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Mar 19th

Committee Meeting

Control Strategy Committee, Oil & Gas Technical Work Group
10:30 am - 11:30 am

Mar 20th

Committee Meeting

Control Strategy Committee
9:00 am - 11:30 am

Apr 5th

Board Meeting

9:30 am - 12:00 pm

Regional Air Quality Council

 

Mission: 

We collaborate to improve air quality and protect Colorado’s health, environment, and economy through planning, policy development and program implementation.

Vision:

Clean air provides us the opportunity to breathe easy.

 

Donate:

The RAQC Clean Air Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity,  is dedicated to funding, and supplementing RAQC air quality programs that reduce Ozone within the EPA’s Denver Metro/Front Range Ozone Non-Attainment Area.

Donate here or click on the RAQC Clean Air Fund logo to the right of this text to make a donation.

News Feed

RAQC Hiring Air Quality Planner/Analyst

The Regional Air Quality Council is looking for a passionate and motivated individual to help us improve our region’s air quality and protect public health.  Applicants should have at least 3 years of professional experience in air quality planning or climate change emissions reduction program management, government/public affairs, or a related field as well as demonstrated knowledge of state and federal air quality analysis and planning requirements.

Air Quality Planner/Analyst Job Announcement

Employee Status: Exempt, full-time position
Application period: Initial deadline is February 23, 2024, will remain open until filled.

RAQC Hiring Air Quality Fellow

The Regional Air Quality Council is looking for a passionate and motivated individual to help us improve our region’s air quality and protect public health. The air quality in the Denver Metro Region and the Northern Front Range is one of the worst in the country due to summertime ground-level ozone pollution. Applicants that are interested in pursuing careers in public policy, environmental advocacy, public health, or communications are encouraged to apply.

Air Quality Programs Fellow Job Announcement

Duration: Mid-May/Early June – August/September 2024
(dates are flexible and RAQC will work with strong candidates to ensure a good fit for both parties).

Employee Status: Non-exempt, temporary position (no more than six months)

Deadline: Apply by March 15, 2024

RAQC Releases RFP for Ozone SIP Modeling in the Denver Metro/North Front Range Area

Request for Proposal:
Denver Metro/North Front Range 2024-25 Serious Ozone SIP Modeling and Analysis Platform

Mandatory Joint Proposers Teams Meeting:
Thursday, January 25, 2024 – 10:00 am MST

Intent to Submit Deadline:
Tuesday, January 30, 2024 – 4:00 pm MST

Proposal Deadline:
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 – 3:00 pm MST

The Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC), in Denver, Colorado, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), is requesting the services of a consulting firm to assist in 2024-25 Serious Ozone State Implementation Plan (SIP) Modeling and Analysis Platform  for the Denver Metro/North Front Range ozone nonattainment area focusing on attaining the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS).

View the Request for Proposal (RFP)

Questions on this RFP will be accepted until 3:00 pm MST, Friday, January 26, 2024 via email (tmoore@raqc.org).

RTD Zero Fare for Better Air positively impacted greenhouse gas emissions, air quality in July and August

The Regional Transportation District’s (RTD) two-month Zero Fare for Better Air (ZFBA) initiative in 2023 led to an estimated reduction of more than 9 million vehicle miles traveled during peak ozone months of July and August. Additionally, estimates show more than 6 million pounds of greenhouse gases were eliminated when individuals opted to use public transit instead of a single occupancy vehicle.

To assess the environmental impact of the 2023 ZFBA initiative, RTD partnered with the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC), the lead air quality planning agency for the nine-county Denver Metro/North Front Range Ozone Nonattainment Area. RAQC’s analysis utilized the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model to estimate the initiative’s overall impact on the region’s air quality.

According to RAQC, the Zero Fare for Better Air initiative helped reduce both ozone precursors, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which in the presence of heat and sunlight, combine to form invisible but harmful ground-level ozone.

“When public transit is easy to use, people use it more,” said Mike Silverstein, RAQC Executive Director. “Increased public transit use also reduces the top two sources of ground-level ozone precursors in the Front Range: emissions from cars and light trucks, and fuel production by the oil and gas industry to fill those tanks. RTD’s Zero Fare for Better Air initiative helps reduce both our fossil fuel use and the demand for its production, making a positive impact on our local air quality during peak ozone season.”

Read the full release: RTD Zero Fare for Better Air positively impacted greenhouse gas emissions, air quality in July and August

National report highlights measurable benefits of electrifying lawn and garden equipment

A new report from the CoPIRG Foundation highlights the negative impacts of air pollution produced annually by gas-powered lawn and garden equipment and the measurable benefits of electrifying this equipment across the country. The report is based on 2020 data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Emissions Inventory, with 2020 being the most recent year for which data is available. 

Gas-powered lawn and garden equipment—such as lawn mowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, and chainsaws—are currently the fourth leading contributor to Colorado Front Range emissions, and a major contributor to the formation of harmful ground-level ozone in the region. This equipment also produces a range of harmful emissions that can have significant negative effects on human health, creating both short-term and long-term health risks for individuals exposed to them, as well as negative impacts on plants, ecosystems, and crop yields.  

RAQC executive director Mike Silverstein joined CoPIRG at a press event for the report’s release on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, in support of actions to reduce the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment in the Front Range of Colorado, to improve local air quality.  

“Electric is our future, in so many ways, over fossil-fuel powered equipment,” said Silverstein. 

The numbers add up 

The CoPIRG Foundation report includes interactive elements by state and by county across the entire country, detailing data for nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, and fine particulates (PM 2.5).  

In 2020 alone, the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment across the U.S. emitted more than 68,000 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 350,000 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere: the two chemical components of ground-level ozone, which triggers asthma attacks and contributes to premature death. This equipment also emitted 30 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), the leading cause of global warming, and nearly 22,000 tons of fine particulates (PM2.5): microscopic pollutants smaller than a human hair, like soot, smoke, and dust, that have been linked to respiratory ailments, reproductive and mental health issues, and even premature death.  

According to this report, in Colorado, the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment emitted almost 2,000 tons of NOx, 775,805 tons of CO2, and 671 tons of fine particulates. The majority of these emissions—almost 80% of each (1,542 tons of NOx, 603,597 tons of CO2, and 531 tons of fine particulates)—were emitted from the 9-county Front Range ozone nonattainment area, where 68% of the state’s population lives (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties).  

While that may not seem like a lot, this is the same amount of NOx emitted over an entire year by more than 880,000 cars. And it would take more than 7 million cars to produce the same number of fine particulates over the course of a year — 4 times the number of cars in Colorado.  

In a given year, gas-powered lawn and garden equipment in the 9-county Front Range area emits more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than all cars on the road in the same region combined. In 2020, gas-powered lawn and garden equipment in Colorado created 9,811 tons of VOCs, 77% of which were emitted in the 9-county Front Range area (7,588 tons). VOCs are a major contributor to the formation of ground-level ozone, and also include benzene, formaldehyde, and 1,3-butadiene, air pollutants linked to increased cancer risk.  

Making the transition to electric  

No longer limited by cords, electric lawn and garden equipment is cleaner, quieter and, over a lifetime of use, often cheaper than fossil fuel-powered options, as noted in the report. Thanks to recent advances in battery technology, electric equipment is also comparable in quality and performance to gasoline-powered equipment. It’s increasingly easy to find at major hardware stores and suppliers, with dozens of options for electric mowers, trimmers and other types of equipment currently on the market.  

Colorado is leading the way in making the transition to electric equipment. A state electrification initiative led by Senator Chris Hanson, who also spoke on Oct. 30 at the report’s release, will enable Colorado residents to receive a 30% “point of sale” instant discount on electric lawn and garden equipment at participating retailers beginning in 2024.  

Mow Down Pollution, a RAQC-run program, helps residents, businesses, and local governments transition from dirty, gas-powered equipment to electric alternatives. The RAQC has also submitted a proposal for consideration this December by the Air Quality Control Commission to reduce emissions from lawn and garden equipment in the ozone nonattainment region using grants for government and commercial electrification, discounts on electric equipment, and sales restrictions on gasoline equipment within the nonattainment area.   

“Ozone is a significant issue for us,” said Silverstein. “Our proposal would lead to rapid reductions [in air pollution] and fundamental change in our summertime air quality.”  

Board Announcements

Next Board Meeting

When
Friday, March 1, 2024
9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Agenda

Where
Hybrid In-Person Meeting
In-Person:
1445 Market Street, 4th Floor Board Room, Denver.
Remote:
Zoom Registration REQUIRED (See Agenda)

Committee Meeting Information