Clean Air Newsline May 2009 In this issue: * Agency's Cool School Challenge program receives national Clean Air Excellence Award * Board votes to phase out land-clearing burning throughout Kitsap County * Think Fresh - Think about riding your bike for Bike Month * Be "air aware" - May is National Clean Air Month * Board adopts updates to several agency regulations * Greenhouse gas emissions now to be included in SEPA Environmental Reviews * Announcements: * Public hearing on May 21 * Request for Proposal Agency's Cool School Challenge program receives national Clean Air Excellence Award Our own Cool School Challenge climate education program received a Clean Air Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at a May 13 ceremony in Washington, DC. This web-based, online climate education program was developed by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and Puget Sound Energy in collaboration with a high school environmental science teacher. The program challenges schools to shrink their carbon footprints through improved energy efficiency, reduced consumption, increased recycling, and changes in transportation choices. "The Cool School Challenge is grounded in the principle that big change starts with small steps," says Kimberley Cline, Cool School Challenge program manager at the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. "This program began with one teacher in one school, and has now reached several hundred teachers in schools from Bellevue to Bellingham, Seattle to Spokane, and even Denver to Dubai. To date, participating schools anticipate collectively, they could reduce their climate pollution by roughly 650,000 pounds." "More meaningful than the numbers, however, are the actions students and teachers are taking in their schools," adds Cline. "Using the free tools housed on the coolschoolchallenge.org<http://www.coolschoolchallenge.org/> website - and their own imaginations - they are starting up or improving recycling programs, forming light monitor teams, organizing automobile amnesty days and launching anti-idling campaigns. Through efforts like these, they are truly creating a climate of change." To introduce teachers to the program, Puget Sound Energy collaborates with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and the Northwest Clean Air Agency to offer free teacher training workshops within Puget Sound Energy's service territory. The Washington State Department of Ecology is also helping bring the program to schools across the state. "Puget Sound Energy is proud to be part of this collaboration, working together with the Clean Air Agencies and other partners toward the common goal of inspiring young people about the future," says Dave Reid, Program Manager at Puget Sound Energy, Energy Efficiency Services. "It's exciting and rewarding to watch a program school grow like this, connecting young people to solutions to one of the greater environmental challenges of our times. " For the ninth year, EPA is honoring 15 recipients from across the United States for their environmental achievements in community action, education, and science and technology. "Each year, our Clean Air Excellence Award winners offer amazing new examples of how we keep our air safe and clean," says Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "This year's winners have built on that tradition of innovation to show what is possible in protecting human health and the environment. I'm proud to congratulate all of you on your accomplishments, and I look forward to working with you in the years ahead to create a cleaner, healthier, more efficient America." To get a challenge underway at your school, visit www.coolschoolchallenge.org<http://www.coolschoolchallenge.org/> . Board votes to phase out land-clearing burning throughout Kitsap County On April 23, 2009, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's Board of Directors voted to phase out land-clearing burning throughout Kitsap County beginning September 1, 2009. Land-clearing burning applies to fires to clear land for development, such as building a new structure or subdivision. Prior to this action, land-clearing fires were prohibited only in the urban areas of Kitsap County. The Clean Air Agency Board took similar action last February 2008 by adopting a permanent ban on land-clearing burning in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties which became effective July 1, 2008. State law [RCW 70.94.745(6)] requires the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to prohibit land-clearing burning in areas outside the Urban Growth Areas when the agency has determined that an alternate technology or method of disposing of the organic refuse is available, reasonably economical, and less harmful to the environment than burning. Agency staff found that reasonable alternatives to land-clearing burning are now available so proposed to its Board of Directors that Kitsap County be included in this permanent ban on land-clearing burning. Additional information is available online at www.pscleanair.org/actions/outdoorfires/rule_change_2009<http://www.pscleanair.org/actions/outdoorfires/rule_change_2009> . Wood smoke is a health hazard. Wood smoke is composed of fine particles and a toxic mix of other carcinogens that are hazardous to human health. Fine particles are associated with serious health effects, as the tiny size of these pollutants allows them to be easily inhaled, bypassing the immune system and proceeding deep into your lungs, where they can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems, including premature death. For more information about the alternatives to outdoor burning, impacts from wood smoke and the law, click to www.pscleanair.org/OutdoorFires<http://www.pscleanair.org/OutdoorFires> . Think Fresh - Think about riding your bike during National Bike Month If the occasional bursts of sunny spring weather haven't got you riding your bike, maybe knowing that Washington is the No. 1 Bicycle-Friendly State in the nation, May is National Bike Month and biking is pollution-free will get you rolling on two wheels instead of four. Since last year's high gas prices, many people have decided to drive less and ride a bike instead. That's great news for our region's air quality because vehicle exhaust is our region's main source of air and climate pollution. By riding your bike instead of driving a car, you will help improve air quality, help protect the planet AND get some exercise at the same time. There are hundreds of miles of bike routes to choose from in our state, which is one of the reasons the League of American Bicyclists last year voted Washington the No. 1 Bicycle-Friendly State in the nation. Our state's bike laws were another ranking factor. Many area residents are using a bicycle as a regular mode of transportation, a factor that also contributed to the national award. Local bike maps are available online for viewing and printing from the Washington State Department of Transportation: www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/localmaps.htm<http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/localmaps.htm> . Pick up a hard copy at a local Bike-to-Work event happening in May: www.bicyclealliance.org/news/index.html<http://www.bicyclealliance.org/news/index.html> . But before you ride, consider refamiliarizing yourself with our state's bicycle laws: www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/Laws.htm<http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/Laws.htm> . Join the thousands who have made the switch to two wheels instead of four. Ride your bike to enjoy the sunshine, to exercise, to save gas money, to help clean the air, to protect the planet, to celebrate National Bike Month! The next time you reach for your car keys, consider riding your bike instead, especially if your errand is nearby and especially since it's National Bike Month. For other "fresh" ideas for clean air and a healthy climate, visit www.pscleanair.org/thinkfresh<http://www.pscleanair.org/thinkfresh> . Be "air aware" - May is National Clean Air Month Living in the Pacific Northwest has its benefits; relatively clean air is one of them. While our region's air is cleaner than Los Angeles and some other places around the country, we still have major air quality concerns that affect our health and the environment. Back in the day, business and industry were the major sources of pollution. This has changed greatly since our agency's was formed in 1967, thanks to a combination of regulation, more protective air quality standards, advances in technology and fuel standards, compliance and voluntary efforts from business and industry. Today, it's our individual everyday behaviors that most affect our air quality and climate - the way we get around, heat our homes, energize our appliances and electronics, as well as getting the "stuff" we need to live a comfortable life to the stores for us to buy. To learn more about where pollution comes from, click to www.pscleanair.org/airq/basics/criteria/sources.aspx<http://www.pscleanair.org/airq/basics/criteria/sources.aspx> . Take actions to be "air aware" during National Clean Air Month and every day. Some air-friendly choices you can make to help protect the air we breathe, as well as protect our climate, are: * Driving less * Idling less * Keeping a well-maintained vehicle * Choosing a "cleaner" vehicle * Switching to gas heat * Ensuring clean burning practices if heating with wood * Choosing a propane fire pit or patio heater * Using less energy, more wisely You might think your actions won't make much of a difference in our air quality. But you're not acting alone. We can all work together for cleaner air and a healthy climate To get started, click to www.pscleanair.org/thinkfresh<http://www.pscleanair.org/thinkfresh> . Regulation updates The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's Board of Directors has adopted changes to Regulations I and III, which became effective May 1, 2009. The regulation, section and changes are: I: 2.02/2.06 To add greenhouse gas emissions to the list of air emissions included in the environmental checklist. (see the following article for additional details) III: 4.01 To exclude asphalt shingles from the definition of "suspect asbestos-containing material," and to add a separate definition for asphalt shingles. III: 4.03 To delete the provision for submitting multiple asbestos projects on one notification if the structures are located in a contiguous area. The full regulations can be found online at www.pscleanair.org/regulated/businesses/regulations.aspx#recent<http://www.pscleanair.org/regulated/businesses/regulations.aspx#recent> . Please e-mail LynnS@pscleanair.org<mailto:LynnS@pscleanair.org> if you have questions, or if you need the strike-through/underline version of the changes. Greenhouse gas emissions now to be included in SEPA Environmental Reviews Our agency's regulations have been updated to require that greenhouse gases be included in any environmental reviews completed under the authority of the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and for which the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is the lead agency (see Regulation I, Article 2 above). The SEPA Environmental Checklist typically used by applicants to our Notice of Construction (NOC) review program has been updated to include greenhouse gases in the list of "types of emissions" identified in question 2a of the checklist. Applicants submitting a SEPA checklist to the Clean Air Agency for review must use the updated form and should discard previous versions. This change is intended to require applicants to identify direct emissions of greenhouse gases emitted as a result of the project. The change does not affect SEPA reviews that are completed by other agencies for a proposed project when the Clean Air Agency is not the lead agency for that review. The updated environmental checklist is now available on our website < www.pscleanair.org/regulated/businesses/forms/50-150%20Environmental%20Checklist.pdf<http://www.pscleanair.org/regulated/businesses/forms/50-150%20Environmental%20Checklist.pdf> >. If you have questions about this change, please contact Steve Van Slyke at (206) 689-4052 or at SteveV@pscleanair.org<mailto:SteveV@pscleanair.org>. ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Hearing The Board of Directors will conduct the following public hearing on May 28, 2009 at 9:15 a.m. to consider changes to Regulation I, Article 8 (fire department training exercises). NOTE: This is a continuance of the March 26, 2009 hearing. To see the text of the proposal and for hearing information, click to www.pscleanair.org/announce/hearings/publichearings.aspx<http://www.pscleanair.org/announce/hearings/publichearings.aspx> . Request for Proposal (RFP) Environmental Justice (EJ) Fundamentals and Cultural Competency Training, closes May 29, 2009 at noon. As a public agency, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency issues formal requests for proposals and qualifications for the purchase of certain equipment or supplies, or to enlist professional services to supplement our work. The Clean Air Agency is now accepting proposals electronically. See the RFP document at www.pscleanair.org/announce/notices/rfprfq.aspx<http://www.pscleanair.org/announce/notices/rfprfq.aspx> for details on the requirements to submit proposals by hard copy or electronically. Walking Ambassador Training offered by Feet First on May 20 Feet First is gearing up to offer walking tours of neighborhoods, with its new Neighborhoods on Foot Walking Ambassador program. The pedestrian advocacy group is looking for volunteers willing to lead at least two walks in their neighborhood this summer. The Walking Ambassador training session will be held on Wednesday, May 20th from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Feet First office in Pioneer Square (314 1st Avenue South, Seattle WA 98104). Feet First staff and a volunteer from last year's walk throughout the Central District will share tips on how to become your neighborhood's Walking Ambassador. For more information and to sign up for training, e-mail ambassador@feetfirst.info<mailto:info@feetfirst.info> or call 206-652-2310. About the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency serves the people of King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. We work together to clean the air we breathe and protect our climate through education, incentives and enforcement. To learn more about our work, and how you can be a part of it, too, visit us at www.pscleanair.org<http://www.pscleanair.org/> . About the Clean Air Newsline Clean Air Newsline is a monthly electronic newsletter to provide air quality information to the residents of King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Subscribers receive the latest on air quality news, trends and projects that affect our local communities and the air we breathe. Feel free to pass the information along to others. We also use the Newsline as needed to send timely and important messages about burn bans, Smog Watches and early calls to action when air quality deteriorates. If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, you can do so at www.pscleanair.org/signup<http://www.pscleanair.org/signup> . Be sure to select Clean Air Newsline to be added to the e-mailing list. Bill Smith Senior Environmental Specialist City of Tacoma Solid Waste Management 3510 S. Mullen Street Tacoma, WA 98409 253-593-7719 Phone 253-591-5547 Fax