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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Resolution 509RESOLUTION N0. 509 A RESOLUTION ADOPTING A PLAN FOR VOLUNTARY AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN THE. MEDFORD-ASHLAND AIR QUALITY MAINTENANCE AREA WHEREAS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has adopted rules for particulate air pollution,. known as the "PM10" standard; and WHEREAS, the air in Medford-Ashland Air Quality Maintenance Area violates the health standard for PPS10 on about 20 days each year; and WHEREAS, the Jackson County Woodburning Task Force has studied the PM10 problem at length, and has recommended strategies for attaining compliance; and WHEREAS, a number of the Task Force recommendations have been incorporat- ed into a plan for voluntary Air Quality Improvement through the cooperative ef- fort of the staffs of Jackson County, the cities of Medford and Central Point, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality; and WHEREAS, the Central Point City Council is committed to provide a health- ful air quality for all citizens of Central Point; and WHEREAS, the plan is both a requirement of federal law, and a prerequi- site for the acquisition of a $700,000 grant for a program to replace noncertified woodstoves with mare energy efficient, cleaner burning heat sources, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CENTRAL POINT, that the document entitled "Plan for Voluntary Air Quality Improvement in the Medford-Ashland Air Quality Maintenance Area Beginning with the 1988-89 Woodburning Season" is hereby adopted. Passed by the Council and signed by me in authentication of its passage 1st December this day of 1988. MAYOR ATTES : f, Council Secret y Approved by me this 1st day of RESOLUTION N0. 509 December 1988 PLAN FDR VOLUNTARY AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN THE MEDFORD-ASHLAND AIR QUALITY MAINTENANCE AREA BEGINNING WITH THE 1988-89 WOODBURNZNG SEASON It is the intent and purpose of this plan to provide for the reduction in wood heating emissions necessary to attain the. national ambient air quality standard for PM10 within the Medford-Ashland AQMA as expeditiously as practicable, but not later than June 1, 1991. I. VOLUNTARY CURTAILMENT PROGRAM The participating governments will implement a voluntary cordwood heating cur- tailment program. This program will be comprised of: A. Comprehensive Public Information Program Part of Jackson County's regional strategies grant for air quality was ear- marked for a public information program concerning. PM-10 during the upcoming woodburning season.. Following a request for proposals process, the County has retained the. services of Laurel Communications, a local advertising and - public relations firm, to coordinate the program. The final contract was in the amount of $45,000. Laurel has conducted a telephone survey to provide the basis for the remainder of the work. Public. information messages will be presented through broadcast and print media, direct mail, b311boards, bus cards, and. other means to be developed. Several related items have been prepared or are under discussion, including the following:. -- A local TV station (KDRV) has prepared a ten minute video concerning air pollution for the county. Laurel 3s investigating the possibility of expanding the video to 30 minutes for use as a sponsored documentary for television use. The short version would be used for group presen- tations Where speakers are available to answer questions.. -- A speakers' bureau would be available to make presentations and answer questions. Several members of the Woodburning Task Force have volun- teered for this effort. -- We have a brochure that discusses air quality and the Woodburning Task Force. This and a variety of DEQ brochures will be distributed in quan- tity throughout the winter. -- There has been preliminary discussion of a possible volunteer effort at the neighborhood. level. If coordination could be provided by an orga- nization such as the Oregon Lung Association, organizing citizens to canvass their neighborhoods for clean air would have a good effect. B. Advisory The Rogue Valley Woodburning Advisory will continue to be based on the combination of measured air pollutant concentrations and forecasted meteoro- logical conditions. Residents will be advised that woodburning is okay during "green" advisories. Reduced woodburning will be requested during "yellow" advisories. Residents will be requested to stop all woodburning Voluntary Action Page -2- (unless exempt) during "red" advisories. The advisories will be made available daily by recorded telephone messages and the news media from November 1 through February 28 of each year. C. Exemptions The number and type of exemptions from the voluntary curtailment program will not preclude the woodsmoke reduction needed to meet PM10 health stan- dards. The Jackson County Woodburning Task Force targeted a 70 to 75 per- cent woodsmoke reduction in order to meet the 24-hour PM 10 standard on worst winter days; therefore, the exemptions of the voluntary curtailment program must not exceed 25 to 30 percent of the 1984-86 baseline woodsmoke emissions in order to achieve the 70 to 75 percent reduction goal. The woodsmoke reduction target and the maximum exemptions possible will be periodically updated in consideration of other strategies that may affect industrial, transportation, agricultural, and silvicultural emissions. The formula shown in Attachment 1 (or as may be amended through future study) will. be used to calculate the potential effects of proposed exemptions. D. Residential Woodsmoke Survey Another facet to this program is the monitoring of residential woodburning during poor air quality conditions, as well as during a limited number of good air quality periods. This monitoring will consist of observations of a statistically representative number of homes having cordwood heating capabi- lities. within the affected areas of each participating governments' juris- diction. These observations will establish the baseline for woodstove use (emissions) during good air quality conditions and the degree of par- ticipation with voluntary curtailment during poor air quality conditions. Additionally, the surveys would also include brief stops at residences or subsequently mailed packets to provide information about woodburning and air quality in order to encourage cooperation with. the voluntary curtailment program. Ideally, this effort would be carried out by all cities in the AQMA as well. E. End of Season Review At the end of each heating season local governments will compile and eva- luate data collected from the residential woodsmoke survey. A collective determination will be made of the compliance rate with the voluntary advi- sory. If their compliance rate is less than the needed amount, this plan will be revised for the following heating season in an effort to increase the compliance rate. An example of a future plan revision would be to eliminate the 88-89 exemption for certified stoves under a red advisory. II. BAN ON THE INSTALLATION OF NONCERTIFIED WOODSTOVES The Oregon woodstove certification program prohibits the sale of noncertified stoves after July 1986, but does not control the installation of noncertified units in the home. Thus, it is presently legal to purchase a used stove or new stove from another state, and utilize it for space. heating within Oregon. The Volunl'ary Action Page -3- adoption of local ordinances prohibiting. this practice. would benefit the long-term reduction of particulate from wood heating sources. This plan inclu- des the adoption of such ordinances by the county and cities in the Medford-Ashland Air Quality Maintenance Area. III. FINANCIAL SUBSIDIES/INCENTIVES FOR CLEANER WOODBURNING UNITS In March, Jackson County received a grant in the amount of $485,000, as a part of the 1988 Oregon Community Development Block Grant Program. This grant has been the. necessary catalyst for a growing fund to provide financial incentives to low income residents for the replacement of noncertified woodstoves. The program is operated through a contract with the Jackson County Housing -~ Authority (see CLEAR program below). This fund has grown by an additional $150,000 received as a part of the Regional Strategies Program funded by lottery dollars; and $300,000 supported by the local Access. Program. The city of Medford has $100,000 available from a HUD grant. An additional $700,000 is available from the oil settlement funds. It is important that all local govern- ments in the AQMA pursue additional monies to build upon this foundation. IV. CLEAR PROGRAM This program,. already operating in Jackson County, addresses the needs of low income families within the target area of the Cooperative Local Effort for Air Resource (CLEAR) programl who presently utilize wood heat for their homes. Families whose annual income falls below 80 percent of the local median income may apply to have their old wood heaters removed and replaced with either electric, gas, DEQ certified wood pellet, oil unit, or best existing cordwood stoves (BEST) when designated by DEQ. The program has a cap of $2,000 for the installed heat plant expense, but families who wish to install a more expensive unit may augment their grant. The program will also insulate ceilings to a factor of R-38 and floors to R-19. These reasonable program costs are free to owner-occupants with the exception of a small (50 percent) lien on woad pellet stoves, due to the potential portability of those units. Each participant is expected to provide $100 as a participation fee when the contract is signed. This may be waived for hardship, and may be conditionally refundable at the option of the municipality. For tenant occupied properties, the total cost becomes a lien against the property which reduces at a rate of 10 percent per year over a ten-year period. Sale or other transfer of the property will cause the prorated remaining principal to be due and payable to the fund.. Each. benefitted property employing a cordwood to alternate heat source replace- ment will have a covenant recorded in the county records which prohibits the installation of conventional cordwood heating devices at that address in the future, applicable to present and all subsequent owners.. The oil settlement funds will be directed in the following manner: First priority will be given to requests from homes located within the city of Voluntary Action Page -4- 4fedford, however, each participating local government will receive a minimum benefit. of $75,000. In the event that a local government is unable to accom- modate the needed administrative cost, the money may be reallocated to the remaining jurisdictions. V. DRY WOOD PROGRAM This voluntary, nonregulatory program is designed to promote the burning of dry wood to help reduce local air quality problems.. Woodcutters, firewood dealers, and anyone. who burns wood can have five samples from their supply tested at any of six locations. The testing can. have five samples from their supply tested at any of six locations. The testing program is operated by the five agencies in the county. A certificate is issued showing the average moisture content for the five samples as indicative of the moisture content of the load. The recommended drying time, based on a drying guide developed. by the Oregon State University Extension Service, is also listed on the certificate. Firewood with a moisture content of 20 percent or less is certified as suitable for burning. One. key to the program's success will be the creation of a demand for certified wood. Woodcutters and firewood dealers could then advertise that they sell cer- tified wood. The certificate has no specific dollar value; it will be in demand to the extent that it increases the wood buyer's confidence in the product. The testing program will provide a convenient and accurate method of woodstove users to determine if their firewood is of sufficient dryness for efficient burning. V. SUMMARY The above plan is designed to provide the best opportunity for voluntary air quality compliance to work. If a positive and aggressive campaign is waged by local governments, affected agencies and the public, it may be possible to resolve our problems at the voluntary level. 1The target area is roughly that area encompassed by South Stage Road from Pacific Highway to Arnold Road, then north to the intersection of Hanley and Jacksonville Highway. From that intersection, north to include all Central Point zip codes (97502) which are south of the Rogue River. All White City zip codes (97503) are eligible. The incorporated areas of Medford are also eligible to participate. _1 ATTACHMENT I WORFCS~--~ stove Ibpulation X Dnission Rate = Airshed F]1iiSSions (~ of baseline) (~ of conventional (~ of baseline) stove emissions) bcemptians Frwn C1¢tai]ment Conventional stoves 100 HE5T pellet staves 10 HFS'T coLt3wood stoves 40 ncistirq certified ~ 70 mature certified units (rep~}acemeritsj 70 . New certified units (population growth, 1988-1992) 70 Conversions From Wood 0 Non~liance With' Curtailment 100 ' Compliance With Curtailment ~ 0 Total 100 (Note: Maxinwn em;c~ions to achieve 70% reduction goal = 30) Footnotes:.