News

The Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) and Colorado Energy Office (CEO) have opened the Charge Ahead Colorado application for electric vehicle (EV) and charging station funding. At this time, RAQC has funding for both charging stations and EVs for applicants within the Denver Metro Area. CEO has funding for charging stations for applicants outside the Denver Metro Area. All charging stations are required to be networked.

An application guide, informational webinar, application and other grant resources can be found on the Charge Ahead Colorado Homepage.

Click here to view current table

The Denver Metro/North Front Range area is designated as nonattainment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the pollutant ozone. The 2015 8-Hour Ozone Standard is 70 parts per billion (ppb) and is calculated using a rolling three-year average of the fourth (4th) highest daily 8-hour ozone concentration.

The table linked above shows current monitoring data for the nonattainment area, including the top four (4) values for each monitoring site for the current ozone season as well as the 4^th highest values for the previous two years. The 4^th highest values over a three-year period are averaged to determine the Design Value (DV) at each monitor. The highest DV is the test of attainment, with all monitors having to be at or below the standard.

The RAQC’s ozone education campaign, Simple Steps. Better Air., issues Ozone Action Alerts as well as notices about upcoming community events. The public is encouraged to participate in efforts to reduce air pollution by joining the Clean Air Community and using the OzoMeter to track air quality impacts.

For additional information on ground-level ozone, please visit SimpleStepsBetterAir.org or call (303) 629-5450, ext. 220.

Click here to view previous tables

The RAQC is hosting an informational webinar on Friday, August 31st to review useful information about ALT Fuels Colorado vehicle grant program. The webinar will cover the following topics: overview of the two funding sources, funding levels for each source, eligible equipment for each source, how and when to apply, award process, and an opportunity for Q&A. For those unable to attend, the webinar will be recorded and posted on the ALT Fuels Colorado webpage.

ALT Fuels Colorado opened a new grant application period on August 15th.  The application period will remain open through September 27th, 2018.  For more information on the grant, visit the ALT Fuels program page or contact Kaylyn Bopp, Program Coordinator.

In 2009, and again in 2013, EPA granted a waiver of preemption to California for its “Advanced Clean Car” regulations, which allowed the state to set tighter greenhouse gas (GHG) standards and develop a Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) program and a Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) mandate. On August 2, 2018, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the “Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021-2026 Passenger Cars and Light Trucks” (SAFE Vehicles Rule), which effectively freezes fuel economy standards at 2020 levels and rescinds California’s preemption waiver taking away the option for states to adopt California’s standards.

Under order by Governor Hickenlooper, the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division is continuing to move forward with proposing adoption by the Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) of California’s LEV program by the end of the year.  A request for hearing will be made at the August 16, 2018 AQCC meeting, with a public hearing anticipated to be scheduled for November 15, 2018.  Additional information on the upcoming Colorado rulemaking is available on the AQCC website.

The City of Aurora has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to facilitate a manufacturer/dealer discount, for the purchase of battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and electric bikes.  The deadline for submissions is 2:00 PM (MDT),...

ALT Fuels Colorado will open a new grant application period on August 15th.  The application period will remain open through September 27th, 2018.  For more information on the grant, visit the ALT Fuels program page or contact Kaylyn Bopp, Program...

On July 11, 2018, EPA notified the State of Colorado of concurrence with a request to exclude ozone data influenced by wildfire exceptional events in September 2017.  These events resulting in several monitors exceeding the 2008 ozone standard on September 2 and 4,...

  EPA published the Final Rule for Approval and Promulgation of State Implementation Plan Revisions; Colorado; Attainment Demonstration for the 2008 8-Hour Ozone Standard for the Denver Metro/North Front Range Nonattainment Area, and Approval of Related Revisions...

Governor Hickenlooper signed an executive order, on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, mandating that the state adopt low emission vehicle standards, incorporating parts of California's low emission vehicle program.  The executive order is designed to help the state meet its...