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Air Quality 2/20/04 Air! I take it for granted and I'll bet you do too. Breath in? Breath out. It is that simple until we look to our beautiful Colorado mountains and notice a brown cloud diminishing our view. Colorado citizens do not like their views of the mountains to be limited in any form and we like good health and thoroughly enjoy our outside activities. Clean air is essential to our “quality of life” and we have learned the Denver area topography has made this a challenge throughout the city's history. Back in 1975 the Denver Metro area , which includes Douglas County, was rated as “unhealthful” or “very unhealthful” with 177 days of dirty air. We ranked second only to Los Angeles. One of our wake up calls in the 1980's was a national TV report after the Broncos' unsuccessful trip to the Super Bowl in which the reporter stated “At least Denver is number one in something, the highest carbon monoxide levels in the country.” Ouch!! In 1990 the area's rating improved and listed only 4 days and by 1996 no days were listed. 30 years later it was not accident that the air was cleaner. It was due to a concerted effort by Government, citizens and businesses. In the last 1970's the Douglas Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) formed a Clean Air Task Force of local governments , businesses and citizen leaders to develop air quality plans for adoption by the DRCOG board and for submission to the Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC). Their goal was to identify the carbon monoxide, ozone and total suspended particulate matter. In 1996 the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) created a program called “The Blueprint for Clean Air” which crafted a plan to ensure cleaner air and clearer views and was adopted in January of 1999. This was a huge effort and included extensive public input to create strategies to improve air quality for the next twenty years. The goal is to reduce the number of poor visibility days by nearly 50%. Xcel Energy has volunteered to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO) emissions by 70% and nitrogen oxide (NO's) omissions by 20% from its three metro power plants. The top priorities included: 1.Improve transit options 2.Improve diesel inspection & maintenance programs 3.Reduce PSCo utility plant emissions 4. Reduce street sanding 5. Improve land use plans and zoning, such as mixed use development and growth boundaries 6. Fine smoking vehicles or maybe give incentives to retire or repair dirty vehicles. In the next 20 years the metro area will add another million people to its population. Driving will increase by 60% and add more than 90 million miles per day. The good news is in 2004 tighter standards and cleaner gasoline for cars, light duty trucks and sport utility vehicles will take effect. Cleaner fuels are also required by 2007. Let's pat ourselves on our backs for the leadership in reducing pollution by being the first to ban non-certified wood burning stoves, being an early adopter of alternative deicer materials instead of sand and being the first to study and use oxygenated fuels. We must continue to be a leader in implementing cutting edge technology, and local leaders must make a commitment to improve those items on the blueprint's list over which they have control. As county commissioner for Douglas County the commitment to work collectively must continue. My leadership and energy will continue our efforts to take positive, proactive steps to maintain federal health stands and reduce the brown cloud. |
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