HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7907 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7907
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April 4, 1995
6t�mn To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
A
TEXAS. Subject: CITY OF FORT WORTH OZONE REDUCTION/OPERATION GUIDANCE
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In 1990, amendments were added to the Clean Air Act which placed the City of Fort Worth into
one of eighty-nine ozone non-attainment zones located across the United States. Due to our
"moderate" pollution level, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given the Non-
attainment area of Tarrant, Collin, Dallas and Denton Counties until the end of 1996 to voluntarily
bring the ozone level into attainment. If the area does not attain compliance, stringent federal
mandates and sanctions will be levied.
In 1993, in an effort to help this area come into attainment, the North Texas Commission, the Fort
Worth and Dallas Chambers of Commerce, the T and DART devised the Ozone Alert Program,
a system to notify the area's businesses, industries and citizens of the times when the formation
of high levels of ozone was probable. Since 1993, the City of Fort Worth has actively embraced
the concept of the Ozone Alert. In both 1993 and 1994, the City developed and implemented
written plans to identify those aspects of City.operation which had the potential of forming ground
level ozone or its precursors. As 1996 approaches and the potential for achievement of ozone
attainment hangs in the balance, the City of Fort Worth, as the 8th largest employer in Tarrant
County with approximately 5000 employees expanded its Ozone policy making it a model to be
benchmarked against within this non-attainment area and nationwide.
The 1995 City of Fort Worth Ozone Reduction/Operation Guideance was developed by a City
cross functional team represented by empowered departmental employees and facilitated by the
Department of Environmental Management. In preparing this guidance, the policies of 1993 and
1994 were reviewed and expanded upon. Each departmental representative was tasked to
inventory their departmental activities and identify those functions which produced, or had the
potential of producing, ozone precursor emissions and the time in which these emissions may be
produced. Following a review of the inventories, activities were ranked to determine which could
be altered as compared to the level of service provided to the citizens of Fort Worth (a pseudo
cost/benefit analysis).
The resultant document identifies those actions the City as a whole and each department will
implement during ozone season, on ozone alert days and year round to curtail the formation of
ozone. Please be aware that even though City Secretary, Economic Development, Employment
and Training, Fiscal Services, Human Relations, Personnel and Public Events are not specifically
listed within the departmental guideline, the completion of their duties allows them to participate
in this program through the aspects of the City Wide Guideline as well as the alternate work
schedules and the Employee Trip Reduction Program.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
` .
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7907
'Alf April 4, 1995
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Page 2 of 2
Subject: CITY OF FORT WORTH OZONE REDUCTION/OPERATION GUIDANCE
As a policy statement, this document is dynamic in nature. If a proposed action needs to be
altered so that a service to a citizen is realized but the protection to the air quality is maintained,
then that change may be implemented. Implementation of this guideance will begin immediately.
However, the concepts of the alternative work schedule and the Employee Trip Reduction
Program will require additional time to plan and implement. Council will be updated as these
programs are designed and implemented.
Should additional information be required or if there are any questions, please contact Charles
Boswell at extension 8511 or Brian Boerner at extension 6107.
G"
Bob Terrell
City Manager
Attacbment
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
CITY OF FORT WORTH
OZONE REDUCTION/OPERATION GUIDELINES
I. INTRODUCTION
In 1990, amendments were added to the Federal Clean Air Act which set guidelines for air
quality throughout the United States. Tarrant, Collin, Denton and Dallas Counties have been
designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a "moderate" non-attainment area.
This classification is due to the fact that the level of ozone in our atmosphere has, at times,
exceeded the designated .120 parts per million standard which is considered the threshold when
air quality becomes a threat to human health.
The formation of ozone results when volatile organic compounds (VOCs), emissions from
passenger vehicles and small gasoline powered engines and other chemicals interact with the
oxygen in the atmosphere and "bake" for approximately 6 hours in the hot, windless Texas
afternoons. Based on previous experiences, it is estimated that these conditions may exist
between 10 and 20 times each summer. Typically, the season when ozone is most likely to
occur is between May and September, with 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. being the critical time of
ozone formation each day.
Besides the obvious health related effects of ozone, within a non-attainment area there are
federally mandated restrictions on the growth of business. If attainment is not achieved, even
stricter mandates may be applied, including, but not limited to, the loss of federal highway
funds, travel restrictions, employee trip reduction programs and other mandated transportation
related programs.
The attached document outline those steps each department individually, as well as the City as
a whole, have proposed to implement to help in the reduction of this non-attainment area's ozone
level. In preparing this plan two philosophies of air pollution reduction surfaced; 1) how it is
produced and 2) when it is produced. When delineating the precursor chemicals to ozone
formation, it has been demonstrated that the majority of the ozone within our non-attainment
area is the result of the release of VOCs and gasoline engine emissions into the air. When we
examine how the ozone is formed, common sense tells us that to reduce ozone we must reduce
what makes the ozone. So, in identifying activities which would eliminate or reduce the level
of ozone, we have tried to eliminate, reduce or shift the time of use of those materials which
form ozone. Secondly, if we can alter our operation so that we eliminate these chemicals year
round, that is best. However, some operations are especially sensitive to providing effective
service to Fort Worth citizens and are therefore curtailed only during the season when ozone is
most likely to form (i.e. daylight savings time). Similarly, ozone generating functions which
are critical to City operations will be curtailed only on days pre-identified as a day likely to
exceed the federal ozone standard, an Ozone Alert Day.
City of Fort Worth
Ozone Reduction/Operation Guidelines Page I
........................
II OZONE ALERT NOTIFICATION
In 1993, the Fort Worth and Dallas Chambers of Commerce, the North Texas Clean Air
Coalition and the North Central Texas Council of Governments devised a plan to inform area
businesses, governments and the private citizen of those days when the potential of forming high
levels of ozone is greatest. This system has been designed so that, once notified, everyone can
alter their normal routine in ways to reduce those activities which contribute to the ozone
problem.
The Ozone Alert Program within the City of Fort Worth is designed to operate as follows:
On those days when it is anticipated that ozone may form at levels which exceed the level set
within the Clean Air Act, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), in
coordination with the National Weather Service, will issue an Ozone Alert by 3:00 p.m. on the
afternoon prior to the alert day. The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has
been identified as the official point of notification for the City of Fort Worth. DEM staff will
notify all departments via voice mail or direct calls. Each department/division/section will be
responsible for their intra-departmental notification.
GUIDELINE TABLE USAGE
The tables included in sections III and IV delineate those activities which will be attempted by
the City as a whole or by each department individually either year round, during the ozone
season (for our purposes described as daylight savings time) or on Ozone Alert Days
exclusively. These guidelines are dynamic and will be expanded or reduced as effectiveness is
evaluated.
City of Fort Worth
Ozone Reduction/Operation Guidelines Page 2
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rP V. OZONE POLICY ISSUES
Following the implementation of the City's Ozone Reduction/Operation Guidelines, efforts will
need to be made by the Fort Worth City Council, City Staff and the Citizens of Fort Worth to
address activities which can be implemented, curtailed or altered to result in the ultimate
reduction of the Ozone Precursors. Examples of some of these policy issues could include:
1. Discuss with the President and Board of City of Fort Worth Employees Credit Union the
possibility of delaying its hours of operation until 10 am. To help compensate
employees, coordinate the installation of ATMs in various City facilities so that off site
banking can be accomplished.
2. Pursue the development of cable/fiber optic loop connecting City Facilities to promote
video conferencing, training, etc., to reduce employee's needs to come to City Hall
personally.
3. Evaluate the need for interoffice mail originals (hard copies), shift work to 'phone, e-
mail, VoiceMail, fax, file transfer and reduce mail pickup to 2-3 times per week.
4. Evaluate the feasibility of changing current City Hall Business hours from 8-5 to 9-6 or
10-7 during ozone season.
�rrl 5. Pursue changing the start time of all public meetings (Pre-council, Council, BOA,
Zoning, Etc.) to start after 1:30 p.m.
Another important aspect in reducing the emissions which cause ozone and ultimately achieving
compliance with the Ozone Standard is altering the work schedules of City employees during
ozone season. While altering these work schedules, City officials need to be cognizant of the
fact that a significant number of employees must be present to serve the public. Some ways in
which City employees work schedules can be altered include:
1. Shift time: With this method, 50% of a department's employees are assigned a work
schedule which runs the standard 8-5 while the remainder of employees shift their time
schedules to 10:30-7:30. By doing this the pre 10 am emission production is reduced by
50% and the City offers extended hours for its services. The down side of this proposal
involves employee relations with day care providers, additional meal breaks, etc.
2. 4/10 Week: This concept involves working a 40 hour week in 4 days creating an
additional day in which fewer auto emissions are contributing to the problem. To cover
the potential problem of providing service 5 days a week, again the work pool is divided
in half with the first group working Monday to Thursday and the second group working
Tuesday to Friday. Benefits to this program include extended service hours; however,
City of Fort Worth
Ozone Reduction/Operation Guidelines Page 14
day care could be a concern.
3. 8/9+8: Similar to a 4/10 week but in a two week period a worker will work eight 9
hour days and an 8 hour day to get their 80 hours per pay period. The extra day is
treated as an off day. Can be used for salaried individual workers only.
Overtime/Undertime problem exists with hourly workers in reference to the Fair Labor
Standards Act. Again a split work crew would be required to implement this program.
4. Telecommuting: Allowing an employee to work out of their house for at least one
scheduled day a week or on ozone alert days. This method requires significant pre-
planning on the part of the employee and their supervisor. Some hardware investments
will be required of the City in the form of modem accessibility downtown for home
computers, laptop computer availability for those persons with no home computer. This
method requires planning by the department/division heads to ensure that employees are
available in the office to conduct daily business. Work schedule is a standard 8 hour
day.
These suggested alternative work schedules have the potential of reducing the amount of
emissions by 10% or more. As defined, each program still allows a continuation of an 80-hour
pay period for accounting purposes therefore not disrupting a payroll cycle. While this is an
important and effective way for the City to help in the effort to reach ozone attainment, the
coordination and implementation of each program will need to be performed on a department
by department basis so that both the needs of the City as well as those of the employee are met.
A final aspect to the ozone reduction/attainment concept is the reduction of those emissions
which we produce in getting the City's employees to and from work. Employee trip reduction
involves utilizing carpool, vanpool and other mass transit concepts to allow an employee
transportation to their place of employment while reducing the number of vehicle on the street.
A policy outline for the Employee Trip Reduction Program is one which will be in development
well through the beginning of ozone season. Some fiscal planning may be involved due to the
need of some funding requirements for this program. Delineated below are some aspect to be
considered in an employee trip reduction program.
City of Fort Worth
Ozone Reduction/Operation Guidelines Page 15
THE CITY OF FORT WORTH EMPLOYEE TRIP REDUCTION
PROGRAM
POLICY DEVELOPMENT STATEMENT
A. IDENTIFICATION AND EDUCATION
In the Fall of 1994, the City of Fort Worth sent out rideshare/mass transit questionnaires to all
employees concerning mass transit and ride share opportunities. Of approximately 5000
questionnaires distributed only 500 were returned for processing. The City will be reattempting
this survey early in 1995 with hopefully better results. Additionally, the T has agreed to sponsor
several transportation fairs at appropriate city facilities to help facilitate the education of the
employees.
B: IMPLEMENTATION
Getting an individual to abandon their car for the mass transit option, though, is a lifestyle
change that has met with much resistance. As a result, many entities have found it necessary
to offer "incentives" to entice its employees into making the transportation reduction lifestyle
change. Incentives designed to increase employee awareness to trip reduction strategies include
monetary, time off or the affordance of a better working situation. Some potential aspects of
an employee trip reduction program are as follows.
1. Incentives given to those who use public transportation. Potential incentives include:
Reduced Fares - The City will subsidize the monthly pass of its employees who
choose to utilize public transportation. Monthly passes will be utilized at a level
greater than that of single use passes.
Shorter Work Days - For those persons who utilize public transportation,
allowances will be made to allow the employee to work a shorter schedule,
without penalty, to facilitate a system for a person to catch a bus.
2. Incentives given to those who carpool or vanpool. Potential incentives include:
Shorter Work Days- For those persons who carpool or vanpool, allowances will
be made to allow the employee to work a shorter schedule, without penalty, to
facilitate a system for a person to meet with their travel group.
Free, close-in, preferential parking - For those persons who are members of a
certifiable carpool or vanpool, their parking cost will be subsidized by the City.
In addition, this parking will be close to the employees place of work and
preferable as a parking space (e.g. the City Garage).
Ride credit - For those persons who are members of a certifiable carpool or
vanpool, each day that a person participates allows them to earn a credit. The
accumulation of these credits can be traded for paid time off, free lunches etc.
City of Fort Worth
Ozone Reduction/Operation Guidelines Page 16
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Similarly, the incentive of mass transit could be as simple as its availability to City employees.
As such the City will work with the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T) to plan routes,
regular and express, which will be available to an increased population of City Workers. For
those employees who live outside the T's service area, park and ride lots will be promoted and
developed.
For those employees who utilize alternate forms of transportation to their place of work, the
incentive would come in the form of increased support for their form of transportation.
Similarly, the City would work with the T to allow for the utilization of a bike/bus trail
interaction.
r .
City of Fort Worth
Ozone Reduction/Operation Guidelines Page 17
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