HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7293 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7293 p . 1
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 14 , 1988
Subject: CLEAN AIR UPDATE
On March 1 , 1988, an update on the air pollution program was presented
to Council in I. R. No. 7263. Since that time much has happened on the
Clean Air front in the areas of SIP review and legislation.
EPA Administrator Lee Thomas has stated that economic sanctions would
not be imposed in the Tarrant/Dallas region. The cooperative efforts
exhibited by Fort Worth officials and other governments, agencies and
industries in the region on the Corrective SIP greatly contributed to
this decision.
Although the Corrective SIP has not yet been fully approved due to
insufficient inventory emissions data, there is every expectation that
approval will follow upon EPA's review of the data.
Recently the EPA contacted governors of 44 states, including Texas, and
announced its intent to require areas which did not meet the ozone
and/or carbon monoxide attainment levels to make a Phase I SIP call .
Areas classified as non-attainment will be required to correct
discrepancies between their approved SIPS and EPA's (new) guidance
document to satisfy any unimplemented commitments to adopt control
measures and to begin updating base year emissions inventories for the
defined planning area. Additionally, EPA will identify those areas
which failed to meet the December 31 , 1987, deadline for attainment of
ozone and/or carbon monoxide levels and place those areas into
categories of Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Areas (CMSA's) .
The counties of Tarrant and Dallas will be included with Parker,
Johnson, Denton, Kaufman, Rockwall , Ellis and Collin counties to form a
CMSA.
REGULATIONS AND LEGISLATION
At the end of March, the City submitted comments to EPA's proposed
post-87 policymaking regarding SIPS. Although this policy has not yet
cleared the Presidential Office of Management and Budget, EPA proposes
to implement the provisions of the policy as soon as possible
regardless of any new changes to the Federal Clean Air Act.
The movement of new clean air legislation through Congress is still
labored. The Group of Nine legislative proposal is still the document
which appears to present the most workable solution. This proposal
should be available in legislative form by the time this report is
presented. As soon as the proposal is available, the Department of Law
and Health Department staff will review it and make appropriate
comments.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 729 p • 2
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cos saar,�� To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 1 4 , 1988
Subject: CLEAN AIR UPDATE
It should be noted that recently Congressman Henry Waxman of California
presented his version of the Group of Nine proposal with
modifications. Upon review of that document, staff found that the
modifications overshadowed the proposal and that such a document would
not be in the best interests of the City. At the state level , the
Governor's Office held a meeting on Wednesday, June 1 , 1988. Al l
non-attainment areas were invited to attend and discuss their concerns
about future federal clean air legislation. Councilman Garrison, Rick
Hay, Environmental Health Manager; and D'Metria Benson from the
Department of Law attended. Representatives from major cities were
there, as well as representatives from county governments and private
industry. The purpose of the meeting was to try and reach a consensus
for future federal clean air legislation which Texas congressional
representatives could support in Congress. Due to the disparity in
levels of awareness on the issue, no consensus was reached. However a
broader communications network was established and materials were
disseminated to all participants providing input from those areas most
up-to-date on the issue.
OIL FUTURE ACTION
1 . Another meeting of the non-attainment areas will be held soon to
reach a consensus position for the State of Texas.
2. All new and existing proposals for amendment of the Clean Air Act
will be reviewed and monitored to determine its effects on Fort Worth.
3. Public hearings regarding Regulation V proposed by the Texas Air
Control Board to meet EPA requirements will be held later this month in
the City Council Chamber. Health Department staff will make comments
the proposed regulation.
Additional information on this issue will be provided upon request.
6^ Douglas Harman
City Manager
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ISSUER BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS---