HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8182 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY JNCIL MEMBERS No. 8182
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
April 6, 1999
0X . Subject:
Im 1999 Ozone Program
Effective March 20, 1998, the Environmental Protection Agency reclassified the Dallas/Fort Worth area
from a moderate to a serious non-attainment area with regards to ozone. In order to assist the Fort
Worth area in the mitigation of ozone, the Department of Environmental Management has, for the past
several years, been heavily involved in raising City employee comprehension of this problem during the
ozone season, May 1 through October 31. To address the ozone problem, a committee of
departmental representatives developed an incentive program for all city employees who participate on
Ozone Action Days.
Over the years, the City's Department of Environmental Management has received comments from
citizens wondering what the City is doing regarding air quality within the City structure as well as the
community. This year the air quality awareness campaign will be expanded to include the downtown
Fort Worth area and the hospital district (Fort Worth South, Inc.).
"Care For Cowtown Air" Program
The "Care for Cowtown Air" Program is designed to expand the City's air quality educational and
awareness campaign to include downtown businesses and the hospital district (Fort Worth South, Inc.),
thereby increasing the awareness within the City of Fort Worth. In -Fort Worth/ Dallas, approximately
60% of the ozone forming pollution comes from vehicle emissions. The focus of this program will be on
the reduction of vehicle emissions through proper vehicle maintenance. We will also encourage
businesses to start internal ozone incentive programs with their employees. The "Care For Cowtown "
Program will tie into the Fort Worth 150 theme and celebrations by listing the event on the Fort Worth
150 web site and displaying Fort Worth 150 items at the kick-off event.
The kick-off event for the 1999 ozone season will be held Friday, April 30 from 11:30 a.m. — 2:30 p.m.
on Main Street between Third and Fourth streets. The event is designed to attract citizens during their
lunch breaks and to increase their awareness of ozone season and ways they can — "Care for
Cowtown Air." The focus of the event will be on how proper vehicle maintenance can help significantly
reduce ozone-forming pollution and save money.
Planned kick-off activities include several interactive displays such as a technician giving vehicle
maintenance tips, environmental educational activities, display booths, and live country & western,
bands.
The proposed program budget for the kick off event and promotional and educational materials is
$13,960. Funding for the program will be a combination of donated funds, comp Liment ry sgry and
the State air contract in the Grants Fund.
City of Fort Worth Employee Program
"M
The internal City of Fort Worth Employee Education/Incentive program e yee
participation in ozone reducing strategies. As a means of reducing emissions, each employee is
encouraged to use mass transit, bring sack lunches or walk to lunch, car or van pool, telecommute,
utilize flex time work options/4-day work week options or Direct Deposit during ozone season. Directors
must pre-approve employee ozone actions and incentives for their individual departments.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY „�'JNCIL MEMBERS No. R1 Rg
ox To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
April 6, 1999
Page 2 of 2
van Subject: 1999 Ozone Program
The incentives offered by the City to employees include a seven-dollar ($7.00) per month subsidy for the
purchase of bus passes. Employees who car/van pool can receive preferred parking or one hour of
leave time for each five days that they car/van pool. Participating employee names are entered into
prize drawings. This year there will be two citywide drawings instead of the monthly prize drawings.
One will be held in August and the other at the end of the ozone season in November. At each drawing
first prize will be a travel gift certificate and second prize will be a department store gift certificate.
During the 1998 ozone season, 1,150 (20%) percent of City employees participated in the program with
an average of thirty (30) employees purchasing bus passes each month. This year it is hoped that the
City will achieve equal or greater participation.
Funding for the estimated $6,500.00 in expenditures for the City's internal incentives program will be
from the State air contract in the Grants Fund.
Bob Terrell
City Manager
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ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS