Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategies Released
MTP/SCS to focus on transportation and land use options
1/23/2012

The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) recently released their Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy for 2035 (MTP/SCS) which is a regional plan for transportation investment priorities in the six-county region based on projections for growth in population, housing and jobs. The goal of the MTP/SCS is to make it possible for more people to live and work in the same community and live independently as they age. The MTP/SCS addresses the needs of the 2.3 million people currently living in the Sacramento Region by increasing maintenance of existing roads, adding more sidewalks and bike lanes, and focuses on restoring, maintaining, and expanding transit. The Draft MTP/SCS offers more transportation and land use options and makes the most of transportation funds despite funding cuts and regulatory restrictions. The plan improves upon past efforts to use funding wisely, reduce time spent in congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the number of residents with access to transit.

Air quality is an important part of the MTP/SCS due to the widespread consequences it has for public health, the environment and the economy. With a growing population, the region must rise to the challenge of meeting and maintaining state and federal health-based air quality standards. The MTP/SCS addresses air quality through a process called "transportation conformity" that coordinates with local plans for improving air quality. The local plans in our region provide the strategies that will be used to attain and maintain national air quality standards, and the conformity process determines that the land uses and transportation investments in the plan meet standards for ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter.

The strategies found within the Draft MTP/SCS focus on integrating transportation and land use and align with the objectives of the Cleaner Air Partnership. The Cleaner Air Partnership has found that air-friendly growth and maximization of efficient transit and road use will bring about a decrease in vehicle miles traveled, and consequently, an overall reduction in air quality implications. Better air quality helps improve public health and our region's overall quality of life, which is important to the business community's focus on improved workforce productivity and new business attraction and retention. The Cleaner Air Partnership submitted a letter of support to the SACOG Board of Directors with strong encouragement to continue to support smart growth strategies which improve air quality, and adopt the MTP/SCS by April 2012 to meet conformity requirements and avoid unnecessary risks to the region's transportation funds.

Clean Air Investors for 2012
The Cleaner Air Partnership Recognizes New Sponsors
1/23/2012

The Cleaner Air Partnership (CAP) is pleased to announce that the Port of West Sacramento, Union Pacific, and the Sacramento Association of REALTORS® have joined CAP as 2012 funding partners. The Cleaner Air Partnership brings together business, local government, health and environmental communities to help the Capital Region meet clean air standards that protect health and promote economic growth. Close partnerships and working relationships with the business community are key components of our success.

Operating since 1963, the Port of West Sacramento provides economic and environmental benefits to the region. The Port continues to serve the area by providing several thousand jobs to local residents and easy access for Northern California Farmers and strives to be one of the greenest Ports in the nation. Steps towards reaching this goal include installation of a 647 kilowatt solar system which covers virtually all of the Port's operational electricity needs, a focus on recruiting green tenants such as wood-pellet, metals-recycling, biofuel and solar facilities, pursuit of a channel deepening project which will reduce air emissions and decrease congestion by removing more than 23,500 truck trips annually from Interstate 80, and installation of a mobile harbor crane that will be used for handling container and project cargo such as windmills and generators. "We look forward to engaging with the Cleaner Air Partnership for information sharing, dialogue and joint action with representatives from local government, business, health and environmental communities," said Port Manager Mike Luken.

Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, Union Pacific Railroad provides a fuel-efficient, environmentally responsible, and safe method of freight transportation. Since 2005, Union Pacific has used Genset switching locomotive technology, which has reduced oxide and nitrogen emissions by 80 percent, particulate matter by 90 percent, and greenhouse gas emissions by 37 percent. Union Pacific trains are four times more fuel efficient than trucks, and a single train can carry as much freight as 300 trucks. "Union Pacific Railroad is enthusiastic about our participation in the Cleaner Air Partnership (CAP)," said Liisa Stark, Public Affairs Director for Union Pacific. "The opportunity to share information related to UP's ongoing local and system-wide efforts to reduce emissions, together with emissions reduction efforts by CAP partners, will lead to mutual benefits and beneficial discussions regarding improved air quality in the Sacramento region."

The Sacramento Association of REALTORS® (SAR) is a professional trade organization serving over 6,000 Sacramento area REALTORS® and Affiliate Members providing services and programs to help create more healthy communities. SAR has been a valued partner in educating residents in the region about the "Check Before You Burn" program, offers "ready to go" marketing to help members provide clients helpful tools to save money and protect the environment, and is currently working towards the creation of a comprehensive voluntary program to green existing homes and low-income housing.

The Cleaner Air Partnership is grateful for the support of these organizations, and looks forward to working jointly to clean the air and promote economic growth in 2012.

News from the COP-17 meeting in Durban, South Africa
A briefing from the Global Climate Change Summit
1/23/2012

World leaders met earlier this month in Durban, South Africa for the 17th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-17) to seek advancement of actions to "stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system."

In addition to the work of the official delegates, a parallel event at COP-17 provided an opportunity for information exchange, reporting and updating scientific information and coalition-building for organizations, businesses, scholarly endeavors and other conference participants. Larry Greene, Air Pollution Control Officer for the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District participated in this event as part of a two-person team representing the National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA).

"Much of the rest of the world now understands that dealing with greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, water and air pollution all converge on sustainable communities and development," stated Larry when asked about key lessons learned from his experience. "We are well on our way in California with SB 375 and AB 32 and especially in Sacramento with our work on Blueprint, alternative fuels, plug-in vehicles, solar, RUCS, and our Sustainable Communities Strategy." In addition to attending various session regarding the state of emerging science and studies on the impact of global warming around the world, Larry also represented NACAA on the "Understanding the Real Impact of GHG Mitigation Activities" panel along with Mary Nichols (Chairman, California ARB), the Hon. Terry Lake (Minister of Environment, British Columbia), Linda Adams (President, Regions20), and Glenn Schmidt (Head of Steering Governmental Affairs, BMW).

Overall outcomes from the COP-17 conference included an agreement from over 190 countries to draft a "protocol, legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force" aimed at reducing emissions by 2015, to be implemented by 2020. See the COP17 homepage for more information.

Air Quality Leader Recognized for Excellence in Service
Larry Greene Named Employee of the Year by SACOG
1/23/2012

On December 15, Larry Greene was presented with the SACOG Salutes! Employee of the Year Award. This award recognizes an individual employee of an organization or business who has made a significant contribution in the region in transportation, air quality, and/or smart growth. Larry has been the driving force in the many air-improving programs supported and implemented by the air district staff, including collaborative work to support local jurisdiction with toxic air contaminants, assessments of air quality impacts and benefits for infill and greenfield development, tools for residential developers to assess diesel fuel emissions, in addition to the more widely known Spare the Air and Check Before You Burn campaigns.

Larry is a leader locally, nationally and internationally. He is the Executive Director of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. He and the District's employees operate programs that reduce air pollution, encourage sustainable development, and impact public health. Larry has previously served as Air Pollution Control Officer for the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, and has been active in the Cleaner Air Partnership, the American Lung Association, Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails, The Sacramento Valley Basin Control Council Technical Advisory Committee, WALKSacramento, and the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. He currently is serving his second term as president of the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association. Earlier this month, Larry represented the region at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa.

Growing a Better Community, One Tree at a Time
Quarterly luncheon features speakers from local tree organizations
11/21/2011

The Cleaner Air Partnership Quarterly Luncheon, hosted on November 4th, featured speakers from area tree foundations discussing the benefits of urban forests.

Cindy Blain of the Sacramento Tree Foundation provided an overview of the "Greenprint" program, which is a roadmap for mobilizing and empowering community partners and volunteers to plant 5 million trees in the Sacramento region by 2025 to create healthy and livable communities. While the benefits of trees include reduced air temperatures, increased shade, and reduced winter wind to curb energy use, Cindy advised "it's not just about planting trees - it is about building a better community" by bringing volunteers together to plan, plant, and maintain the trees.

As part of the region's plan State Implementation Plan (SIP), which outlines measures to help meet the federal clean air requirements, the Sacramento Tree Foundation is working closely with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District to include trees as a voluntary control measure. This measure proposes to improve air quality by shifting 86,000 of the current 6.9 million tree inventory to tree species which emit fewer Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs). In order for the U.S. EPA to approve the inclusion of tree plantings in the SIP, there needs to be demonstrated support from cities and counties in the region. The City of West Sacramento was the first to adopt an air quality and trees resolution where they committed to "increase the proportion of lower biogenic emitting tree species by up to 30%, where the tree planting does not conflict with native oak tree mitigation projects."

Dena Kirtley, Urban Forest Manager for the City of West Sacramento provided an overview of the City's Free Shade Tree Program and commented that they joined as early adopters of Greenprint because they "believe regional participation and support of tree plantings are necessary to help meet Federal and State air standards to improve public health."

David Wilkinson from the Woodland Tree Foundation and David Robinson from Tree Davis emphasized the importance of collaboration, and in particular, their positive working relationships with their respective cities where they provide a valuable service with their ability to plant trees cost effectively using a volunteer workforce.

In closing, Phil Tretheway, a participant in the 2011 Leadership Sacramento class encouraged attendees to join a tree planting event on Saturday, December 10th at 8:30am at Florin Road Bingo as part of their support of the Sacramento Tree Foundation's "Cover Your Asphalt" parking lot retrofit program.

South Coast Air District releases "Right to Breathe" Documentary
New film shows impact of poor air quality
9/27/2011

"The Right to Breathe" is the South Coast Air Quality Management District's (AQMD) first signature documentary film on air quality viewed from a personal and human perspective. This film highlights how air quality differs from region to region, and how serious the air quality problem has become for kids, seniors, and the rest of us.

This brief yet powerful documentary not only educates its viewers on the dangers of air pollution, it motivates them to take action and change what they can to make their home a healthier place to live.

A limited number of free copies of the DVD will be available this fall. Contact Sam Atwood at the South Coast Air Quality Management District at 909-396-3456 or satwood@aqmd.gov for more information.

After School Program Empowers Children to Clean the Air
O24u begins second year of air quality education
9/27/2011

Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails (BCSET) has successfully completed its first year of the new O24u program. O24u is an after-school program developed for children ages 8-14 years old. It educates students about the environment and its impacts on lung health. The program encourages participants to demonstrate responsible actions, through fun hands-on activities that empower children to make change for clean air in their homes and communities.

During the 2010- 2011 school year BCSET implemented the O24u program in three elementary schools in Yolo and Solano counties, including Dixon, Davis and Woodland. Students learned the importance of mitigating air pollution by learning about the environment and practicing daily behavior changes, such as recycling, and taking public transit. A total of 14 site facilitators were trained to implement the program, and an estimated 500 students, and 1000 parents and community members were reached.

Breathe California of Sacramento -Emigrant Trails has secured funding from the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District and the Mr. and Mrs. G. Kirk Swingle Foundation to place the program in additional schools in Yolo and Solano Counties, this year. Program curriculum, onsite training and supplies will be provided. BCSET is currently in the process of securing sites for the 2011-2012 school year and welcomes Elementary school programs in Yolo and Solano counties. If you know of a school or afterschool program interested in participating in this project, please contact Argelia Leon at aleon@sacbreathe.org.

Regional Transit Program Seeks to Renew Service
Regional Transit Briefs CAPTAC
8/23/2011

The Cleaner Air Partnership Technical Advisory Committee (CAPTAC) met earlier this month with the Sacramento Regional Transit District to discuss the newly proposed "TransitRenewal" program. RoseMary Covington, the Assistant General Manager of Planning and Transit System Development for the Sacramento Regional Transit District shared an overview of the program and discussed how the region utilizes the regional transit system, and the components of the system which are most cost effective.

The TransitRenewal program is an implementation plan for the first five years of a broader twenty-eight year long "TransitAction" plan, the goal of which is to have high speed, timely frequency and sufficient capacity serving key demand areas in the region. Regional development is projected to be most successful in "sustainable communities" where growth is most concentrated.

Light rail has just under half of all total boardings and slightly more than a third of the total cost, while the bus system has a little more than half the total boardings and almost two thirds of the total cost to run. Regional Transit (RT) found that light rail is significantly more cost efficient than bus service because it can accommodate five hundred passengers per driver versus sixty passengers per driver on a bus. RT also advised that if the light rail system is built where growth is projected to be most concentrated, the cost of maintaining public transportation would not only be cost effective, but it would also promote growth in rural communities.

Californians & the Environment
PPIC Survey Finds Air Pollution is an Important Environmental Issue to Californians
8/23/2011

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) released a statewide survey in July titled "Californians & the Environment". The PPIC's goal for releasing this survey was to inform state policymakers, encourage discussion, and raise public awareness about Californians' opinions on air pollution, global warming, and energy policy.

Key findings regarding air pollution and the environment included:
• A small plurality of residents (27%) continue to name air pollution as the most important environmental issue facing the state, while far fewer mention other issues such as water pollution, water supply, energy or oil drilling, or gas prices. Just 4 percent name global warming.
• Los Angeles and Central Valley residents are more likely than residents elsewhere to say air pollution is a big problem in their region. About four in 10 residents say vehicle emissions are the top contributor to air pollution in their region.

The report states that two in three Californians consider air pollution in their region to be a big problem (29%) or somewhat of a problem (37%). Based on this survey, half of all adults in California believe that air pollution in their region is a very serious (19%) or a somewhat serious (34%) health threat to them and their immediate family.

Compared to surveys in years past, Californians have become more aware of the danger to their health in the form of air pollution. Since first asking this question in 2006, adults have been divided on this issue except in 2007 (50% thought it was a problem, and 42% didn't think it was an issue) and 2010 (41% thought yes, and 52% didn't think it was a problem). In Los Angeles for example, the proportion calling air pollution a big problem reached a record high of 54 percent in July 2006, but dipped to 30 percent in July 2009.

Yolo-Solano AQMD 40th Anniversary
2011 marks 40th anniversary of Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District
7/26/2011

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District . The District was established in
1971 by a joint powers agreement between the Yolo and Solano County Boards of Supervisors.

The District is governed by an air quality management board composed of representatives from both the county boards of supervisors and mayors or city council members from the cities within the District. The YSAQMD includes roughly 1,500 square miles and a population of approximately 325,000 people.

As a public health agency under the Health and Safety code, the YSAQMD is empowered to adopt and enforce rules and regulations to achieve and maintain the state and federal ambient air quality standards in its jurisdiction.

Some highlights of the District's history include:
• 1992 - Board of Directors adopts an Air Quality Attainment Plan for the District as required by the California Clean Air Act (CCAA) to improve air quality in Yolo County and northeastern Solano County.
• 1994 - AB 8 funds from Solano County are designated for the reduction of air pollution from motor vehicles and incorporated into the Clean Air Funds grant program.
• 2006 - Regional Spare the Air program expands to year round notification with PM 2.5 forecasts from November through March.
• 2008 - The District adopted Rule 11.3 which required a District registration for every agricultural use engine rated greater than 50 hp. To date, the District has registered more than 750 engines.

Regional Transit Presents TransitRenewal Program
7/26/2011

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) is in the process of developing "TransitRenewal," a comprehensive operational analysis of the entire bus and light rail system. The analysis will be done by conducting an "in-depth transit service analysis, developing service standards, and gathering extensive community input," says RT.

In June 2010, Regional Transit implemented major service reductions. TransitRenewal will provide recommendations that will determine how to restore, restructure and improve transit service from 2012 through 2017. Community participation is needed to identify short-term opportunities and long-term recommendations that will benefit current riders and attract new riders.

TransitRenewal will prioritize the transit needs for the Sacramento region. RT encourages participation in the process and invites everyone to complete the TransitRenewal survey online at www.sacrt.com/transitrenewal . Requests for printed copies of the survey or comments can be sent via email to the project team at transitrenewal@sacrt.com.

Infill Streamlining Program Available
"ISP" provides assistance to local jurisdictions to curb air pollution
7/26/2011

The Sacramento Region Air Quality and the Infill Streamlining Program (ISP) is a new grant program to assist the Sacramento Region in meeting federal air quality standards and the requirements of California's Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act of 2008 (SB 375). The ISP provides technical and financial assistance to local jurisdictions to facilitate community planning projects in infill locations, to improve air quality through land use measures that help reduce vehicle miles traveled.

"The Infill Streamlining Program is an innovative tool to help cities and counties plan for communities that help reduce automobile traffic, a major cause of air pollution in the Sacramento region," said Larry Greene, Air Pollution Control Officer from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District.

Through funding provided by the five air districts in the Sacramento Region, the ISP is operated by the Local Government Commission with oversight by the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. Despite being a relatively young program, the ISP has proven to be very popular in the region with a high level of competition for the limited resources that are currently available.

Current projects include:
• Citrus Heights Antelope Crossing Transformation - Transform 46 acres of underutilized suburban commercial to revitalize the area, providing a mix of complementary land uses with pedestrian-scaled design and high multi-modal connectivity through pedestrian access network and bicycle facilities
• Winters Alley Activation with Multi-Modal Connections - Activate the alley behind the Palms Playhouse, including streetscape and other improvements to create a pedestrian space
• Galt Mixed-Use Transit Hub - Urban design plan to create a mixed use transit hub in downtown Galt, at a site that is slated for a future high speed rail station

Larry Greene Named Environmental Sustainability Leader of the Year
Sacramento Air Pollution Control Officer honored at Valley Vision event
6/7/2011

Larry Greene, Executive Director for the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, received the Environmental Sustainability Leader of the Year award at Valley Vision's Legacy Feast event on May 19, 2011. Each year Valley Vision honors three deserving leaders whose are making the Sacramento Region more prosperous, just, and sustainable. In addition to Larry, Meg Arnold of SARTA was honored as the Economic Leader of the Year and Scott Hanson of Hanson McClain received the Social Equity Leader of the Year award.

The Regional Environmental Leader is given to an individual for significant positive environmental impacts in the Sacramento Region. "Larry is one of our region's best public servants," said Bill Mueller, CEO and Managing Partner of Valley Vision. "It is not only that he is deeply passionate about improving our region's air quality and incredibly knowledgeable about technical and policy matters related to fighting pollution. It's the fact that Larry doesn't shy away from inventing new ways of doing things to achieve results. Larry is more than just an air quality manager -- he is a leader in every sense of the word."

In addition to receiving a special award at a ceremony during Valley Vision's Legacy Feast event at the California History Museum, each winner received a $3,000 cash grant to bestow to a nonprofit that is providing the next generation of leadership. Larry's grant was awarded to WALKSacramento, a nonprofit community organization working to create walkable communities with communities of walkers throughout the Sacramento metropolitan region.

Sacramento Region Air Advocate to Lead San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber
Matt Mahood's leadership contributed to CAP's Success
6/7/2011

For 25 years the Cleaner Air Partnership has brought business and public-health interests together to find common ground when working to clean the Region's air. While these groups do not always align, there have been many successes over the past nine years, in part due to the leadership of Matt Mahood, President and CEO of the Sacramento Metro Chamber. Matt will leave Sacramento at the end of this month to become the President and CEO of the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Matt understands the impact air quality has on the Region's business community and actively engaged in conversations to address the Region's challenges. "It says a lot when leaders in the region make the commitment to gather at 8am and discuss air quality and the associated complexities, especially when your calendar is as crowded as Matt Mahood's," said Tom Stallard, Chairman of the Cleaner Air Partnership. "But Matt was a regular with us, and this personal commitment on his part made a huge difference in what we have been able to accomplish for air quality in our region. The Cleaner Air Partnership is grateful for his contributions to our efforts."

Matt's involvement in the advocacy efforts of the Cleaner Air Partnership made a big difference in helping the group achieve its public policy priorities. At the State level there is now an Air Quality team participating in the Metro Chamber's State Legislative Summit, and at the Federal level the Cleaner Air Partnership leads the Air Quality Cap-to-Cap team to Washington, DC. Additionally, through Matt's leadership the business community engaged in matters relating to improving air quality and brought funding support to the Cleaner Air Partnership.

Martha Clark Lofgren, Partner at Brewer Lofgren LLP, will serve as the interim President and CEO of the Sacramento Metro Chamber until a permanent replacement is selected in early fall.

Cleaner Air Partnership - 2011 Regional Clean Air Champion
25-year old Partnership Recognized at Clean Air Awards Luncheon
5/23/2011

On Friday May 20th, the Cleaner Air Partnership (CAP) was honored at the Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails' 35th annual Clean Air Awards luncheon as the 2011 Regional Clean Air Champion. "It's hard to remember back 25 years when the Cleaner Air Partnership was founded, but it was born in conflict and controversy. The business and environmental communities communicated only by lawsuit. It was inefficient and wasteful," said Tom Stallard, Chairman of the Cleaner Air Partnership.

"Dialogue and partnership mark our situation today. Through the Cleaner Air Partnership we have found common ground and shared priorities. Today we no longer think of ourselves as representing business or environmental interests, but instead representing the goals and priorities of all people in our region."

The Regional Clean Air Award is given to an organization or individual who has made outstanding contributions resulting in specific efforts or programs that improve air quality on a regional, multi-county basis. Former CAP Chairman Suzanne Phinney said that there are not many organizations that are still active and relevant after 25 years.

The Cleaner Air Partnership has achieved significant accomplishments since its founding, including:
• Tightened up regulations on industry;
• Instituted Bay Area Smog Check II that reduces transport of auto pollution up the valley to the Sacramento region;
• Shifted private and public vehicle fleets to clean-burning fuels;
• Expanded light rail and other alternative modes of transit; and
• Sought incentive-based approaches to change-out old wood-burning stoves, and more.

"It takes a long time for social change," said Jude Lamare, Cleaner Air Partnership Director Emeritus. "Working together in venues such as the Cleaner Air Partnership builds pathways to change in the community." As a result of the Cleaner Air Partnership and others' efforts, the Sacramento Region has experienced a 41% reduction in NOx emissions since 1990, despite a 40% increase in population.

CAP Report Covering Nine Critical Performance Indicators Shows Sacramento's Air Quality Improving
Reductions in soot and smog despite a 40% increase in population
5/12/2011

In the last 20 years, the Sacramento Region has made substantial air quality improvements, despite a 40% increase in population. The Cleaner Air Partnership's inaugural 2011 Sacramento Region Air Quality Progress Report and its companion Summary Sheet tell the story of how air quality, public health and economic vitality in the Sacramento Region are connected.

The 21-page report, using data from federal, state, regional, and local government sources, found that:
• Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) - one of the main ingredients of smog - has decreased 41% since 1990 in the Sacramento Region and that Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's), similar to NOx, has decreased 53% since 1990;
• Fine particulate matter - soot - that can go deep into the lungs and cause immediate health problems - has been cut by 68% since 1998; and
• Since 1996 the Sacramento Region has provided nearly $140 million in matching funds to support efforts to reduce pollution from mobile sources like big semi trucks and passenger cars - a significant investment when compared per capita to other metropolitan areas.

While significant progress has been made to reduce smog and soot over two decades, the report found the region needs to do more to reduce the health impacts triggered by poor air quality. The rate of asthma hospitalizations has trended downward since 2001, but the report noted 2,233 hospitalizations in 2009 – a figure still too high. And long-term exposure to fine soot, smaller than 2.5 microns, has been shown to have a causal result in premature cardiopulmonary deaths, causing 640 premature deaths annually in the Sacramento Valley.

Meetings in D.C. Yield Policy Wins, Critical Insights
5/12/2011

Reflecting on the 2011 five-day Capitol to Capitol Trip, hosted by the Sacramento Metro Chamber, the Executive Director of the Sacramento Regional Air Quality Management District Larry Greene, the Environmental Manager for Teichert Aggregates Becky Wood, and the CEO of Breathe California of Sacramento Emigrant Trails, Kori Titus, talked about what they accomplished and insights gained at this year's event. Nearly 300 attended the event, and over 240 meetings were held in five days with the Congress, Senate, and Administration. The Air Quality Team was one of a dozen teams that advanced issues of concern to policy makers there. Here's what they said:

Q. Now in its 41st year, what made this year's "Cap to Cap" trip different from the rest?

Greene: On a negative side, the difficulties in D.C. with the budget and partisanship cast a shadow over every conversation. On a positive side, I think our Air Quality Team and process gets more effective each year and our positive attitude and success stories were welcome news in the context of Washington, D.C. today.

Q. In your view, what was the major accomplishment in 2011 and why?

Greene: Receiving the news about the 1-Hour attainment letter signed by the EPA Region IX Administrator on Monday moved us toward attaining that standard in a way that benefits our business community. (Click here to learn more.) On a less global note I think our meetings with EPA were excellent, and our work to ensure CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation Air Quality) funding remains in the Transportation program were important.

Titus: Showcasing the innovative solutions we have pioneered in the region. We were able to show key decision makers that we can deliver on, and exceed, our promises. I believe that from these discussions Sacramento will be the first region thought of when new programs need to be tested and resources are made available.

Q. Why does Cap to Cap matter to the Air District? How and why does it advance your interests?

Greene: For each of the issue areas that are key to attaining our air quality standards, having the support of the Cap to Cap regional team enhances our ability to get attention, resources and resolution to issues. Cap to Cap gets us in doors that would otherwise be unavailable. Cap to Cap also provides the forum to find issue areas where we can enhance options that provide solutions to multiple regional issues.

Q. What are the lessons you took away from Washington, D.C., this year?

Wood: It is as important to listen some years as much as it is to talk and inform. We listened to the concerns voiced about the direction the country is headed and hopefully can come back with positions that work within the current funding constraints faced by the country.

Q. What was the significance of this year's trip, in your estimation?

Titus: Cap to Cap was a chance to share the air quality successes of the Sacramento Region with our elected leaders and key departments. It was also an opportunity to showcase how we can leverage resources and work together to overcome the challenges we continue to face.

Q. What's next?

Titus: We have to continue to work collectively in our region if we have any hope of achieving the challenging air quality goals we face. We need to continue to think out of the box, particularly as resources become scarce. And we have to fight to keep the funding we need flowing to the local level so that we can have healthy air for our children and grandchildren.

For more information, contact Bill Mueller, Cleaner Air Partnership manager and co-leader of the team in 2011.

Placer County APCD Recognized by U.S. EPA
Innovative biomass project receives Clean Air Excellence Award
4/25/2011

Placer County's Forest Resource Sustainability project has received the 2010 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Excellence Award in the Community Action category. The Clean Air Excellence Awards Program annually recognizes and honors outstanding and innovative efforts to achieve cleaner air. The Community Action Award is bestowed upon a community public-private partnership that reduces pollutant emissions and engages a diverse group of stakeholders in efforts to improve air quality.

Rather than burning the waste collected through efforts to reduce wildfire fuel hazards, the Forest Resource Sustainability project converts the woody biomass to renewable electricity. In the past four years the project has generated enough electricity to power more than 1,500 homes for one year, and achieved significant air pollution reductions. According to the EPA, this project stood out from the over 75 applications received for its impact, innovation and replicability. "We are pleased that EPA has recognized our efforts at reducing both air pollution and the risks of catastrophic wild fires through the harvest, processing, and conversion of excess forest biomass into renewable energy," said Tom Christofk, Air Pollution Control Officer for the Placer County Air Pollution Control District (APCD).

Tom Christofk will accept the award on behalf of the Placer County APCD at the 2011 Clean Air Excellence Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on June 7, 2011.

May is Bike Month!
Ride a bicycle, log miles, win prizes
4/25/2011

Dust off the bike seat, pull out your helmet and pump up those tires - it is time to get ready for May is Bike Month! May is Bike Month encourages residents in the six-county Sacramento Region to log commute, errand and recreation miles at www.mayisbikemonth.com and become eligible to win weekly prizes. Using active transportation, such as riding a bike, improves public health and air quality.

According to the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, the Sacramento Region avoided release of 488,290 pounds of global-warming CO2 into the atmosphere and saved 25,116 gallons of gasoline due to the number of commute and errand miles ridden in May 2010.

May is Bike Month organizers encourage residents to bicycle to work, for exercise, or for errands and help the region meet the challenging goal of riding a collective two million miles in the month of May.

Employment Density Can Reduce VMT
PPIC recommends how to reduce vehicle miles traveled
3/10/2011

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) recently released a new report Driving Change: Reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled in California. In response to Senate Bill 375 (SB 375), the report reviews and evaluates strategies to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) including higher-density development, investments in alternatives to solo driving, and pricing policies.

A significant finding from this PPIC report is that "...employment density matters more than residential density for encouraging transit use as an alternative to driving." The study found that it is relatively easy for commuters to drive or bike to a transit station but there are fewer options to connect to make longer distance treks from the transit station to the workplace. California is above the national average for residential density, and although California is lower than the national average for employment density, Sacramento is one of the only two major metropolitan areas in California which has higher employment density than residential density.

Although unpopular with a majority of voters, the report suggests that raising road use fees through the traditional gas tax or a new fee based on vehicle miles traveled could help close the gaps in transportation funding.

Union Pacific Railroad Receives Environmental Award
Genset locomotive technology reduces air pollution emissions, heralded by State
2/16/2011

Union Pacific Railroad received the 2010 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA), California's highest and most prestigious environmental honor, for their ultra-low emitting Genset locomotive. The award recognizes individuals, organizations and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership for voluntary achievements in conserving California's resources, protecting and enhancing the environment and building public-private partnerships.

Union Pacific developed the Genset ultra-low emitting locomotive and piloted the technology at the Roseville rail yards and helps address emission concerns associated with idling. These locomotives use low-emissions EPA-certified "off-road" diesel engines and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 37 percent, emissions of oxides of nitrogen by 80 percent, and particulate matter by 90 percent compared to older switching locomotives. Union Pacific currently has nearly 70 of these ultra-low emission locomotives operating in California.

"This honor recognizes Union Pacific's ongoing commitment to developing new technologies that bolster our environmentally friendly transportation of freight," said Mike Iden, Union Pacific general director, car and locomotive engineering. "American businesses and consumers depend on Union Pacific to safely and reliably deliver the products they need and use every day. We are proud of our leadership role in developing and implementing new technologies and practices that further our ability to keep America moving with greater environmental efficiency."

Woody Biomass Used as Fuel Reduces Air Pollution
Publication quantifies air emission reductions of biomass disposal methods
2/16/2011

Air Quality leaders in Placer County recently authored an important research article entitled "Emission Reductions from Woody Biomass Waste for Energy as an Alternative to Open Burning" recently published in the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association. The Journal is the oldest continuously published, peer reviewed, technical environmental journal in the world, featuring the latest in cutting-edge research and technology.

Wood smoke is the largest source of particulate matter (PM) in Placer County. Particulate matter, or soot, has been found to cause lung irritation and aggravate asthma. The authors of this article sought to evaluate a solution which would remove woody biomass fuel hazards, reducing the severity of wildfires, in a manner that decreases particulate matter emissions. The article assesses the air quality impact of traditional open pile burning compared to an alternative fate - utilization of woody biomass material as fuel for renewable energy production.

Based on the results of the demonstration, their study found that biomass converted to energy reduced PM emissions by 98% and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 54%. Although processing and transporting biomass material to a renewable energy facility results in significant air quality benefits, to make this solution economically feasible the cost to process and transport the biomass must be reduced or emission reduction credits must be sold.

"This case study confirms the significant net benefits accrued from diversion of woody biomass material away from business as usual pile and burn techniques when compared to the alternative fate of utilizing this material for the generation of renewable energy" noted Bruce Springsteen, the lead author of the article.

Quarterly Luncheon focuses on Cap and Trade
12/3/2010

The Cleaner Air Partnership hosted a discussion about the upcoming California Air Resources Board (ARB) Cap and Trade program at the December 3, 2010 Quarterly Luncheon.
Jamie Fine, an Economist with the Environmental Defense Fund, shared “Cap-and-Trade 101” with the group. Brieanne Aguila with ARB provided a verbal overview of the ARB Cap-and-Trade proposal followed by Bill Westerfield sharing SMUD's concerns and focus areas regarding implementation of the cap and trade program.

The Cap and Trade program strives to meet the requirements defined by California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) to provide a statewide emissions cap, protect and benefit low-income and disadvantaged communities, while minimizing costs and allow flexibility to businesses in how they meet their targets. This program will be considered by the ARB Board at the December 16, 2010 meeting, with a planned implementation date of January 1, 2012.

Breathe California Launches Air Quality iPhone App
iBreathe mobile app: Air quality info goes high-tech
8/20/2010

The Sacramento Region is ranked as having some of the worst air quality in the nation and asthma and other damaging health impacts affect far too many people here. To help parents, kids, seniors, and advocates get instant access to the latest air quality conditions, Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails (BCSET) teamed up with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) to develop a new mobile iPhone application - iBreathe: Sacramento.

This new application puts air quality conditions in the hands of iPhone users, displaying air quality information on 15 areas and cities in the Greater Sacramento region. Data are provided in real-time, and notifications can be customized by level of sensitivity and by geographic area. With an easy-to-understand map of air quality, users can make more informed choices regarding outdoor activities and modes of transportation, leading to improved health and regional air quality.

The iBreathe: Sacramento app can be downloaded at no charge at the iTunes store. Non-iPhone users can find forecast information directly at www.sparetheair.com.

PPIC Releases 2010 Environment Survey
Californians name air pollution the State's most important environmental issue
8/20/2010

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) recently released their 2010 statewide survey of Californians and the Environment. The survey found that air pollution continues to be the most important environmental issue to Californians, with majorities of residents in Los Angeles, the Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties), and the Central Valley (from Shasta to Kern County) saying air pollution is a very serious or somewhat serious health threat. The PPIC survey found the majority of Californians are supportive of tougher air pollution standards and regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The results showed positive support for reduced pollution from new automobile designs, industrial plants, and improved land-use planning, but the survey did not inquire about personal lifestyle changes the survey participants would be willing to make.

A majority of Californians (67%) and likely voters (61%) continue to support AB 32, California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California to 1990 levels by the year 2020. Mark Baldassare, PPIC president and CEO said "The lingering effect of the recession and a continuing state budget crisis haven't changed Californians' overall view of AB 32. While support has declined somewhat since 2007, a solid majority still favors the law." When likely voters were interviewed about the timing of AB 32 implementation, there was an even split with 48% believing California should implement immediately and 48% preferring to wait for an improved economy and job market.

Goods Movement Discussed at Quarterly Luncheon
6/11/2010

Over 45 people participated in a conversation about goods movement in the region at a recent quarterly luncheon held at the West Sacramento City Hall Galleria. Following an overview from Michael Faust of the Sacramento Metro Chamber, the participants heard from Scott Moore, Vice President of Public Affairs with Union Pacific; Tom Scheeler, Port Engineer with the Port of West Sacramento; and Glen Rickelton, Airport Manager for Planning and Environment with the Sacramento County Airport System. Their presentations are available on the Cleaner Air Partnership website.

Washington Hears from Air Quality Team on Key Regional Issues
4/29/2010

When more than 300 leaders from business, government, and the nonprofit sector descend on Washington, D.C. for three intense days of meetings with their representatives each spring, the issues they raise tend to get noticed.

That fact was on full display for the 40th Capitol-to-Capitol trip, the largest program of its kind in the United States, hosted by the Sacramento Metro Chamber. The delegation has shrunk a bit since its peak of 400 attendees several years ago, but its impact is no less felt on Capitol Hill. And what was the most valuable aspect of the trip this year for the nine-member Air Quality Team?

According to Becky Wood, Environmental Manager for Teichert Materials and a co-chair for Air Quality Team, the trip deepened the bonds of the Cleaner Air Partnership. "By having many members of the Partnership together back in D.C. working on these regional issues it strengthens the Partnership for the work we do all year long. It gives a voice to the reality that public health and good business do go hand in hand and that we can find common ground."

The Air Quality Team took seven issues to Washington, D.C. this year, having vetted them with experts and advocates back home over several months. Issues included (1) encouraging the U.S. EPA to act on our "Regional Exceptional Event" request by May 2010; (2) supporting integrated transportation, economic, and land use models being piloted in our region; (3) maintaining current funding levels for the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) program; (4) maintaining funding levels for air quality grants for state and local agencies; (5) appropriating $3 million for incentive programs to help retire older wood stoves; (6) supporting state and local flexibility in developing greenhouse gas regulations; and (7) advancing policies that improve waste-to-biomass opportunities on public lands.

The Air Quality Team had some 20 meetings in two days involving Senate, House, and Administration leaders and their staff. The results were favorable. "Two of our three meetings with EPA were very well received and provided some great opportunities for future collaboration. It was important for EPA leadership to see the cross level coordination of Cap-to-Cap," said Larry Greene, Air Pollution Control Officer for the Sacramento Metro Air Quality Management District and a team co-chair. Becky Wood agreed.

"The most significant outcome was the bipartisan commitment from our Representatives to help us with our policy issues if we need them to weigh in with the agencies. The current partisan nature of Washington was transcended in our meetings with members from both sides of the political spectrum who could see the wisdom of supporting our issues because we had brought together the major parties from the region (regulator, nonprofit, and business) to make improvements for both public health and business," said Wood.

So what's next? "I think we set the stage for a number of issues that will come up in future legislation on climate change and transportation reauthorization and have good buy-in from our Congressional Representatives for future support on those issues," Greene concluded.

For more information about the trip, contact Cleaner Air Partnership manager Bill Mueller, one of the three Air Quality Team co-chairs, at bill.mueller@valleyvision.org.


Bill Mueller

CEO & Managing Partner

Valley Vision, Inc.

916.865.8204 / Mobile

United Nations Climate Change Conference Identified General Areas of Agreement
Local climate change activities emphasized
2/23/2010

Thousands of delegates from around the world descended on Copenhagen, through the ice and snow, to convene at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in early December 2009. Larry Greene, Air Pollution Control Officer for the Sacramento Metro Air Quality Management District, attended the conference as the co-president of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA). Larry recently shared with the Cleaner Air Partnership Executive Committee the below observations from his experience at the event:

• Much of the world is living with visible and impacting climate impacts right now;
• Climate action will require both enlightened leadership from leading countries or will be triggered by a major event;
• The best chance for climate action is appearing to be outside the United Nations context, at a sub-national level (e.g. State of California); and
• A United States solution will require bipartisan leadership.

In his speech at the conference, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger reinforced the idea of continuing climate work at the local level stating, "While national governments have been fighting over emission targets, sub-national governments have been adopting their own targets and laws and policies. I would ask the U.N. to convene a climate summit like Copenhagen but for cities, for states, for provinces and for regions."

The conference concluded with general areas of agreement on the topics of reducing emissions, verification, financing and deforestation, leaving implementation details to be resolved at a later time.

Energy Improvement Financing Program to Launch in 2010
Green Capital Alliance facilitates regional AB811 effort
11/23/2009

The Green Capital Alliance (GCA), managed by Valley Vision, is a coalition of business, education, labor, utility and economic development organizations working on coordinated actions to strengthen the Sacramento Region's green technology sector. Since July, GCA has been facilitating a regional AB 811 Working Group focused on bringing AB 811-type property-tax-based financing programs to the Sacramento region.

AB811 permits the creation of assessment districts to finance installation of energy improvements which are permanently fixed to residential and commercial properties. This program removes up-front costs and associated financing as an impediment for property owners installing energy improvements. Financing for energy improvements through the AB811 program are repaid through property tax bills, with repayment obligations transferring with ownership.

Interest has grown quickly throughout the region with at least 12 jurisdictions moving forward with AB811 programs in 2010. These programs are win-wins for economic development and the environment by enabling a voluntary financing mechanism through property taxes for energy efficiency improvements.

Area Air Pollution Control Officers Share the "State of Air Quality"
Incentive programs provide a positive impact to air quality in 2009
11/23/2009

Air Pollution Control Officers (APCO) from three of the region's Air Quality Management Districts (AQMD) shared the "State of Air Quality" in their respective districts at the Cleaner Air Partnership Quarterly Luncheon on November 13th. Tom Christofk from Placer County, Mat Ehrhardt from Yolo-Solano, and Larry Greene from the Sacramento Metropolitan AQMD emphasized the importance of meeting State and Federal air quality requirements through locally generated solutions which meet the needs of our diverse region.

Incentive-based programs were noted by the panelists as key to improving air quality in 2009. Regional participation in activities such as clean engine conversions, funded by the Moyer program, demonstrates the collaborative efforts of the region's air districts. The APCOs also highlighted incentives such as wood-stove change-out, gas mower exchange, and "Check Before You Burn" type programs as meaningful in 2009. Tom Christofk commented "As a Pollution Control Officer I do not prefer air quality regulations; rather, I favor a focus on market-place mechanisms which provide environmental benefits."

The panelists recommended focus areas for 2010, which include:
• Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Mitigation impacts to support project analysis
• Supporting implementation of AB811, voluntary property tax financing for energy efficiency upgrades
• Installing additional real-time PM2.5 particulate matter monitors
• Linking health to land-use
• Meeting SB375 targets

Wood Burning Rule Amendments Passed
Changes to Rule 421 will help improve winter air quality
10/2/2009

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District's (SMAQMD) Board approved changes to the Sacramento County wood burning regulations (Rule 421) at their meeting on September 24th. This rule restricts burning wood when air pollution levels are predicted to exceed federal health standards during the winter season.

The Cleaner Air Partnership supported the amendments to Rule 421, and thanks the SMAQMD Board for taking action to improve our air quality. These changes, which incorporated public and industry feedback, will add approximately 5 additional No Burn days to the 4-month season (on average there are 23 No Burn days per season), while giving residents cleaner air and avoiding 3 more federal health standard exceedances.

These changes are necessary to improve public health and help our region make progress toward the federal air quality standards during our 3 year review period beginning in 2010, and may avoid the need to adopt other more stringent and costly regulations that could affect homeowners, businesses, and agriculture.

We thank all who offered support for these important improvements to our region's air quality.

Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails Evaluates 8 DRUM Monitor
BCSET compares 8 DRUM Data with California Air Resources Board FRM data at 13th and T Street Site
6/18/2009

Under the leadership of the Breathe California's Health Effects Task Force, this one year side by side monitoring study was sanctioned by the California Air Resources Board and conducted at its 13th and T Street site.

The study compares mass data collected by the U.C. Davis rotating drum impactor (8 DRUM) with ARB's standard mass monitoring measurements (FRM) required by law. The study showed that the 8 DRUM monitor proved to be a cost effective way to obtain important additional data for health and regulatory needs, while being accurately comparable to the ARB's mass measurements.

In particular, the U.C. Davis 8 DRUM provided vital new data about ultrafine particulate matter which research now confirms is capable of deep lung deposition, and heart and brain impacts.

Results for the 2008 - 2009 Season Check Before You Burn Program
Program brings improved public awareness and air quality, falls short of the federal health standard
5/1/2009

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District's Check Before You Burn program ended its second season on February 28. This regulation prohibits wood burning throughout Sacramento County and its cities including Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Isleton, Rancho Cordova, and Sacramento from November to February on poor air quality days.

Thanks to partnerships with community groups and local weathercasters, tremendous public awareness and support has been achieved in a short time - 92 percent of those surveyed knew about burning restrictions and up to 52 percent reduced burning when required. These efforts achieved significant air quality benefits - reducing fine particle pollution up to 23 percent, with the greatest benefits in the evening hours.

While those reductions are impressive, they're not enough to achieve the federal health standard. In particular, on days when EPA certified devices and pellet stoves are exempt from burning restrictions the benefits are 13 percent lower, and 84 percent of owners didn't use the exemption. The AQMD plans to workshop rule changes in July 2009 and seek board approval in September.

Regional Air Quality Plan Adopted
Area Officials Approve New 8-Hour Ozone Standard
2/20/2009

The Board of Directors of the air districts in the Sacramento Federal Nonattainment Area have adopted the Sacramento Regional 8-Hour Ozone Attainment and Reasonable Further Progress Plan (Plan). The Plan will reduce emissions at the required rate of 3% per year and help us reach the 8-Hour Ozone standard by 2018. This Plan, after two years in development, was approved by air quality officials in the El Dorado, Feather River, Placer County, Sacramento Metropolitan and Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management Districts.

In addition to the Plan adoption, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District certified the Plan's Environmental Impact Report, which addresses the potential environmental impacts associated with the Plan.

Landmark Breathe California air quality study now underway
1/29/2009

On January 5, 2009 an important new air quality study began with the placement of 8 DRUM Samplers at five sites along California’s Central Valley, in Redding, Chico, Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield. This landmark study, sponsored by Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails (BCSET) under the volunteer leadership of Dr. Thomas A. Cahill, PhD, University of California, Davis, will record levels of pollutants along the Valley in 8 size modes, including ultra fine particulates, which, if inhaled, can evade the lung’s defenses to enter the bloodstream, raising the risk of cardiovascular disease and damage to the brain, as well as lung disease.

Part of an ongoing effort by BCSET to better understand the nature of particulate air pollution in our region, this pioneer study marks the first research effort ever to simultaneously capture levels of ultrafine particulate pollution along the entire California Central Valley.

This study is just the first to take place in 2009. A second study on the health benefits of vegetation appropriately placed adjacent to freeways, will begin at the end of January.

For further information contact Kori Titus at (916) 444-5900 or by email at ktitus@sacbreathe.org.

Greenhouse law creates long list of decisions
Scoping plan underway
2/14/2008

Carrying out California’s landmark greenhouse gas reduction law AB 32 may be a long-term proposition, but important decisions and hearings are popping up seemingly every month about how to get it done.

At our September quarterly luncheon, the Cleaner Air Partnership invited Democratic state Assemblyman Dave Jones, Republican Assemblyman Roger Niello and Kevin Kennedy from the California Air Resources Board to update us on the status of AB 32 implementation and chat about issues and opinions surrounding it.

AB 32 mandates that California reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Long-term state goals call for reductions far under 1990 levels by 2050.

“One of the remarkable things about AB 32 is that it touches just about everything in the state economy,” Kennedy told us.

The air board is developing a scoping plan for measures aimed at larger sources of GHGs, and will begin holding workshops on it this November. This winter CARB is also expected to set the 1990 “baseline” of greenhouse gases to measure future reductions against, and to set mandatory GHG reporting requirements for some industry sectors, Kennedy said.

The air board has already adopted an initial list of “early action measures” designed to help begin reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases while the agency works to finalize the core measures at the heart of AB 32.

Among the first list of early action measures, Kennedy said, are a new low-carbon fuel standard for autos, restrictions on some refrigerants, and techniques to improve the capture of methane from landfills.

Additions proposed this summer include measures affecting truck efficiency, green ports, consumer spray products, semiconductor manufacturing processes and a push to promote proper auto tire inflation.

Kennedy also outlined details and key questions about how his team at CARB will evaluate the possible role of market-based programs such as incentives, subsidies and carbon trading in AB 32. The law does not mandate market programs, but includes them as options. Kennedy said possible benefits could include lower implementation costs, early emission reductions and incentivization of new technology.

There is a long list of policy questions to consider in the analysis, Kennedy said, such as how to determine the price of carbon and how to harmonize a California trading system with other states and markets. The agency is studying lessons from similar programs in Europe, Southern California and the Northeastern U.S., he said.

Jones said Democrats are concerned there’s not enough funding to research carbon trading in the depth needed considering the problems that emerged in other programs. Incorporating land use into AB 32 is also “critical,” he said.
“I’m concerned we’re not putting enough time and resources there,” he told us.

But some believe the state should proceed more carefully in light of contrary opinions and doubts about climate change’s causes, Niello said. Overemphasis on prevention could leave few resources for mitigation, he said.

“We should be moving extremely cautiously,” he said.

NorCal air quality challenges as diverse as the landscape
Bay Area, San Joaquin, Sacramento compare notes
2/13/2008

Northern California air quality advocates and regulators face widely different geographic and political landscapes, but still have plenty of useful lessons to share about cleaning the air.

That was a takeaway from our July Cleaner Air Partnership quarterly luncheon, when we invited leaders from air agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Joaquin Valley to discuss their unique challenges, current activities and lessons learned.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is the nation’s largest in area with eight counties and 25,000 square miles, said the district’s Special Projects Administrator Tom Jordan. Yet, it’s home to just three million people.

While emissions-per-square-mile there are lower than in the Bay Area, nasty inversion layers trap smog and soot in the valley in both summer and winter, Jordan said. The Valley’s level of nonattainment with federal ozone smog standards is classified as the most severe “extreme” level.

“Because of our climate and geography, we have a challenge unmatched by any,” Jordan said.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t good news. The district has greatly reduced pollution since 1990, Jordan said, and will soon comply with federal standards for large soot or particles. And while the district recently pushed its official target for attainment with ozone smog standards to 2023, many areas of the district will be in compliance much sooner, he said.

A key to meeting the ozone smog standards, Jordan said, will come in the form of clean-air incentive programs that help reduce pollution from mobile sources. Vehicle emissions are regulated by state and federal agencies rather than local districts.

The district banned residential woodburning on bad-air days to reduce lung-damaging fine soot.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District will also begin focusing on fine soot because it’s not expected to meet new federal health standards, said the district’s Deputy Air Pollution Control Officer Jean Roggenkamp.

Although it has more than twice as many residents as San Joaquin, the Bay Area is only in borderline or “marginal” nonattainment with federal ozone smog standards, partially a function of temperature and breezes. (Sacramento is rated at an in-between “serious” level).

However, rising temperatures and more “extreme heat days” from climate change could threaten to erode progress, which is one reason why the district launched its own climate change program two years ago, Roggenkamp said. An environmentally aware business community was a help, she said.

“There will be heat impacts,” she said. “It’s important to get started now and do what we can.”

PHOTO BY Rich Niewiroski Jr.

Report: regional blueprint helps fight climate change
Study calls Sacramento region's plan a national model
2/13/2008

A new report on climate change praises the Sacramento region and its award-winning Regional Blueprint Transportation and Land-Use Study as a tool to reduce greenhouse gases.

The Urban Land Institute/Smart Growth America report “Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change” cites the importance of land use in combating climate change, and cites the Blueprint as a model for local governments.

Nearly every city and county in our region endorsed the results of the Blueprint, a voluntary land-use plan created by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments with help from Valley Vision and input from 5,000 citizens.

The plan emphasizes “infilling” vacant or under-used land within existing cities to accommodate population growth, stresses locating jobs closer to homes and envisions more transportation options.

If our region heeds its principles, the Blueprint is projected to help lower per-household vehicle miles traveled — a key air quality indicator — below current levels despite 50 percent population growth.

Tackling barriers to smart growth together
2/13/2008

Traditionally, cleaning our air has meant reducing pollution from mobile sources like diesel trucks and cars, or stationary sources such as power plants and industry.

Over the past few years, a third pollution-fighting strategy has emerged — “infilling” housing development within the borders of existing communities, creating less need for car trips and shorter trips when they occur.

With a million people expected to move to our region in the next few decades, it’s no small matter. And we’re pleased to be tackling an exciting new project designed to help promote this style of development.

Our six-month Infill Barriers Assessment project first seeks to identify barriers to infill development within Sacramento County and the cities within it. We’ll then prioritize the barriers that are suited for local action and develop strategies to help remove those at the top of the list. Finally, we’ll share these strategies and our research with key decision-makers in our region.

We’re incorporating the views and opinions of a diverse sampling of more than 20 stakeholder organizations from the public, private, health and environmental sectors. They range from city and county governments and local agencies to builders with infill experience, the building industry association and environmental groups.

Our project grew from a request by the North State Building Industry Association and Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails to seek and share greater consensus on what is needed to promote infill development in the Sacramento area.

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District is providing major financial support for the project, which is being coordinated by Valley Vision.

Please check back for updates!

Praise for air-friendly workplaces
Metro Chamber press events an avenue of recognition
5/24/2007

Clean air is good business, according to Sacramento Metro Chamber President and CEO Matt Mahood.

That’s why the Chamber is challenging the region’s business to help spare the air through their business decisions and employee policies – and praising those that do, such as local environmental consulting firm Jones & Stokes.

With more than 61,000 businesses in our region, the business community – and specifically, employers – play a vital role in improving air quality.

The Chamber highlighted practices at Jones & Stokes – and challenged other businesses to follow step – at a press conference last year in advance of the summer smog season.

Jones & Stokes provides bikes for errands, bike racks, showers and lockers and reimbursement for transit on Spare the Air days. It also has a formal telework policy and a fleet of hybrid vehicles.

The Chamber also notifies member businesses about air alerts and reimburses employees for transit on those days.

Print and save: Metro Chamber Spare the Air tips
Strategies help region retain transportation funding, quality of life
11/30/2006

Our region was near the bottom of the “place” category in last year’s Sacramento Area Trade and Commerce Organization comparison of 11 competing U.S. regions. A key factor: our low score for air quality.

It’s an important quality-of-life indicator for those who wish to attract and retain talented employees. According to the nonprofit CEOs for Cities, two-thirds of college-educated adults aged 25-34 decide first where to live, then where to work.

Some tips from the Sacramento Metro Chamber on how your business or workplace can help protect our economy by improving our air:

• Encourage employees to sign up for free AirAlert notifications via home email or text messages. Appoint someone to distribute through company email, break rooms or on the P.A. system.

• Link to www.sparetheair.com on your company home page and Intranet.

• Offer a work-at-home or “telework” option on Spare the Air days for employees who can complete tasks outside the office.

• Buy workers lunch on Spare the Air days. Regularly encourage employees to place lunch orders from the same restaurant or store, and send one employee to pick up.

• Promote carpooling. Sign up at www.sacregion511.org.

• Join a transportation management assocation (TMA) to for convenient commute options.

• Provide free or subsidized transit passes for employees.

Tiniest air pollution among the most harmful
Cutting-edge Breathe California research tracks "ultrafine" soot particles
6/9/2006
[ Printable version of this article ]

By Dr. Tom Cahill
UC Davis DELTA Group
Breathe California Board Member

Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails is continuing independent research on particle pollution with a unique new study in Sacramento.

Dr. Robert Sawyer, chairman of the California Air Resources Board, has approved Breathe California’s proposal to initiate one year of sampling for tiny soot particles called "very fine" and "ultrafine" particles at the Air Resources Board’s 13th and T Street monitoring site.

Both are much smaller than the diameter of a human hair -- very fine particles range from 0.25 to 0.09 microns in diameter, while ultrafines are below 0.09 microns.

Both are also considered among the most toxic and damaging particles for lungs, but science is still emerging and neither is regulated by federal or state air agencies.

Researchers with the UC Davis DELTA Group will provide a new 8 DRUM sampler (on loan from Johns Hopkins University) to measure very fines and ultrafines and also identify traces for separation of diesel exhaust from wood smoke.

We will also solicit funds to identify the pollution contributions of diesels and smoking cars to the aerosols bathing downtown Sacramento.

The studies are an outgrowth of earlier Breathe California efforts such as the 2002-2004 Sacramento I-5 Aerosol Transect Studies that measured aerosols across Sacramento to the foothills.

To our knowledge, there is no equivalent study of size/time/and compositionally resolved aerosols. The data will help Breathe California develop its position on a new state standard for very fines and ultrafines that would allow much greater analyses on composition, mass, elements and the role of organic compounds.

This could lead to aerosol-control strategies that are far more protective of health than are current standards.