for comment

16 Clean Air Plan Components! Policy statements! Technical analysis! Public and stakeholder involvement! Emission reduction measures! Maintenance for growth! Continuing planning process! Tracking and reporting

17 Emission Reduction Measures! Developed through fair share approach! State assisted measures Most will apply MSA-wide 2 county inspection & maintenance program Product of stakeholder work groups! Local measures (no state action needed) Select from menu of options, provides choice Reductions proportionate to contribution O3 Flex and new EAC measures

18 Why State Assisted Measures?! Counties have limited legal authority to adopt air quality regulations! Cities have legal authority, but there may be preemption issues! TCEQ is the only entity that can provide uniform regulatory coverage! Patchwork regulatory application would be confusing, create inequities and influence growth patterns

19 Austin Area State Assisted Measures STATE ASSISTED MEASURES Vehicle Emission Inspection & Maintenance Locally Enforced Idling Restrictions Stage 1 Vapor Recovery Degreasing Requirements Cut-back Asphalt Restrictions Low Emission Gas Cans *Texas Emission Reduction Program (TERP) Grants *Local Power Plant Reductions *State-assisted assisted measures not requiring new state rules for implementation

20 Keep active local participation Local Commitments Reported Semiannually! Tree Planting! Ozone Action Day Response program! Cleaner Diesel for Fleets! Fleet Vehicle Maintenance! Resource conservation! e-government and Multiple locations! Low Emission Vehicles! Fleet Usage Efficiency Evaluation

21 Voluntary Measures! Commute Solution programs! Clean Air Partners Reduce employee commute Exercise green choice option Implement energy conservation measures! Clean School Bus Program! Electric Lawnmower Rebate Program

22 Continuing Planning Process! Annual analysis of air quality data and modeling update, if necessary! Evaluation of future transportation plans, new point sources and other potential new source growth! Determine if selected control measures still adequate to achieve attainment

23 Photochemical Modeling Modeling new point sources Sandy Creek En. Assocs., LP Oak Grove Mgmt. Co. LP (TXU) Twin Oaks Power III, LP (Sempra) Sandow 5 (replaces ALCOA units) LCPy (m) J K Spruce 2 (CPS) E S Joslin Formosa Plastics Corp., TX LCPx (m)

24 Challenges Throughout! Be prepared to accommodate leadership changes at all levels! Key staff involvement important to continuity! Keep focused on key goals! Maximize stakeholder benefits! Follow though on implementation

25 Thank You! For further information contact Bill Gill, CAPCOG