Air Quality Improvement Guide for Local Governments Air Quality Improvement Guide for Local Governments
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Air Quality Improvement Guide for Local Governments Air Quality Improvement Guide for Local Governments Produced by the Community Services Division of the County Services Department July 2007 About NACo – The Voice of America’s Counties The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation’s 3,066 counties. NACo advances issues with a unifi ed voice before the federal government, improves the public’s understanding of county government, assists counties in fi nding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money. For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org. For more information about this publication or to request copies, please contact: Kelly Zonderwyk Senior Community Services Associate The National Association of Counties 25 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20001 Phone: 202.942.4224 Email: [email protected] This guide was published in July 2007 and made possible through support from USEPA Purchase Order #EP06H002650. It was written by Kelly Zonderwyk, NACo Senior Community Services Associate and through contributions from featured counties. The guide was edited by Abby Friedman, Program Director, and Alison Abbors, Environmental Intern, and graphic design and layout was performed by Sonia Chu of NACo. The opinions in this publication are those of the contributors, and do not necessarily refl ect the views of the USEPA, or NACo. Acknowledgements NACo wishes to thank the county staff , departments, and offi cials who provided information for the case studies and are acknowledged at the end of each case study. National Association of Counties Table of Contents Featured Local Governments Map . .5 Truck and Bus Fleet Retrofi ts . 22 Introduction . .6 Local Government Snapshots: Air Awareness Programs . 9 Hamilton County, Ohio . 22 Local Government Snapshots: San Diego County, California . 22 Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, Florida . 9 Butte County, California . 23 Clark County, Nevada . 10 Information Box Johnson County, Kansas . 10 USEPA Regional Collaborative Partnerships . 23-24 Spokane County, Washington . 10 Additional Resources . 24 Information Boxes SEQL – Sustainable Environment for Quality of Life . 11 Port Retrofi ts . 25 “It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air” Campaign . 11 Local Government Snapshots: AIRNow Site . 11 Santa Barbara County, California . 26 New York City, New York . 26 Woodstove Programs . .12 Additional Resources . 26 Local Government Snapshots: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania . .12 Airport Ground Equipment Emissions . 27 Lane County, Oregon . .12 Local Government Snapshot: Lincoln County, Montana . .13 Broward County, Florida . 27 Missoula County, Montana . .13 Additional Resources . 28 Washoe County, Nevada . .14 Additional Resources . .14 Energy Effi ciency, Alternative Fuels, and Renewable Energy . 29 Public Transportation and Commuter Local Government Snapshots: Benefi t Programs . 15 Story County, Iowa . 29 Local Government Snapshots: Winona County, Minnesota . 30 Arlington County, Virginia . 15 King County, Washington . 30 Boulder County, Colorado . 16 Henrico County, Virginia . 30 Fulton County, Georgia . 16 Fairfax County, Virginia . 31 Pinal County, Arizona . 16 Information Boxes Westchester County, New York . 16 NACo ENERGY STAR Challenge for Counties . 31 Additional Resources . 17 NACo County ENERGY STAR Change a Light Campaign . 31 Neighborhood Connectivity . 18 Using Energy Effi ciency and/or Local Government Snapshots: Renewable Energy Projects for SIP Credits . 32 Arlington County, Virginia . 18 Additional Resources . 32 Broward County, Florida . 19 Additional Resources . 19 Anti-Idling and Truck-Stop Electrifi cation . 33 Local Government Snapshots: Non-Road Diesel Engines, Hamilton County, Ohio . 33 Equipment, and Vehicles . 20 Rowan County, North Carolina . 34 Local Government Snapshots: Anderson County, South Carolina . 34 Denver County, Colorado . 20 Additional Resources . 34 Louisville - Jeff erson County Metro Government, Kentucky . 20 San Diego County, California . 21 Additional Resources . 21 Table of Contents (continued...) Tree Planting Programs . 35 Air Monitoring and Air Emergencies . 43 Local Government Snapshots: Local Government Snapshots: Sarasota County, Florida . 35 Mecklenburg County, North Carolina . 43 Marion County, Indiana . 36 Hamilton County, Ohio . 44 City of San Antonio, Texas . 36 Boulder County, Colorado . 44 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . 36 Additional Resources . 44 Montgomery County, Maryland . 36 Information Box Air Quality Partnerships . 45 Urban Heat Islands . 37 Local Government Snapshots: Additional Resources . 37 Dane County, Wisconsin . 45 Forsyth County, North Carolina . 46 Infi ll and Brownfi elds Redevelopment . 38 Information Box . 46 Local Government Snapshots: Green Gas Stations Project . 46 New Castle County, Delaware . 38 Resource Tools . 46 City of Alamosa, Colorado . 39 Lane County, Oregon . 39 Air Quality Glossary . 47 City of Phoenix, Arizona . 39 General Air Quality Resources Washtenaw County, Michigan . 39 for Local Governments . 49 Additional Resources . 40 Greenways and Open Spaces . 41 Local Government Snapshots: Lake County, Illinois . 41 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . 41 Broward County, Florida . 42 Information Box County Leadership in Conservation Award . 42 Additional Resources . 42 National Association of Counties Air Quality Improvement • 5 National Association of Counties INTRODUCTION any scientifi c studies have linked breathing ozone each of the six criteria air pollutants for which USEPA has set and particle pollution to signifi cant health prob- national standards: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, Mlems. To help communities reduce air pollution and ground-level ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. achieve new federal health-based standards, NACo has devel- These pollutants come from factories; mobile sources such as oped the Air Quality Improvement Guide for Local Governments. cars, trucks, buses and construction equipment; and domestic The guide includes examples of local government strategies sources such as woodstoves. Although the USEPA sets the and best practices to reduce air pollution from a wide range of standards, states and local governments are free to adopt sources, as well as techniques to inform and educate citizens stricter standards for industrial and commercial operations. about air quality issues. In September 2006, the USEPA announced revisions to the The examples and best practices can help counties meet NAAQS for particle pollution, also known as particulate mat- new federal standards. The U.S. Environmental Protection ter (PM). States must develop State Implementation Plans Agency (USEPA) announced revisions to the National Ambi- (SIPs) to.