Air Quality Public Advisory Committee (AQPAC)

Joan RohlfsChief, Air Quality Planning

Metropolitan Washington Council of GovernmentsJanuary 26, 2009

www. mwcog.org/environment/airquality/AQPAC

Overview

• Organizational Context,History and Mission

• Accomplishments

• New Bylaws, Expanded Mission

• Member Appointment, Schedule

METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS

(250+ Local, State, and Federal Government Elected Officials)

INDEPENDENT POLICY BOARDS

National Capital Region Transportation

Planning Board

COG Board of Directors

Metropolitan Washington Air

Quality Committee

Policy Committees*

Aviation Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources

Human Services and Public Safety

MetropolitanDevelopment

Public/Private Partnerships

Clean Air PartnersGreater Washington 2050

Metropolitan Washington Alternative Fuels Clean Cities PartnershipNational Capital Region Emergency Preparedness Council

Washington Area Housing Partnership

Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee (MWAQC)Chair: Hon.Phil Mendelson

Council of District of Columbia

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)Chair: Tom Ballou

VDEQ

ConformitySubcommittee

Local Government Initiatives

Chair: Mike Zamore MNCPPC-MD

Air Quality Public AdvisoryCommittee (AQPAC)

Chair: TBD

Clean Air PartnersChair: Tracye Funn

Washington Gas

MWAQC ExecutiveCommittee

InventorySubcommitteeChair: Brian Hug

MDE

AttainmentSubcommittee

Chair: Tom BallouVDEQ

MWAQC Organizational Structure 2009National Capital Region

Transportation Planning Board (TPB)Chair: Charles Jenkins

Frederick County Bd of CommissionersInterstate Air Quality Council (IAQC)

Chair: George Hawkins, Director, DC Department of Environment

Budget Subcommittee

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

MWAQC Created

The Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee conducts air quality planning for the Washington nonattainmentregion.

MWAQC Bylaws

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

Members of MWAQC

DC

Virginia Maryland

Local Governments

[Counties and Cities]

MWAQC

Air Quality Planning

MWAQC approves air quality plans (SIPs) for MD,

VA, DC

Jurisdictions submit

SIP to EPA

EPA approves

SIP

MWAQC revises SIP

as necessary

AQPAC Mission

• Facilitate dialogue among diverse interest groups, the community and MWAQC

• Advise MWAQC in development of air quality and climate change plans, policies

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 MWAQC’s discretion

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

AQPAC Activities

• Comment on air quality and climate change issues, plans and policies– Air Quality Plans (“SIPs”), COG’s Climate

Change Report, Power plant permits affecting Washington region, public hearing schedule, attainment modeling, transportation issues

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

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

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, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

• AQPAC usually meets the week before MWAQC

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

Further Information:www.mwcog/publications

Washington, DC-MD-VA State Implementation Plans

National Capital Region Climate

Change Report (11/12/08)