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Airshed Management Planning in the Cariboo

Airshed Management Planning in the Cariboo. By Andy Motherwell Director, Area B Cariboo Regional District and Ric Raynor Director of Emergency Services City of Quesnel UBCM Conference 2004. Introduction. Air quality has been a long-standing issue in the Quesnel area

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Airshed Management Planning in the Cariboo

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  1. Airshed Management Planning in the Cariboo By Andy MotherwellDirector, Area B Cariboo Regional District and Ric Raynor Director of Emergency ServicesCity of Quesnel UBCM Conference 2004

  2. Introduction • Air quality has been a long-standing issue in the Quesnel area • The City of Quesnel and adjacent Cariboo Regional District Electoral Areas have a population of about 20,000 residents near the confluence of the Quesnel and Fraser rivers • Forestry and mining continue to be key economic drivers for the area

  3. Introduction • The Quesnel Air Quality Roundtable (QAQR) was formed because: • Quesnel experiences some of the worst air quality in the province (fine particulate matter) • Growing awareness of the concern for health and negative reputation of the community due to air pollution

  4. Introduction • Focus will be on Quesnel, however Williams Lake, 120km to the south, also has an airshed planning process underway • Williams Lake process is about one year behind Quesnel

  5. Presentation Overview • Participants • Project History • Funding • Process • Accomplishments • Summary

  6. Participants • Quesnel Environmental Society (Roundtable Chair) • City of Quesnel • Ministry of Water, Land, and Air Protection (MWLAP) • Ministry of Forests • Ministry of Transportation • Cariboo Regional District • Northern Health Authority • Quesnel Community Health Council • North Cariboo Share • School District 28 • 11 industrial/commercial companies

  7. ProjectHistory • Quesnel Environmental Society tabled project proposal developed with assistance from MWLAP and local government • Six-year project (half-way through year four) aimed at producing Airshed Management Plans for both communities

  8. ProjectHistory • Benchmark: conduct a thorough scientific study upon which to base recommendations • Goal: tackle all identified sources of air pollution, from back yard residential burning to large industrial sources • Fundamental principle: implement recommendations while maintaining jobs

  9. Financial Contributions

  10. Funding Covers • Air technician salary • Air monitoring instruments • Computer dispersion modelling • Specialized air quality analysis (particle speciation) • Brochures/public education • Other air quality assessment needs e.g. woodstove survey if required • Advertising for woodstove “swap-outs”

  11. Funding DoesNot Cover • Industrial/commercial monitoring for ambient and emissions • Potential upgrades of pollution control equipment by industry as a result of process • Source characterization / speciation for industry • Existing MWLAP Cariboo Region Air Quality Program • Airshed meeting costs

  12. Process • A formal, written agreement has been signed by the funding partners • Important to note that airshed planning process is a community initiative, and is not being led by MWLAP • MWLAP’s role: financial, administrative, and technical support to the process

  13. Process • Industry supported the process because all sources of air pollution were to be tackled • Meetings held at lunch – hosted by the City of Quesnel • Good attendance from most participants continues

  14. Process • True Roundtable – everyone is equal e.g. elected officials sit down with air quality technical experts, industry, environmentalists, municipal staff • Decisions made by consensus • Much “goodwill” among Roundtable

  15. Accomplishments • Enhanced air quality monitoring through: • New “state of the art” monitoring equipment • Hiring a technician to run the monitoring network (reliable data) • Better public reporting on air quality (e.g. air quality advisories)

  16. Accomplishments • Improved public education on air quality through: • Media releases • Open house by Roundtable • Air Quality Index reporting • Brochures • Web access to air quality information

  17. Accomplishments • Initiated a Cariboo-wide woodstove swap program held in 2002 and 2003: • allowed consumers a 15% discount when they exchanged an old woodstove for an appliance that was CSA/EPA emissions certified

  18. Accomplishments • Held an Automobile Emissions Testing Clinic in co-operation with Environment Canada: • 325 vehicles tested • Raised public awareness about automobile emissions

  19. Accomplishments • Identified early on that spring road dust should be immediately addressed • Technical subcommittee reviewed current traction material application and cleanup procedures • Action recommended to the Roundtable • Preliminary results indicate that spring time road dust levels have been reduced in the downtown area as a result of these actions

  20. Accomplishments • Improved scientific understanding of sources causing poor air quality through: • Detailed inventory of emission sources • Reviewing existing data on air quality • Computer dispersion modelling of air pollution sources • Ranking of various source contributions

  21. Accomplishments • Summarized all air quality assessment information into a report to form the scientific basis for the development of an airshed plan • Conclusion: all sectors will have to make improvements

  22. Accomplishments • Developed 28 recommendations to be included in the airshed plan • The airshed plan has a 10-year implementation timeframe: 2004 – 2014 during which time there will be periodic reviews of progress and goals

  23. Draft Airshed Plan Recommendations • Our 28 recommendations pertain to improvements in air quality by all sectors: industry, municipal and regional governments, home owners • The range of recommendations go from further restrictions on burning to improved dust control to improvements in emissions by industry • Public education is a key component of the airshed plan

  24. Implementation • Voluntary process • Roundtable will request annual reports from all stakeholders outlining activities toward implementing airshed plan recommendations

  25. Current Activities • Draft airshed plan for Quesnel being reviewed by the Roundtable • Public consultation to be late Fall, 2004 • Goal is adoption of the airshed plan by the end of 2004

  26. Summary • The Quesnel Air Quality Roundtable has developed an improvement plan for air quality for the City of Quesnel • This is a voluntary, multi-stakeholder, community driven process that has achieved this by consensus • The airshed plan is based on a thorough 3-year scientific study of air quality • Airshed planning is linked to other community initiatives

  27. Community Energy Planning • The City of Quesnel has been actively exploring other environmental sustainability initiatives • The City of Quesnel Community Energy Planning Options Report was completed in August, 2003

  28. Airshed Management Planning in the Cariboo Questions and Discussion Andy MotherwellDirector, Area B Cariboo Regional District

  29. Would You Like More Information? http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/car/env_protection/index.html#airshed

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