- Using 1 gas mower for 1 hour is equivalent to driving 1 car 140 miles.
CLEAN AIR MATTERS
Spring 2002 Edition
In this issue:
- Agency to establish global climate change program
- Two agency partnership programs win awards
- New and current strategies focus on ozone, carbon monoxide standards
- Pilot program recognizes environmentally savvy autobody shops
- Agency in forefront on air quality forecasting
- Korean-speaking employee contributes to dry cleaner and gas station programs
- Non-polluting lawn mowers to be sold at discounted prices during NW Natural Yard Days
- Clean Air Agency sends message to public: ?When you clean your yard, don?t dirty the air?
Agency to establish global climate change program
The Clean Air Agency’s Board of Directors believes that global climate change is one of the most important and compelling issues for the future. Therefore, the board has provided funding and direction to establish a program addressing global climate change in this region.
“The scientific debate about whether global climate change is happening or not is essentially over. We know that greenhouse gases are affecting the world’s climate,” said Dennis McLerran, agency executive director.
Agency to establish global climate change program
The Clean Air Agency’s Board of Directors believes that global climate change is one of the most important and compelling issues for the future. Therefore, the board has provided funding and direction to establish a program addressing global climate change in this region.
“The scientific debate about whether global climate change is happening or not is essentially over. We know that greenhouse gases are affecting the world’s climate,” said Dennis McLerran, agency executive director.
Greenhouse gases cause climate disruptions
Greenhouse gases are causing more than global warming. They are causing climate disruptions — more storms, more erratic weather, more rainfall and moisture, temperature changes and drought. In the Pacific Northwest, scientists expect to see significant changes such as less snow, earlier snow melt, less water in reservoirs and rivers, and more flooding and landslides. Sea levels will rise. Salmon runs will be hurt by flooding and, in summer and fall, by low river flows and higher river temperatures.
Climate-change strategies also reduce air pollution
Many strategies addressing climate change and air pollution are the same, so adding a global climate change program allows us to integrate those strategies. For instance, strategies that encourage individuals and fleet owners to purchase fuel-efficient, lower-emission vehicles (such as hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles) reduce greenhouse gases and at the same time improve visibility, public health and air quality.
Analysis of 1999 data by agency engineer Kwame Agyei shows that cars
and trucks produce half of the total greenhouse gases in
King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Another 25
percent is produced by stationary sources such as small industrial and
commercial businesses and equipment used to heat buildings. Other significant
regional contributors are large businesses, aircraft and non-road mobile
equipment such as boats, trains and yard-maintenance equipment.
First task: become regional resource
McLerran wants to establish the Clean Air Agency as the regional government resource on climate-change planning. We are already assisting local jurisdictions in inventorying their greenhouse-gas emissions. The agency likely will also focus on developing a goal for reductions in regional greenhouse-gas emissions and consensus on priorities for local actions.
A first step in this effort was partnering with King County and the City of Seattle to bring the national “Cities for Climate Protection Campaign” Workshop to Seattle in February. Organized by the U.S. office of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, the workshop gave more than 250 elected officials and staff the opportunity to learn what is being done nationally and internationally and what can be done here.
“Think globally, act locally”
"It has been apparent in the U.S. that neither national regulatory schemes nor a well-formed national strategy have been adopted, so much of the progress will have to come at the local level,” said McLerran.
Examples of local actions that the region might support include:
- Persuade city, county and state fleets to switch to “green” vehicles such as hybrid gasoline-electric cars.
- Create regional demand for fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Encourage use of energy-efficient products through government contract requirements.
- Encourage changes in industrial processes to reduce energy consumption, including raw-material substitution.
- Enhance alternatives to driving alone (transit, carpools, vanpools) and programs to encourage energy conservation.
Board members Steve Nicholas from the City of Seattle and Don Theiler from King County have worked closely with McLerran, Dave Kircher, manager of the agency’s air resource management department, and Linda Hedstrom, agency operations director, to help develop this new program.
Two agency partnership programs win awards
This program has won a prestigious EPA Clean Air Excellence Award. The award program annually “recognizes both individuals and organizations that have undertaken the risks of innovation, served as pioneers in their fields, and improved the environment in the process.”
Diesel Solutions is an innovative voluntary program to make diesel vehicles in this region up to 90 percent cleaner. Its aim is to bring ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel and cleaner diesel vehicles to western Washington five years ahead of federal regulations requiring such a change.
The agency’s key partners sharing in the award include King County, the City of Seattle, The Boeing Company, Everett Public Schools and Durham School Services, Emerald City Disposal and the Pacific Rim Enterprise Center, and Phillips Petroleum.
Kitsap County outdoor burning campaign
Our campaign to inform Kitsap County residents about outdoor-burning restrictions and disposal alternatives, featured in the Winter 2001 issue of this newsletter, won an award from the Puget Sound Chapter of the Public Rela-tions Society of America.
The first-place award in the “Community Relations, Government” category acknowledged the campaign’s comprehensive planning, detailed evaluation and unique emphasis on partnerships with fire officials, fire educators and Kitsap County solid waste staff. Awareness of new restrictions increased by almost 200 percent after we implemented the informational campaign, and yard-debris burning dropped countywide by nearly 50 percent.
New and current strategies focus on ozone, carbon monoxide standards
The Clean Air Agency is implementing strategies suggested by a stakeholder group to help ensure the region’s carbon monoxide and ozone levels stay below national standards. The recommendations are the product of the Clean Air Agency’s CO/Ozone Stakeholders Group, composed of representatives from the petroleum industry, health and environment community, small and large businesses, and local and state governmental agencies.
The group supported continuation or improvement of several existing strategies. For example, our successful partnership with the oil industry to produce low-evaporation gasoline in the summer has had a significant impact on summertime air pollution.
Other ongoing strategies that the group thinks should be enhanced or continued are motor-vehicle inspections, vapor recovery at gasoline stations, and the Grasscycling Program, which offers incentives for people to replace gasoline lawnmowers with electric or manual mowers (see related story).
We are now planning implementation of two new strategies supported by the group: a program to encourage the use of low-solvent paint and a program for replacing older portable gas cans that leak fumes.
Though our region’s levels of carbon monoxide and ozone have been better than the national standards for a decade, our peak ozone levels in summer are very close to violating the ozone standard because of population and traffic growth. So our work programs addressing ozone are critical. If ozone levels were to exceed the standard, it would be more difficult for businesses to obtain construction permits from us and federal transportation funding would be delayed. More important, repeated exposure to ozone pollution can trigger or worsen health conditions such as bronchitis, heart disease and asthma.
Research in the past several years has increased our understanding of ozone in this region. A modeling study completed by Washington State University and state Department of Ecology showed that motor vehicles and solvent-based products are the largest contributors to peak ozone concentrations. The study was part of an information package put together by a Technical Committee to provide solid scientific analyses for the CO/Ozone Stakeholder Group.
We are using the stakeholders’ recommendations to prepare a draft CO/Ozone Implementation Plan Update, which will be ready for public review and comment in April 2002. We will post it on our Web site and make it available at our offices and other locations in the region. Ultimately, we send the plan to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Ecology for approval.
The stakeholders’ final report is available on our Web site. The draft update will be posted in the same location.
Pilot program recognizes environmentally savvy autobody shops
Twenty-eight autobody shops have received reduced Clean Air Agency inspections and registra-tion fees through a pilot program operated in partnership with EnviroStars. Those 28 shops have taken active steps to protect air quality and meet hazardous-waste standards set by the pilot program.
The EnviroStars Program certifies “green businesses” that protect the environment by reducing, recy-cling, and properly managing hazardous waste. EnviroStars businesses are promoted in mar-keting campaigns, the Green Business directory, radio com-mercials, local newspapers, trade journals and Web sites.
In the pilot program, autobody shops agree to be certified for both air-quality and hazardous-waste requirements. A key clean-air requirement is use of a paint-spray booth with an unobstructed, vertical stack for ventilation. That keeps paint particles out of the air and reduces odors. Another example is a requirement that shop employees flush cleaning solvents into closed containers to reduce toxic emissions.
“Our goal is to recognize autobody shops that go beyond what the rules require,” said Jim Nolan, agency compliance director. The pilot program requires extra paperwork, time and commitment to environmental quality. In return, four- and five-star businesses receive a $200 rebate on the normal $250 annual registration fee. Businesses at all levels (two to five stars) are not inspected by our agency as long as they are enrolled in EnviroStars.
The program has also been a great opportunity for the Clean Air Agency to build partnerships with trade associations (Autobody Craftsman Association and Automotive Service Association), the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, and public health, hazardous and solid waste agencies in King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
“The Envirostars program has been a real asset for collision repair shops who take the time to complete the requirements. Those members of the Autobody Craftsman Association that are participants have all recognized a drastic reduction of waste flow and have benefited monetarily. It’s what one would call a no-brainer,” said Ed Dollar, executive director of the Autobody Craftsman Association.
We are now looking at ways to revise the pilot program so more autobody shops will sign up. We are simplifying the paperwork, providing more assistance in filling out the application and shortening on-site visits. We also are recommending that our Board of Directors allow three-star-level shops to qualify for the $200 rebate on the $250 annual registration fee. For more information about the pilot program, contact Rosemary Busterna, compliance system planner.
Participants in Autobody Shop Pilot Program
| Action Collision Center, Everett Aldercrest Auto Rebuild, Lynnwood Auto Body Experts, Poulsbo Auto Hound, Seattle Body Craft, Inc., Marysville Busch Collision, Issaquah Central Body Works, Everett Class A Collision Repair, Lynnwood Cornforth Campbell Motors, Puyallup Hammer Auto Rebuild, Seattle Jerry’s Auto Rebuild, Bainbridge Island Kay Parks/Dan Meyer Auto Rebuild, Tacoma Kelly’s Auto Body Collision 1, Bellevue Ken’s Auto Body, Inc., Port Orchard |
Ken’s Redmond Auto Body, Redmond Kirmac’s Fitz Auto Rebuild, Auburn L-M Body Shop, Kirkland Modern Collision Rebuild, Bainbridge Island Moore’s Body Shop, Seattle North Kitsap Auto Rebuild, Inc., Poulsbo Ponders Collision Center, Inc., Lakewood Seattle Collision Center, Seattle Southtowne Auto Rebuild, Seattle Stewart’s Collision Centre, Seattle Thoroughbred Collision Center, Auburn Warren Westlund Buick/GMC, Seattle Willows Collision Craft, Ltd., Redmond Woodinville Collision Craft, Woodinville |
Agency in forefront on air quality forecasting
Q. What do you get when you cross air-monitoring data with weather forecasts?
A. Air quality forecasts.
Well, it isn’t really all that simple. It requires the ability to understand monitoring trends and use a variety of meteorological tools to predict air quality for the next couple of days. And people across the country are learning how in Air Quality Forecasting 101.
That’s what we call our course that trains people — both technical and non-technical — on how to make and report air quality forecasts using the Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI reports air quality in a color-coded range from green for “good” to purple for “very unhealthy.” It also includes standard health warnings for each of the color categories.
We recently presented the course in San Francisco and received high praise from more than 130 attendees. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning on offering this course annually. Agency staff worked jointly with Sonoma Technology and the EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards to develop the course.
We provide air quality forecasts for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Two-day forecasts and current conditions can be found on the agency’s Web site.
The forecasts also can be accessed through the Air Watch Northwest program — a Web portal developed to allow other Northwest air quality agencies with forecasting capabilities to join the program.
“Advance knowledge of expected air quality is helpful for people affected when the weather causes a rise in pollution,” said Mike Gilroy, technical services manager. “This is especially important for people with heart or lung disease, elderly people and families with young children, so they can plan activities to limit exposure to air pollution.”
A technical consortium is working on a daily air-quality-forecasting model using sophisticated meteorological data. The model will provide supplemental information for air-quality forecasters and hopefully allow more agencies to participate. The consortium includes the Clean Air Agency, EPA Region 10, Washington State Department of Ecology, Washington State University and University of Washington.
Agency staff members are also sharing information with others around the country about the Air Watch Northwest public communication program, which uses air quality forecasts to encourage people to make air-friendly choices in their daily lives.
Korean-speaking employee contributes to dry cleaner and gas station programs
Agency staffer Michelle Levandoski has been using her knowledge of Korean and contacts in the Korean business community to assist the Clean Air Agency’s efforts to improve compliance by dry cleaners and gas-station owners with our requirements. She has translated brochures and fliers into Korean, met with Korean-American dry cleaning and grocers associations, given a speech at an association banquet and staffed a trade show.
The Korea Times published two articles Nov. 9, 2001, about Levandoski’s efforts: a special-interest profile and a feature article about regulations affecting gas-station owners. The articles also explained that we are a governmental agency, not a nonprofit environmental group, with the power to enact civil penalties of $13,000 or more for regulation violations — a message the associations told us their members needed to hear.
The Korean-American Grocers’ Association has published articles in their monthly journal touting Levandoski as our agency liaison to the Korean business community and recapping regulations for gas stations.
Also, at the Korean Dry Cleaning Association’s year-end banquet in December 2001, she delivered our congratulatory message, which announced dry cleaners that use unvented machines would have their registration fees reduced this year. Nearly all dry cleaners have switched to the unvented machines, which protect air quality.
Levandoski’s mother is Korean. She learned to speak some Korean as a child and improved her skills when she lived with Korean relatives during college. Three years ago, she returned to school to learn to read and write the language. Since then, she has gotten involved in several Korean business associations, allowing her to continue learning and practicing Korean and to get the word out regarding our agency’s mission.
Non-polluting lawn mowers to be sold at discounted prices during NW Natural Yard Days
Did you know that mowing for one hour with a gas-powered lawn mower creates as much pollution as driving from Safeco Field to the Tacoma Dome and back? In fact, gas-powered lawn mowers contribute about 7 percent to air pollution in our region. And older mowers with two-stroke engines pollute more than four-stroke mowers.
To encourage people to switch to electric or manual mowers, the Clean Air Agency is partnering with other environmental-quality agencies for a month-long Northwest Natural Yard Days Program. Throughout the month of April, participating retail stores will be offering discounts on electric mulching mowers, manual push mowers and other environmentally friendly equipment and supplies. Electrically-powered lawn and garden tools produce almost no pollution from exhaust or through fuel evaporation.
Information about the program and participating retailers can be found at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/swd/resrecy/events/naturalyard.shtml.
During the past four years, we have partnered with other environmental agencies in the region to produce the successful Grasscycling program. Since the program began, more than 15,000 electric mulching and manual mowers have been purchased at discounted prices.
This year, the program has expanded and been renamed. Northwest Natural Yard Days will encourage people to use environmentally friendly equipment such as rain barrels, weed pullers, soaker hoses, compost, organic fertilizers and water timers, as well as buy the electric or manual mowers and “grasscycle” lawn clippings.
Clean Air Agency sends message to public: “When you clean your yard, don’t dirty the air”
Burning yard waste and land-clearing debris is prohibited in much of our region. Wood smoke is a major health threat, causes asthma in susceptible people, is known to cause cancer, affects air quality and makes it hard to see our mountains.
The Clean Air Agency sponsored a radio-ad campaign in March on 28 radio stations to remind people about yard-waste burning laws and to suggest alternatives such as composting or using yard-waste recycling services.
People who live in an incorporated city can’t burn yard waste outdoors any time. Elsewhere, people need to ask their local fire department if they live in an area where burning is allowed and, if so, obtain a permit.
It is illegal to take yard waste or land-clearing debris from a no-burning area and burn it outside that area. Burn barrels are illegal throughout the state. Burning paper (except to start a fire) or any kind of garbage is illegal. Recreational fires and Native American ceremonial fires are permitted throughout the state.
This Web site information about alternatives to burning;
exceptions to outdoor burning rules; and restrictions on
types of burning still allowed.
About the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
The mission of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is to ensure that people in King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties have clean, healthy air to breathe. Our job is to provide air quality management services on behalf of cities and counties for their citizens. We do this by adopting and enforcing air quality regulations, sponsoring voluntary initiatives to improve air quality, and educating people and businesses about clean-air choices. To learn more about our work, visit us at www.pscleanair.org.