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Forecast Discussion
Current Air Quality Data and Reports |
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CLEAN AIR NEWSLINE
January 2008 Edition
In this issue:
-
Requests for Proposal
-
Employment opportunity
County-wide Burn Ban: Community Workshops
As reported in last month’s “Newsline,” the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has proposed a rule that would ban both land clearing burning and outdoor burning of residential vegetative debris throughout all of King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. The proposed date for a ban on land clearing fires is July 1, 2008, and July 1, 2010 for residential burning.
A public hearing on the proposed rule change will be held by the Clean Air Agency’s Board of Directors on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at the Seattle Public Library’s Microsoft Auditorium, 1000 Fourth Avenue, beginning at 9:15 a.m. A full copy of the proposed rule and other regulatory documents are available on the agency’s Web site at www.pscleanair.org/actions/outdoorfires/rule_change.aspx .
In order to facilitate the public comment process, a series of five community workshops were scheduled in the three affected counties. To date, four of these evening workshops have been conducted with turnouts ranging from four to 40 participants.
The workshops provide an informal environment for both one-on-one and group discussions with agency staff, county solid waste representatives, health officials and a master composter. These events also provide a convenient opportunity for participants to submit comments for the hearing record regarding this rule change.
Workshop dialogs have been spirited and insightful for all involved.
The remaining workshop will be held Tuesday, Jan. 22 from 6:30 and 8 p.m. at the Arlington Boys and Girls Club located at 18513 - 59th Ave. N.E. in Arlington.
If you are interested in submitting comment on this proposal, you may do so at the remaining workshop, at the February 28 public hearing, via e-mail or via US mail. Again, details can be found at www.pscleanair.org/actions/outdoorfires/rule_change.aspx .
Don’t delay – take advantage of our wood-stove replacement program today!
Time and money are running out, so if you live in Marysville, Tacoma and specific areas of Pierce County and have been thinking about taking advantage of our wood stove replacement program, delay no longer!
Since the program began in mid-November, over 745 people have submitted applications and expressed interest in replacing their pre-1995 wood stove or fireplace insert; more than 350 of these have been pre-qualified and sent discount coupons to start shopping for a cleaner heating device. An additional 125 people have been referred for the low-income aspect of the Tacoma program.
If you have qualified for the program and have a coupon in hand, get shopping before the grant money runs out because the funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Coupons for discounts on new heating devices are being offered to residents within the City of Marysville as well as Tacoma and certain Pierce County communities, because these two areas are at risk of violating federal air pollution standards. The goal of these incentives is to help reduce residential wood smoke by replacing old wood stoves and fireplace inserts with cleaner-burning, more-efficient home heating options: freestanding stoves, fireplace inserts, central furnaces and heat pumps.
Funds -- ranging from $200 to $750 -- are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and incentives will be available until funds are exhausted or February 29, 2008 -- whichever comes first. The cleanest heating devices are awarded the highest discount.
Additionally, half the grant funds for the Tacoma/Pierce County program are set aside for low-income households, allowing $2,500 per household for natural gas, propane, pellet, or electric appliances (stoves, inserts, natural gas furnaces, or electric heat pumps).
Program details are available on our agency Web site at www.pscleanair.org/woodstove.replacement . To apply:
- Click: www.pscleanair.org/woodstove.replacement
- Call: 1-888-859-5799
- E-mail: woodstove.replacement@gmail.com
Clean Air Agency + Clean Cities Coalition = A winning combination
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is pleased to announce that as of January 1, 2008, it is now administering and housing the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition. Strong synergies between the mission of the agency and the mission of the Coalition make for a winning transition for both entities -- presenting numerous opportunities for more efficient and effective collaboration and cooperation.
The Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition is one of approximately 90 volunteer coalitions across the nation within the U.S Department of Energy's Clean Cities program working to advance environmental and public health, energy security and economic development by promoting policies and practices that reduce petroleum consumption in transportation.
The Coalition's initiatives focus on:
- Increasing the use and availability of alternative fuels and supporting infrastructure;
- Promoting the benefits of hybrid technologies;
- Educating about the benefits of fuel efficiency practices -- and encouraging their adoption by fleets; and
- Providing members with technical assistance, access to grant funds and opportunities for collaboration and information sharing.
Mark Brady, Coalition program manager, will continue to lead the Coalition’s work through the agency's Air Resources Department. He is excited to join our team.
For the past 10 years, the Coalition has been housed at the City of Seattle. Says Mark of the move, "the City of Seattle has been and continues to be a great supporter of the Coalition's work. This move is exciting because it brings the Coalition into an entity that has a regional scope that matches that of the Coalition. Plus, there are obvious overlaps and opportunities for cooperation with the work the Clean Air Agency is already doing."
To learn more about the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition, visit www.pugetsoundcleancities.org or contact Mark Brady at 206.689.4055 or MarkB@pscleanair.org .
Clean Air Agency reaches out to remodelers at Phinney Home Fair
A more energy-efficient home translates directly into a more air- and climate-friendly home.
One of the best examples is upgrading how a home is heated and insuring that the heat stays inside the home instead of leaking to the outdoors. Whether it’s replacing an uncertified wood stove with a natural gas or propane stove, upgrading an old furnace to a high efficiency furnace or heat pump, and/or adding insulation or making other weatherization improvements – all these improvements can save home owners money on energy cost AND protect our air and climate. Click to www.pscleanair.org/efficiency for links to energy-efficiency resources and to www.pscleanair.org/cleanheating for clean heating choices.
Serious air-quality and personal-health risks can also be involved when asbestos, www.pscleanair.org/asbestos , is uncovered during a remodel or demolition, but they are avoidable through proper abatement and disposal.
These are just a couple of examples of what homeowners can do to help the environment, their health and our climate – and even their pocketbook. To find out more, visit our booth at the 11th Annual Phinney Neighborhood Home Design and Remodel Fair on Sunday, January 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fair offers homeowners a chance to meet with trained professionals and get advice on remodeling and home improvement projects. We’ll be there along with more than 75 exhibitors ranging from general and specialty contractors to landscape professionals to architects and designers offering advice and resources to complete any home improvement project. Many of the exhibitors have a "green" emphasis.
The fair will be held at the Phinney Neighborhood Center at 6532 Phinney Ave. N. in Seattle. Get more information at www.phinneycenter.org/events/homefair.shtml .
2006 Air Quality Data Summary available online
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency recently released its 2006 Air Quality Data Summary. This report includes an overview of the Puget Sound monitoring network, summarizes impaired air quality events (Burn Bans and Smog Watches), and graphically presents criteria air pollutant and visibility trends in the Puget Sound area.
The Puget Sound region has made great progress in reducing most of its criteria air pollutants: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead and nitrogen dioxide have all been below federal standards for the last decade.
Despite progress, two criteria air pollutants remain a concern:
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Fine particulate matter is basically soot from vehicle and engine exhaust and smoke from wood burning. In December 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established a new, stricter standard for daily PM2.5 -- 35 micrograms per cubic meter. (The former daily standard was 65 micrograms per cubic meter.) This new daily standard is substantially closer to our agency’s local health goal of 25 micrograms per cubic meter.
PM2.5 concentrations at our South L Street monitoring site in Tacoma violate the new daily standard. EPA will designate the monitor site and surrounding contributing area as “nonattainment.” In addition, PM2.5 monitoring sites in Snohomish and King County are close to violating the new federal standard.
To learn more about the non-attainment designation for Tacoma-Pierce County, visit www.pscleanair.org/news/library/reports/default.aspx#PM2.5_Tacoma . More information about the federal rule, click to www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution/actions.html .
Ozone. In March 2008, EPA will likely adopt a new, potentially stricter ozone standard. Ozone concentrations in our region will potentially violate a new standard and cause our region to be designated “nonattainment” in the future. To learn more about EPA’s proposed revisions to ground-level ozone standard, visit www.epa.gov/air/ozonepollution/naaqsrev2007.html .
The full 2006 Air Quality Data Summary is available online at www.pscleanair.org/news/library/reports/2006AQDSFinal.pdf .
The 2006 Air Quality Data Summary Appendix (data tables) is available online at: www.pscleanair.org/news/library/reports/2006AQDSFinalAppendix.pdf .
Monthly air quality data summary: November*
November* air quality was in the “Good” category for nine days, in the “Moderate” category for 19 days and in the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” for two days. Air quality deteriorated in the days before Thanksgiving leading to a warning that a burn ban may be called over the long holiday weekend. Improved atmospheric mixing prevented the need for calling the ban.
For the month, temperatures recorded at SeaTac Airport averaged 44.3 degrees, 0.9 degrees below normal and 6.2 degrees cooler than temperatures averaged in October. SeaTac rainfall for the month totaled 3.71 inches, 2.19 inches less than normal.
For data summaries of air quality monitored throughout our four-county region, click to www.pscleanair.org/airq/aqsumm/07-11.aspx .
* Because of the time it takes to review data for quality assurance and process data for reports, our air quality discussions in each “Newsline” edition will be two months previous. Thus our report for this edition is for November 2007.
Announcements
Request for Proposal (RFP)
- Environmental Justice Training and Implementation, closes Jan. 25, 2008 at noon
As a public agency, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issues formal requests for proposals and qualifications for the purchase of certain equipment or supplies, or to enlist professional services to supplement our work. The Clean Air Agency is now accepting proposals electronically. See the RFP document for details on the requirements to submit proposals by hard copy or electronically. www.pscleanair.org/announce/notices/rfprfq.aspx .
Employment Opportunity: Agency Finance Manger
We are looking for an experienced Finance Manager to provide financial leadership,
direct the agency’s financial resources and staff and manage our accounting
systems in accordance with best practices for local government. Click
to the job description application instructions at
www.pscleanair.org/about/documents/Finance_Manager_01-08.pdf .
About the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency serves the people of King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. We work together to clean the air we breathe and protect our climate through education, incentives and enforcement. To learn more about our work, and how you can be a part of it, too, visit us at www.pscleanair.org .
About the Clean Air Newsline
Clean Air Newsline is a monthly electronic newsletter to provide air quality information to the residents of King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Subscribers receive the latest on air quality news, trends and projects that affect our local communities and the air we breathe. Feel free to pass the information along to others.
We also use the Newsline as needed to send timely and important messages about burn bans, Smog Watches and early calls to action when air quality deteriorates.
If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, you can do so at www.pscleanair.org/news/agencynews.aspx . Be sure to select Clean Air Newsline to be added to the e-mailing list.