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November 2017 l Volume 2017-4

In This Issue

Winter Spare the Air season starts November 1
Air District Seeks New Technologies to Combat Climate Change
Air District Offers $250,000 in Community Grants
Air District Invites Students to Attend YES Conference
Air District Expands Vehicle Buy Back Program
Air District Settles Case with Chemtrade
Take the Spare the Air Website Redesign Survey
Air District Offers Millions in Grants
Upcoming Events

Welcome to the latest issue of the Bay Area Air District’s Air Currents newsletter. In this issue, you’ll find articles about the start of the Winter Spare the Air Season, the Air District’s call for innovative air pollution reduction technologies, a community grant program, updates to the Vehicle Buy Back Program and an invitation to Bay Area students to attend the 2018 YES Conference. Other features include coverage of a recent financial settlement, an invitation to fill out a redesign survey for the Spare the Air website, and a summary of current grant opportunities. 

fireplace

Winter Spare the Air season starts November 1

The 2017-2018 Winter Spare the Air season begins Wednesday, November 1.

During the Winter Spare the Air Season, from November 1 through February 28, the Air District calls Winter Spare the Air Alerts when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy due to fine particulate pollution, primarily from wood smoke. When an alert is in effect, it is illegal to burn wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors in the Bay Area for a full 24-hours.

Natural gas, propane or electric fireplaces do not release unhealthy smoke into the air and can be used during Winter Spare the Air Alerts.

Cold temperatures and calm winds during the winter season allow wood smoke to build up in the region, creating unhealthy air quality in Bay Area neighborhoods. The Air District calls a Winter Spare the Air Alert for the next full calendar day when weather conditions are forecast to trap pollution close to the ground and cause air quality to be unhealthy.

The Air District may call Winter Spare the Air Alerts up to three days in advance to keep air pollution from building up and exceeding federal standards. During an alert, the use of wood-burning devices such as fireplaces, pellet stoves, wood stoves and outdoor fire pits is prohibited. In San Francisco, the National Park Service also prohibits recreational beach fires at Ocean Beach in Golden Gate National Recreation Area through the end of February.

Bay Area residents can find out if a Winter Spare the Air Alert is in effect by:

  • Signing up for NEW text alerts! It’s easy - to sign up, text the word “START” to the number 817-57
  • Calling 1-877-4NO-BURN
  • Visiting www.sparetheair.org or www.baaqmd.gov
  • Signing up for automatic e-mail AirAlerts at www.sparetheair.org
  • Signing up for automatic phone alerts by calling 1-800-430-1515
  • Downloading the Spare the Air iPhone or Android app

First-time violators of the Wood Burning Rule have the option of taking a wood smoke awareness course to learn more about the health impacts of wood smoke and about the weather conditions that lead to unhealthy air quality in the winter. Those violators who choose not to take the course will receive a $100 ticket. Second violations are subject to a $500 ticket, with the ticket amount increasing for any subsequent violations.

Exposure to wood smoke has been linked to serious respiratory illnesses and even increased risk of heart attacks. Like cigarette smoke, wood smoke contains many hazardous substances, such as particulate matter and carbon monoxide, which make the air harmful to breathe. Wood smoke pollution from fireplaces builds up inside homes as well as in yards and neighborhoods. The fine particulate pollution in wood smoke is especially harmful for children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions.

The Air District’s Wood Burning Rule also contains year-round prohibitions on excessive smoke and the burning of garbage, plastic, wood pallets and other harmful materials like junk mail in fireplaces and woodstoves. Residents concerned about wood smoke pollution may call 1-877-4NO-BURN or visit www.baaqmd.gov to file a complaint or to get more information.

Tech Innovators Needed ad

Air District Seeks New Technologies to Combat Climate Change

The Air District is opening a search for innovative and “disruptive” technologies that can help combat climate change and improve air quality in the Bay Area. 

The Air District’s new Technology Implementation Office will assess emerging technologies for their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from stationary air pollution sources such as gas stations, buildings, energy producers, landfills, refineries and other industrial facilities.

This effort will enable the Air District to direct incentive money, grants or other potential resources to accelerate the entry of commercially available technologies into the mainstream. It will help direct current and future Air District grant programs.

The Air District is asking companies, non-profits, research organizations and other interested parties to submit information about technologies that have been successfully piloted in a commercial setting. Technologies may include - but are not limited to - equipment, software, smart/connected technologies or other innovations that reduce use of non-renewable energy, reduce emissions or optimize energy efficiency.

Those who submit information may be eligible for project-based financing and may have access to the Air District’s network of technology partners.

To submit information, interested parties can fill out an online form. The deadline to submit is December 15, 2017.

Innovative Clean Air Projects

Air District Offers $250,000 in Community Grants

The Air District’s Board of Directors has set aside $250,000 to fund community grants through the James Cary Smith Community Grant Program for fiscal year ending 2018.

This grant program will fund locally based projects designed to reduce and mitigate air pollution impacts, while encouraging and increasing community education and engagement. Grants are intended to enable non-governmental community-based organizations to implement projects that increase education, outreach and leadership regarding air quality improvement issues. Grants will also fund mitigation projects and community-based participatory air quality research.

Grant proposals will need to demonstrate a focus in one or more of the program areas: education and engagement, air-pollution impact mitigation projects, or community/citizen science air quality projects. The Air District will award grants of up to $25,000 for project implementation. Small grants of up to $1,000 are also available to Bay Area teachers for in-classroom support for on-going air science related projects or curriculum application.

Project applicants are asked to submit a 2-3-page project description including the research intent, a list of intended partners, a proposed budget and a timeline with proposed milestones.

For all grants, priority will be given to applications that clearly meet the Air District’s mission and align with key ongoing research interests of the Air District, as well as projects proposed for areas with high concentrations of air pollution.

Applications are now being accepted. The deadline for applications is December 1, 2017.

A Community Grant Program webinar will be held on Thursday, November 9, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. where prospective applicants can ask questions about their proposals.

For further information about the webinar and application process, please visit the James Cary Smith Community Grant Program web page.

YES Conference 2018 Logo

Air District Invites Students to Attend YES Conference

Students throughout the nine Bay Area counties will come together to discuss transportation, clean air, climate change and a healthy San Francisco Bay Area at the fifth annual Youth for the Environment and Sustainability (YES) Conference, scheduled for Saturday, February 24, 2018, at Laney College in Oakland. 

The free day-long regional conference will bring together middle- and high-school students who are passionate about alternative transportation and are spearheading efforts in their communities to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion.

Conference organizers are encouraging students to register for the event, as well as to get involved with development of content by signing up to present their own school or community efforts. Students, teen leaders, teachers and youth advisors can submit proposals to make a presentation, lead or participate in a panel discussion or guide an interactive session.

At the upcoming conference, all students who attend will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, participate in workshops, and share stories from their schools and communities about how youth can lead the way in promoting safe and healthy communities. Participants will learn how they can take advantage of alternatives like bicycling, walking, public transit and neighborhood carpooling to promote stronger communities and a cleaner planet.

There is no cost to attend the conference and breakfast and lunch will be provided. Parents and teachers are welcome. Students must have their parents’ or guardians' permission to attend.

The YES Conference presentation proposals will be accepted until January 10, 2018 and the conference registration deadline is February 16, 2018.

Conference updates and related sustainability opportunities and resources are being posted to the Youth for the Environment and Sustainability Facebook page.

For complete conference details and registration information, visit the Spare the Air Youth website.

Vehicle Buyback

Air District Expands Vehicle Buy Back Program

In October, the Air District expanded participation in the Vehicle Buy Back Program to include eligible model-year 1996 vehicles and older. Previously, only 1994 and older vehicles were accepted. 

Residents with these older, highly polluting vehicles registered to an address within the Air District’s nine-county jurisdiction that meet all program requirements are eligible to receive $1,000 to voluntarily retire them.

Eligibility requirements for the Vehicle Buy Back Program include:

  • Vehicle must be 1996 model year or older
  • Vehicle must be currently registered as operable and must be drivable
  • Vehicle must have been registered in the Bay Area for the past 24 months
  • Vehicles within 60 days of a required smog check must take and pass the smog check

The State of California operates a related program for vehicles that do not pass smog check.

A complete list of program eligibility requirements is available at: www.baaqmd.gov/vbb. The program’s two approved auto dismantlers, listed below, can also help to determine a vehicle’s eligibility.

  • Environmental Engineering Services
    Phone: (855) 343-7314
  • Pick-N-Pull
    (800) 727-2708

Vehicles registered in the Bay Area can be taken to any of the 17 program dismantler locations in the region that are currently operated by either Environmental Engineering Services or Pick-N-Pull.

Since 1996, the Vehicle Buy Back program has retired more than 78,000 vehicles.  Among the air pollutants reduced by the Vehicle Buy Back Program are fine particles and ozone, the main ingredient in smog.  These pollutants contribute to respiratory diseases and increased mortality rates.  This program also reduces greenhouse gases - primarily carbon dioxide, the principal gas responsible for climate change.

Industrial Facility

Air District Settles Case with Chemtrade West US LLC

In August, the Air District announced the settlement of a case against Chemtrade West US LLC for air pollution violations at its chemical plant in Richmond. As a result of this settlement, Chemtrade will pay $135,000 in civil penalties.   

Chemtrade supplies various chemical products to industry, such as sulfuric acid, which is a byproduct of refining crude oil.

The settlement covers notices of violation issued for non-compliance at the operation between the years 2009 and 2014.

Chemtrade acquired the facility in January 2014 from its predecessor, General Chemical West, LLC. Many of the violations addressed occurred during General Chemical’s ownership of the facility. Some of the violations were uncovered during a voluntary audit conducted by Chemtrade after it purchased the facility, and others were discovered by the Air District.

The notices of violation included citations for the unpermitted loading of alkylation acid from storage tanks into trucks on 18 days, resulting in potential sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid, and precursor organic compound emissions. To prevent recurrence, Chemtrade removed the loading arm so that materials can no longer be unlawfully loaded at that source.

Other notices of violation covered the failure to use back-up abatement devices when sulfuric acid was loaded into tanks, failure to verify the proper operation of the same abatement devices, failure to use an emergency back-up abatement device to prevent sulfur dioxide emissions, and certain monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting violations.

The violations that led to this settlement have been corrected. All settlement funds will be used to fund Air District work, such as the inspection and enforcement actions that led to this settlement.

Spare the Air Logo

Take the Spare the Air Website Redesign Survey

We’re hitting refresh on our Spare the Air website. Be part of our redesign and new look for SparetheAir.org by sharing your feedback through our quick survey, and enter our drawing for prizes!

Grant Funds

Air District Offers Millions in Grants

Charge! Program – Up to $5 million is available to public and non-public entities that deploy new, qualifying electric vehicle charging stations at transportation corridors, workplaces, multi-family-unit dwellings, park and rides, and key destinations.  Applications are being accepted on a first-come, first served basis until March 9, 2018, or until funds are exhausted. www.baaqmd.gov/charge

Carl Moyer Program – More than $16 million is available for projects that upgrade or replace eligible diesel equipment, including on-road trucks, off-road equipment, marine engines, agricultural equipment, locomotives, and electric charging and alternative fueling infrastructure. Applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds are awarded.  www.baaqmd.gov/moyer

Lower-Emission School Bus Program - Funding is available for public school districts, JPAs, and contracted fleets in the Bay Area for bus replacement, engine repower or electric conversion, natural gas tank replacement, and electric charging and alternative fueling infrastructure projects. Applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds are awarded.  www.baaqmd.gov/lesbp

Vehicle Buyback Program –The Vehicle Buy Back Program will pay Bay Area residents $1,000 to turn in their operable, registered, older vehicle for scrapping.  Eligible vehicles include those that are model year 1996 and older.  www.baaqmd.gov/vbb

Residential Wood Smoke Reduction Incentive Program - This program provides funding to eligible Bay Area homeowners to help offset a portion of the cost to replace older, more highly polluting fireplaces or wood-burning stoves with qualifying cleaner qualifying heating devices including electric heat pumps, and natural gas or propane heating stoves and inserts. Funding is also available to help homeowners decommission their working fireplaces and wood stoves by permanently taking them out of service. Funding is limited to homes located in eligible areas: Air District designated highly impacted and high wood smoke areas.  www.baaqmd.gov/woodsmokegrant

Coming soon!

Pilot Trip Reduction Program – This program will begin accepting applications in December 2018 and up to $3 million will be awarded to projects sponsored by public agencies that pilot new, innovative, and replicable solutions that reduce commute-hour, single occupancy vehicle trips.  Funding is limited to projects that are conducted in eligible areas: Priority Development Areas and Air District designated highly impacted areas.  www.baaqmd.gov/grant-funding/public-agencies/pilot-trip-reduction-program

Light- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emissions Vehicle Program – This program will begin accepting applications in early 2018 and up to $5 million will be available for projects sponsored by public and non-public entities who purchase qualifying new zero-emissions heavy-duty trucks and buses and/or three or more qualifying new zero-emissions light-duty cars and trucks.  www.baaqmd.gov/HDZEV

 

Air District Events

November

San Jose Fall Home Show – San Jose
November 4-5 

Ashland Cherryland FamFest - San Leandro
November 18

Bay Area Air Quality Management District
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