More Air Quality Regulations Proposed.
Whether working, playing, or exercising outside, the quality of the air we breathe impacts the quality of life for our families, our businesses and even future development.
The last week of August the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent its final rule updating the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards to the Office of Management and Budget. This is generally the last step of the regulatory process before rules are published in their final form.
Like many regulations the tightening of rules has both benefits and consequences. The benefit is more protection for individuals with respiratory problems and potentially health care savings. The consequences for being out of compliance can range from economic challenges to mandatory vehicle inspections, and more efforts to reduce commuter vehicles.
Where does Omaha stand?
The current EPA standard is 75 parts per billion (ppb). The proposal is to tighten the standard requiring cities to be in a range of 65-70 ppb. According to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the Omaha metro area has ranged from 66ppb to 69ppb. That’s too close for comfort.
A Campaign for Change.
Over the past four years the Little Steps. Big Impact. campaign, a collaboration with MAPA, the City of Omaha, Douglas County Health, OPPD, the Commuter Challenge and the Bike Challenge, has promoted the use of alternate transportation, provided educational information and other individual activities to help reduce ground level ozone. In the metro area, air quality is most at risk in the summer months when pollutants mix with air and are cooked by summer heat. To promote other transportation choices the campaign offers the options for FREE Metro two-ride passes with transfer or the purchase of half-price 10-ride passes with transfer for $7.50. Just think of the work you could accomplish, the traffic frustration you would eliminate and the parking costs you would save if you rode the Metro bus. Passes are available online at www.littlestepsbigimpact.com and are good through September 30, 2015 or consider riding your bike, carpooling, or if you’re not too far, walking. In addition, the campaign offers tips on how you can take other steps like fueling in the cooler evening hours and choosing a cleaner-burning fuel such as ethanol, combining errands, keeping your car’s engine tuned-up, using non-gas yard and garden tools.
Facts to Think About.
Reducing 1,000 vehicles per day on the metropolitan area’s streets and highways would eliminate:
255 pounds of carbon monoxide
35 pounds of volatile organic compounds
5.7 tons of carbon dioxide
What will you do to help make Omaha’s air cleaner?
For information go to www.littlestepsbigimpact.com or call Metropolitan Area Planning Agency
402-444-6866 and ask for Sue Cutsforth.
You can talk a little step today to improve Omaha’s air quality.
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>p>>strong>>img src=”http://www.eport9.com/Chamber/consumer/images/1/E-newsletter_images/2015/9.Sept/LittleStepsBigImpacts.png” border=”0″ />>/strong>>/p>
>p>>strong>More Air Quality Regulations Proposed.>/strong>>/p>
>p>Whether working, playing, or exercising outside, the quality of the air we breathe impacts the quality of life for our families, our businesses and even future development.>/p>
>p>The last week of August the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent its final rule updating the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards to the Office of Management and Budget. This is generally the last step of the regulatory process before rules are published in their final form. >/p>
>p>Like many regulations the tightening of rules has both benefits and consequences. The benefit is more protection for individuals with respiratory problems and potentially health care savings. The consequences for being out of compliance can range from economic challenges to mandatory vehicle inspections, and more efforts to reduce commuter vehicles.>/p>
>p>>strong>Where does Omaha stand?>br />>/strong>The current EPA standard is 75 parts per billion (ppb). The proposal is to tighten the standard requiring cities to be in a range of 65-70 ppb. According to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the Omaha metro area has ranged from 66ppb to 69ppb. That’s too close for comfort.>/p>
>p>>strong>A Campaign for Change>/strong>.>br />Over the past four years the Little Steps. Big Impact. campaign, a collaboration with MAPA, the City of Omaha, Douglas County Health, OPPD, the Commuter Challenge and the Bike Challenge, has promoted the use of alternate transportation, provided educational information and other individual activities to help reduce ground level ozone. In the metro area, air quality is most at risk in the summer months when pollutants mix with air and are cooked by summer heat. To promote other transportation choices >strong>the campaign offers the options for FREE Metro two-ride passes with transfer or the purchase of half-price 10-ride passes with transfer for $7.50.>/strong> Just think of the work you could accomplish, the traffic frustration you would eliminate and the parking costs you would save if you rode the Metro bus. Passes are available online at >a href=”http://www.littlestepsbigimpact.com” target=”_blank”>www.littlestepsbigimpact.com>/a> and are good through September 30, 2015 or consider riding your bike, carpooling, or if you’re not too far, walking. In addition, the campaign offers tips on how you can take other steps like fueling in the cooler evening hours and choosing a cleaner-burning fuel such as ethanol, combining errands, keeping your car’s engine tuned-up, using non-gas yard and garden tools. >/p>
>p class=”Pa3″>>strong>Facts to Think About.>br />>/strong>Reducing 1,000 vehicles per day on the metropolitan area’s streets and highways would eliminate:>/p>
>p class=”Default”> 255 pounds of carbon monoxide>/p>
>p class=”Default”> 35 pounds of volatile organic compounds>/p>
>p class=”Default”> 5.7 tons of carbon dioxide>/p>
>p class=”Default”>>strong>What will you do to help make Omaha’s air cleaner?>/strong> >br />For information go to >a href=”http://www.littlestepsbigimpact.com” target=”_blank”>www.littlestepsbigimpact.com>/a> or call Metropolitan Area Planning Agency>/p>
>p class=”Default”>402-444-6866 and ask for Sue Cutsforth.>/p>
>p>You can talk a little step today to improve Omaha’s air quality.>/p>
>p> >/p>
>p> >/p>