Air Quality Public Advisory Committee AQPAC

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Air Quality Public Advisory Committee (AQPAC)

• Joan Rohlfs
• Chief, Air Quality Planning
• Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
• January 26, 2009

www. mwcog.org/environment/airquality/AQPAC
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Overview

• Organizational Context,History and Mission
• Accomplishments
• New Bylaws, Expanded Mission
• Member Appointment, Schedule

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METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF
GOVERNMENTS (250 Local, State, and Federal
Government Elected Officials)

• Public/Private Partnerships
• Clean Air Partners
• Greater Washington 2050
• Metropolitan Washington Alternative Fuels Clean
  Cities Partnership
• National Capital Region Emergency Preparedness
  Council
• Washington Area Housing Partnership

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MWAQC Organizational Structure 2009
National Capital Region Transportation Planning
Board (TPB) Chair Charles Jenkins Frederick
County Bd of Commissioners
Interstate Air Quality Council (IAQC) Chair
George Hawkins, Director, DC Department of
Environment
Budget Subcommittee
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MWAQC Created in 1992

• Section 174 of CAA
• Certified by Mayor of the District of Columbia
  and governors of MD and VA
• Purpose to prepare regional air quality plans to
  meet federal health standards for ozone and
  carbon monoxide
• (2004) Revised Purpose prepare regional air
  quality plans for new ozone and fine particle
  standards

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MWAQC Created
The Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee
conducts air quality planning for the Washington
nonattainment region.
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MWAQC Bylaws

• Develop and maintain a public participation and
  education program and collaborate with other
  public air quality efforts as appropriate.

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Members of MWAQC
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Air Quality Planning
MWAQC approves air quality plans (SIPs) for MD,
VA, DC
MWAQC revises SIP as necessary
EPA approves SIP
Jurisdictions submit SIP to EPA
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AQPAC Mission

• Facilitate dialogue among diverse interest
  groups, the community and MWAQC
• Advise MWAQC in development of air quality and
  climate change plans, policies

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Membership

• MWAQC appoints individuals to represent elements
  of the community, seeking a balance among them
  and a geographic balance
• Terms 3 years, staggered
• Term limit 2 three-year terms, but may be longer
  at MWAQCs discretion

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Election of Officers

• Nominating Committee nominates individuals for
  chair and vice chair
• Slate is announced 10 days before election
• Election takes place in February
• Nominations can be made from the floor

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AQPAC Activities

• Comment on air quality and climate change issues,
  plans and policies
• Air Quality Plans (SIPs), COGs Climate Change
  Report, Power plant permits affecting Washington
  region, public hearing schedule, attainment
  modeling, transportation issues

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Air Quality Issues 2009

• Designation for 2008 ozone standard
• Request for redesignation, 1997 fine particle
  standard
• Transportation conformity analyses
• Greenhouse gas emissions inventories
• Control measures for ozone, PM, GHG

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Climate Change Issues 2009

• COG Structure for addressing climate change
  issues
• Develop plan for achieving 10 reduction in GHG
  by 2012
• Outreach and education program for climate change
• Measuring regional progress

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MWAQC Appointment Process

• MWAQC will appoint AQPAC members on January 28
• Staff will notify all applicants on Jan. 29
• The first AQPAC meeting is Feb. 23
• AQPAC meets on Mondays, 530 pm 730 pm
• AQPAC usually meets the week before MWAQC

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DEP AQ CC Staff

• Stuart Freudberg, Director, Dept. Environmental
  Programs
• Joan Rohlfs, Chief, AQ Planning
• Jeff King, Senior Environmental Planner
• Sunil Kumar, Senior Environmental Engineer
• Jen Desimone, Environmental Planner

www. mwcog.org/environment/air quality/AQPAC
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Further Informationwww.mwcog/publications

• Washington, DC-MD-VA State Implementation Plans
• National Capital Region Climate
• Change Report (11/12/08)