AirCheck Texas Case Study

1. AirCheck Texas Case Study Administrative Policy Writing Spring 2011

2. Administrative Policy WritingSpring 2011 • The writing project for this week, the AirCheck Texas Case Study, incorporates many of the topics we have learned this semester: • business letter formatting • professional style • plain language • citing to regulations • This week you are taking on the role of a county employee responsible for a state program called AirCheck Texas. The writing project requires you to review an application for this program and explain to the applicant why he is not eligible. • You will have to review his application, other background information, and the relevant regulations. Then you will write a formal business letter that explains why the individual application is being denied. • You may need to review your notes on citing regulations. This week we are going to talk about the program generally so that this task does not feel too overwhelming.

3. Administrative Policy WritingSpring 2011 • Why are we doing this? • My goal is not for you to learn the requirements of AirCheck Texas. • AirCheck is just the vehicle we are going to use to practice applying regulations to a particular situation. • Public policy writers perform this kind of writing on a daily basis. • Thus, we need to practice finding the right regulation to apply to a set of facts and properly citing that regulation. • It is not just about informing the applicant that he doesn’t meet a regulation. • Part of the work is figuring out which regulations apply to your situation.

4. Administrative Policy WritingSpring 2011 Overview of AirCheck Texas • AirCheck Texas AKA Drive a Clean Machine is a program administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that seeks to improve air quality by providing some drivers of older vehicles with money to trade in their vehicle for a newer one. The program also provides money toward emission repairs. • The program is available only in several counties in Texas that have elevated levels of air pollution. • Our focus is on the emission repair program. • Individuals who own cars that have failed an emission test performed during their annual vehicle inspection may be eligible for assistance for emission repairs. • Website: http://www.driveacleanmachine.org

5. Administrative Policy WritingSpring 2011 Overview of AirCheck Texas What are the basic requirements of the program? • Your vehicle must be registered for 12 continuous months prior to the application and must be currently registered. • You have to meet income requirements: make no more than 300% of the federal poverty guidelines, calculated by your net pay or tax returns. • Your vehicle must have failed an emission test performed during an annual inspection within the 30 days prior to your application. • But your vehicle must have passed the safety portion of the vehicle inspection (headlights, brakes, turn signals working, etc.).

6. Administrative Policy WritingSpring 2011 Overview of AirCheck Texas • Each of these requirements is found in a TCEQ regulation in the Texas Administrative Code. • You will be provided the citations to the AirCheck rules. It will be your job to locate the specific requirements and cite them in your letter. • You will also be provided with an application, supporting documents, and a memo from your supervisor at the North Central Texas Council of Government. • This is an organization of county governments in the Dallas area. The Council is responsible for implementing the AirCheck program in the Dallas–Fort Worth Area.

7. Administrative Policy WritingSpring 2011 Getting Started • Start by reading the memo from your supervisor. It will provide you some background information about the applicant and supporting documentation to determine whether he qualifies for the program. • Then review the application and regulations. • Prepare a business letter under the Council’s letterhead, which is provided in the memo. • The letter should thank the applicant for applying and then explain why he does not qualify. • Use the style of analysis we discussed: be very explicit about what the facts of his situation are, what the regulations say, and why his situation doesn’t meet the requirements. • Remember, the applicant might fail on several different grounds. Cover all of them in your letter. But don’t write about the criteria he does meet.

8. Administrative Policy WritingSpring 2011 Getting Started • Cite the AirCheck regulations using the two-sentence method. • The citation is a sentence. • Something like the following: • “In order to be eligible for the AirCheck repair program, your vehicle must be currently registered with the state. 13 Tex. Admin. Code § 321.32(a).”

9. Administrative Policy WritingSpring 2011 Overview of AirCheck Texas • Make sense? Any questions? • Email me if you get stuck!