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 Newsletter Main Page

CLEAN AIR MATTERS

Winter 2003 Edition

In this issue:

 

Agency asking lawmakers to fund new program and revise real-estate form

Two top air-pollution issues in this region are fine particles and air toxics. In winter, diesel exhaust and wood smoke are the primary sources of unhealthy fine particles and air toxics. We are taking two proposals addressing those issues to the state Legislature this session. We’re asking lawmakers to approve a new statewide clean-diesel program for school buses and to add questions about uncertified woodburning devices to the Real Property Transfer Disclosure Statement.

Cleaning up school buses

When they ride school buses, 400,000 Washington students are exposed to 10 to 15 times more toxic air pollutants than the general population. Diesel exhaust from school buses results in chronic and acute bronchitis, asthma attacks and respiratory illnesses in children. It is likely to cause lung cancer. Adding exhaust retrofit devices and using ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel removes 50 to 90 percent of the unhealthy fine-particle emissions.
We are asking the state Legislature to create a statewide four-year program aimed at school buses. For $43 to $52 million total — or less than $9 a year per student — the program would install exhaust retrofits on all 8,500 school buses in the state. It would also help pay for ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

Disclosing uncertified wood stoves at point of sale

Uncertified wood stoves and uncertified fireplace inserts contribute to wood-smoke pollution in wintertime. An agency-sponsored task force representing the private, public and non-profit sectors convened last summer and looked at ways to reduce wood smoke. One of its recommendations was to provide education on these devices when homes are sold with the hope that the buyers would request removal of these old devices as part of the sale.

Sellers would be required to disclose the presence of uncertified wood-burning devices on the Real Property Transfer Disclosure Statement. Buyers and home inspectors would receive an educational brochure about health concerns and regulations regarding uncertified devices.

State law governs the content of the Disclosure Statement. We and our partners from the task force are asking lawmakers to add questions about the presence of an uncertified device to the statement.

The next step after this change is made is that the Clean Air Agency, by local rule, will require registration of uncertified devices. We will then design incentive and education programs encouraging the registered owners of uncertified woodburning devices to convert to cleaner ones.

Related resources

Diesel SolutionsClick here to go to the top of this page

 

Commentary: Weather pattern brings sun … and burn bans

By Mike Schultz, agency communications specialist

Holy smoke! Twelve burn ban days already this season, and it’s only the first week of December as I write this. We haven’t had this many burn ban days for an entire year since 1989.

What’s happening? During November and December, we were under the same persistent weather pattern that had been deflecting storms to the north or south of us since July. In the summer, that brings us beautiful warm weather. This time of year, that same pattern produces temperature inversions — a lid of warm air aloft that traps cold air and pollutants at the surface. While we were having temperatures below freezing at night and in the 40s during the day, the freezing level was at 9,000 to 11,000 feet — a freezing level normally found only in the summertime, when we have temperatures in the mid-70s in the region.
A private airplane pilot reported a temperature of 69 degrees at 5,000 feet over Boeing Field on November 29!

We can’t do anything about the weather, but we can all help to reduce the amount of pollution we put into the air. Since 80 percent of wintertime air pollution in residential neighborhoods comes from wood stoves and fireplaces, a burn ban becomes an effective tool for protecting air quality.

A burn ban is effective only if people comply, and that means they need to know about it. Newspapers, radio and the local TV-weather folks have been most helpful in getting out the word when we call a burn ban.

And one of the best and most timely ways for you to learn about a ban is to sign up with our Clean Air Network. That way, you will be notified directly by e-mail when we call a burn ban. All you need to do is go to our Web site at www.pscleanair.org and click on “Clean Air Network e-mail notification.” Enter your e-mail address, and you’ll become a subscriber.

Click here to go to the top of this page

 

 

Newest Diesel Solutions partners are in school or on the water

Four school districts join program

The Tacoma, Seattle, Bremerton and Bainbridge Island school districts are beginning projects to retrofit buses and use ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel. They join Everett School District and their contract operator, Durham School Services, which implemented the first pilot project a year ago and helped us work out kinks in the Diesel Solutions program.

Also, last fall we received funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to retrofit 10 of the Chief Leschi (Puyallup Tribe) School’s buses. The remaining 21 buses have factory-installed emission-control devices or will be retired soon. By 2004, the school’s entire fleet will have emission controls. In addition, the fleet will begin using ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

We have $35,000 remaining in grant funding, so we are looking for other tribal school partners.

Ferries clean their air

Washington State Ferries is working with Diesel Solutions to test ultra-low-sulfur diesel and biodiesel fuel. The test will show what levels of emission reduc-tions can be achieved and evaluate the effects of ultra-low sulfur diesel on ferry engines.

 

Diesel Solutions — leading the way to cleaner diesel vehicles

Diesel Solutions is an innovative and growing public-private partnership. The voluntary program’s aim is to bring ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and cleaner vehicles to our region years ahead of federal regulations that will require such a change.

The results? More diesel vehicles in this region up to 90 percent cleaner. And the program is steadily expanding. More than a dozen private, transit, school district and government partners are using ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and emission-reduction equipment.

Particle filters reduce fine-particle, hydrocarbon and toxic emissions by up to 90 percent. Oxidation-catalyst retrofits cut fine-particle emissions up to 50 percent.

Our partners are now using more than one million gallons a month of ultra-low sulfur diesel. The volume will continue to grow. Use of the fuel alone, without retrofits, reduces fine-particle emissions by 10 to 20 percent.

Click here to go to the top of this page

 

 

Innovative alternative-fuel and clean-diesel programs take off at Sea-Tac Airport

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and the Port of Seattle have begun several innovative partnership programs to improve air quality at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Port is purchasing natural gas vehicles, using cleaner diesel fuel and installing two systems that will eliminate exhaust from idling jets and replace many diesel fuel trucks. The two agencies also have developed a model agreement to allow banking of credits for voluntary emission reductions from some projects described below. The credits will offset air-quality impacts of future Port construction projects.

Alternative fuel = cleaner air

More alternative-fuel vehicles means less air pollution. As a leading player in regional efforts to increase the number of alternative fuel vehicles, the Port has partnered with the Clean Air Agency and Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition to implement an alternative fuels program at Sea-Tac Airport.

“Vehicles emit more than half of the pollution in the air we breathe. By reducing emissions from vehicles, taxis, shuttles and buses, we help the entire region meet air-quality standards. And we can respond to the community’s interest in keeping our air clean and healthy to breathe,” said Port of Seattle Commission Chair
Bob Edwards.

Airport management has taken a leadership role by adopting a policy in May 2001 requiring the purchase of alternative-fuel vehicles and equipment whenever technically possible. To date, the Port’s Aviation Division has purchased 37 vehicles that run on compressed natural gas (CNG): 16 employee buses, 16 cars, three vans and two street sweepers.

New CNG facility open to public

The Port’s program also addresses the need for a conveniently located natural-gas fuel station. The Port partnered with ENRG Fuels USA, Inc., a private business, to build the first large-scale publicly accessible CNG facility in the state. Located about one-half mile south of the airport, it opened in October 2002. The facility will make it much easier for people to choose natural-gas vehicles.

“Being a leader is more than just doing the right thing for ourselves,” said Gina Marie Lindsey, managing director of aviation for the Port. “By making the refueling station convenient for other jurisdictions and the public, we make it possible for them to do the right thing too.”

The Port is encouraging airport tenants and customers — passenger shuttle services, operators of hotel and parking-lot shuttles, taxi companies and airlines — to add alternative fuel vehicles to their fleets as well. In addition, it will be asking its business partners, contractors and surrounding communities to consider similar programs.

Grants help pay for CNG vehicles

Last summer, the Port won $300,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy to increase the use of natural-gas vehicles at the airport. The money will help pay the difference in cost between traditional-fuel and natural-gas vehicles. The grant money will be split between the Port and private companies that run regional ground-transportation operations.

The Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition, Washington State University and ENRG Fuels helped the Port win this grant.

Four other projects clean up diesel emissions

The Port of Seattle is a key partner in the Clean Air Agency’s Diesel Solutions program, and is implementing several additional clean-air strategies:

  • Dump trucks hauling fill material for the airport’s third runway have been using ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. The cleaner fuel reduces particulate emissions by up to 20 percent. When work continues on this project, the Port will continue to use ultra-low sulfur diesel and will work with contractors to use cleaner vehicles.
  • The Clean Air Agency received a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency so the Port can put emission-reduction equipment on diesel construction vehicles. The equipment reduces emissions by 50 to 90 percent when the vehicles use ultra-low sulfur diesel.
  • The Port is converting its aircraft gates to provide electricity and air conditioning to parked planes. That means jet engines won’t be idling and emitting exhaust while passengers are boarding.
  • Finally, the Port is installing a fuel hydrant system to replace many of the diesel trucks that refuel airplanes. Click here to go to the top of this page

 

 

 

Gasoline businesses working with agency to design topnotch air-quality program

They came from all over the country. They represented the best minds available from all sectors of the gasoline marketing business — four different trade associations; major oil refiners; equipment manufacturers, installers and testers; gasoline delivery folks; and station owners. And they spent a full day at Clean Air Agency offices on Nov. 14 figuring out how to help gas stations keep harmful gasoline vapors out of the air.

We examined problems and the reasons behind them — and brainstormed solutions. The group came up with 68 ideas in the areas of training, education and regulatory changes. The ideas ranged from requiring stations to regularly submit self-inspection checklists to locking out broken equipment.

So why this kind of a work session? In a nutshell, our best efforts to date haven’t worked.
Most gas stations are out of compliance with our air-quality regulations. Station employees do not routinely inspect and repair their own vapor-recovery equipment. Many stations have worn, damaged or defective equipment that increases the release of harmful gasoline vapors.

We’ve tried many things to bring about compliance, including producing an Operations and Maintenance Manual for station owners and operators; providing technical assistance on what to look for during an inspection; conducting annual inspections for the past three years (with advance warnings); and issuing both warnings and painful penalties for violations.

Still the violations continued.

Then we thought we would build on successful programs from other state and local air agencies … but we couldn’t find any.

So we invited station owners and others in the industry to help us find some answers to this perplexing problem. It’s important us, because gas stations are a significant source of ozone-forming emissions, and we’ve come very close in recent years to violating the federal ozone standard. Gasoline vapors also contain toxic chemicals, some of which are known to cause cancer.

During the day-long session, we looked at problems from our own perspectives and from “wearing a different hat” — figuratively and literally. We got creative, learned more about each other and had fun. But most of all, we generated solutions, consensus and a commitment to build an effective program.

The meeting’s value was captured by a representative of a major oil refiner. “I don’t like meetings,” he said, “but on a scale of one to 10, I’d give this one a nine. I’d give it a 10, but I don’t want you to rest on your laurels.”

From our perspective, the value was in the energy and enthusiasm the participants brought to the table. We expect their work will result in a comprehensive program by mid-2003 that will support gas station compliance through effective prevention, detection and repair of vapor-recovery equipment.Click here to go to the top of this page

 

 

 

Agency joining Flexcar: saves money, supports car-sharing program

We’ve just eliminated our four pool vehicles — and joined a car-sharing program called Flexcar. We’ll save $900 a month in parking fees. Plus, we’ll be supporting an innovative program that reduces congestion, air pollution and energy use, and increases use of public transit.

How does it work? The agency paid a one-time business membership fee of $500 to join Flexcar. Our employees now can reserve and use any of a dozen environmentally friendly cars — including gasoline-electric hybrids — located within several blocks of our downtown Seattle office. We pay only for the time we use the vehicles. The payments cover the cost of the car, gas, insurance, maintenance and parking.

Besides saving money, we also chose to move to Flexcar because the company has converted a quarter of its Seattle-area fleet to Honda gasoline-electrics hybrids. By 2004, half its fleet will be hybrids. The rest of the cars are primarily low-emission Honda Civics.

Flexcar got its start right here in Seattle as a public-private partnership, using seed money from King County Metro and the City of Seattle. In just three years, the company has grown to 8,000 members in five states. About 80 cars, trucks and minivans are located in Seattle neighborhoods. Three more are in Kitsap County and seven on the Eastside. As more members join, the fleet grows.

For more information, visit the Flexcar Web site, e-mail info@flexcar.com or call (206) 323-3539.Click here to go to the top of this page

 

 

KOMO “For Kids’ Sake” campaign delivers clean-air messages to TV audiences

A KOMO-TV cameraman films Kaylin Hudson, age 10, for the second ad produced under our year-long partnership with KOMO-TV's "For Kids' Sake" program.

KOMO 4 will air four different 30-second vignettes at least 257 times throughout the year. This one featuring Kaylin and Brenna (daughters of agency Air Resource Specialist Tom Hudson) promotes non-polluting yard care: using non-gasoline-powered equipment and composting or recycling yard waste instead of burning it.

The first ad, which promoted the use of clean-burning natural-gas and propane stoves and fireplaces, began airing Aug. 21. Encouraging reductions in diesel and gasoline emissions will be covered in the third and fourth ads.

 

 

Air pollution linked to higher medical costs

Older Americans in the most polluted parts of the country are significantly more likely to need medical treatment, particularly for lung ailments, according to a study that suggests reducing pollution could cut medical spending as well.

Study: Air Pollution And Medical Care Use By Older Americans

Article: Reuters (search for "pollution linked")

 

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.