Regional AIR Quality

Program

Service Review December 12, 2016

Outline

• Background

• Current Picture

• Value for investment

• Options for RDCO

• Evaluation of current and future needs

• Recommendations

Background

RDCO Strategic Priorities:

Strategic Priority 1 - Provide Proactive and Responsive Governance

Strategic Objectives:

• Ensure services are effective and efficient, to maximize benefit/cost

• Continuously look for and implement productivity improvements

Strategic Priority 2 - Protect and Promote Our Environment and Lifestyle

Strategic Objectives:

• Mitigate effects of Climate Change: flood, fire and drought

• Promote responsible environmental protection

• Retain and improve quality of life

3

Background

City of Kelowna’s Citizens Survey in 1999

1998 the Regional Board approved the terms of reference for a Central Okanagan Regional Air

Quality Committee

In 1999, the Regional District approved bylaw

830

Local agreements were signed with City of

Kelowna, Lake Country and WFN

January 16, 2014 the Board approved a

Service Establishment Bylaw Review Schedule

(5 years)

2014- WFN signed AQ agreement

2016-All municipalities are part of the service

Background

Chronology Initiatives 1998-2015

1998

Backyard burning was prohibited throughout the Regional District (The City of Kelowna banned backyard burning in 1988).

The Venting Index (VI) was introduced. The VI determines if weather is forecast to disperse smoke out of the valley.

All wood waste over 8 inches in diameter must be dried for two years before burning it.

Outdoor burning permit holders must phone the Outdoor Burning Hotline to determine if weather conditions are favourable enough to disperse smoke out of

the valley.

Forest industry slash burning may only occur when weather is forecast to disperse smoke out of the valley.

2002

No burning is allowed during “fair” or “poor” air quality conditions. The Venting Index must also be good before burning is allowed.

Open burning on development sites was prohibited.

2004

The Agricultural Chipping Program was introduced. This is a free program for orchardists who are removing whole trees. Each year there is an average of 234

acres of trees removed in the Central Okanagan.

2005

Proactive bylaw enforcement of open burning regulations within the City of Kelowna began (all burn piles are inspected and permit holders are consulted).

2006

Outdoor burning permits are now required in some of the more rural areas of the Regional District such as North Westside, Ellison, Joe Rich and Wilson’s

Landing.

Venting Index requirements for open burning were increased to 65 (previously 55), which ensures better venting of smoke out of the valley.

2007

Air Management plan was created

New wood burning appliance installations must meet strict emission standards (i.e. CSA B415.1 or US EPA Code of Federal Regulation standards); Non emission

approved wood burning boilers and furnaces are not allowed to be installed; Burning unseasoned wood is illegal; Creating nuisance amounts of smoke is illegal;

Burning garbage is illegal.

2010

In 2010, the Regional Waste Reduction Office and the City of Kelowna set up a Commercial Diversion Program in response to a study that indicated

approximately 50% of solid waste from local businesses, institutions and multi-family properties could have been diverted. Education was followed up with

increased monitoring and scrutiny of loads and surcharges at the landfill.

2011

Anti-idling program including anti-idling street signs and decals, school based and corporate based campaigns (2011).

Open Burning Information Line (September 2011)

RDCO Bylaw No. 1066 now requires a venting index of 65 or greater and particulate matter (PM 2.5) concentration less than 15 µg/m3 for outdoor burning

(August 2011)

RDCO Regional Smoke Control Bylaw No. 773 (created 1998, amended 2011)

Municipal open burning bylaws: City of Kelowna, bylaw 10760; District of Lake Country, bylaw 612; District of Peachland, bylaw 1718; City of West Kelowna,

bylaw 0114; WFN Fire Protection Law No. 2005-11

2012

smartTRIPS neighborhood pilot program; engaged Pandosy neighborhood in sustainable transportation initiatives, with the goal of increasing biking, walking,

transit ridership, carpooling, and other smart options.

Community Energy and Emissions Plans / Climate Action Plans developed in Kelowna, Peachland and Lake County (draft) that include goals to reduce emissions

from transportation and improve transit and active transportation within their respective jurisdictions.

Outdoor Power Equipment Institute of Canada (OPEIC) Recycling Program drop off locations in Kelowna

2013-2014

smartTRIPS neighborhood pilot program Spring Valley

Start development of new Clean Air Strategy

2015-2016

Clean Air Strategy approved in principle by the Board

Integrated Clean Air Technical Committee- started discussion and specific strategies to reduce smoke in the Okanagan; Idling Control Bylaw

5

Table 1. Chronology of Air Quality Strategies (1995-2015)

• Multiple achievements since 1998 • Recently guided by 2 key plans:

• Air Quality Management Plan 2007

• Clean Air Strategy 2015

6

RDCO

Mission

Vision

RDCO Growth Strategy

Clean Air Strategy

Regional greenhouse

gas emissions are minimized

Citizens and visitors enjoy clear views of the region’s

stunning landscape

The health of citizens and

the environment is protected

Clean and healthy air for

current and future

generations

Background

Current Picture -Agricultural Chipping Program

7

501

237

564

832

339

719

902

416

702 670 692 721

607

0100200300400500600700800900

1000

2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004

Ton

s

Tons of Pollutants avoided per year due the Agricultural Wood Waste Project

Tons

29

33

25

41

54

10

14 11

14 13

2 4 6 6 7

1 1 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Orchards registered by Municipality 2012-2016

Kelowna

Lake Country

West Kelowna

Peachland

7,530

3,059

7,274

10,728

4,134

9,262

11,619

7,528

5,806

8,562 8,794 9,200

6,500

-

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004

Volume of Wood Chips (m3) by year 2004-2016

Volume of Wood Chips (m3)

Current Picture -Woodstove Exchange Program

8

Since 2001 - $180,000 Provincial funding - 688 exchanges - 44.2 tonnes avoided every year Kelowna

RDCO

1900 5400

3400 4400

Stoves Fireplaces & inserts

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20132014-2015

2016TotalRDCO392

Wood stove 62 57 61 51 29 21 8 7 296

Wood insert 0 0 0 8 7 6 3 2 26

Pellet 0 3 1 6 2 1 2 1 16

Electric 0 4 4 2 3 0 1 0 14

Gas 0 7 6 7 6 6 5 3 40

01020304050607080

Type of Exchanges in RDCO

Current Picture - Clean Air Safe Routes To School Program

9

Increased physical activity

Positive effect on children’s mental

health

Improved academic

performance

Improved children’s

safety

Reduce traffic congestion and

improve air quality

Clean Communities

Value for investment

10

$16,646,630

annual avoided

health costs and other impacts.

Annual benefits associate

with a 10% improvement

in PM2.5

Health Effects

Visibility

Public Complaints

Public support

Studies

1.5 million visitors to Kelowna

$279,000,000 in visitor spending

100,000,000 in Tax Revenues

Agricultural Chipping

11%

[CATEGORY NAME][PERCENTAGE]

Open burning

inquiry/concern 20%

Other 12%

Wood stove smoke

inquiry/concern 28%

General AQ questions/c

oncerns 13%

Air Quality Inquiries (2012-2015)

2.2% 2.9%

17.3%

46.0%

31.6%

My municipality should take steps to limit its air pollution

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly Agree

Mandate and Goals

11

Work with partners to protect and improve air quality, in the best interest of the people of the Central Okanagan, to

improve their quality of life.

Identify types of

emissions of concern

in the Central

Okanagan

Determine and

implement model

necessary to identify emission

loadings in the Central Okanagan

Develop reductions strategies

Develop regulations

Identify outside funding sources

Cooperate with other

agencies and work

together to implement air quality initiatives within the

Central Okanagan

Region

Determine public support

and acceptance

Implement new

programs

Educate the public

Identify resources for completing inventory of

emissions

Options for RDCO

12

Comparison of Resources needed if the AQ service is provided by RDCO vs Each Municipality

Description Regional Air Quality Service Each Municipality

Air Quality Coordinator $78,000

1 FTE

$ 39,000

0.5 FTE

Agricultural Chipping Program $80,000 $1,600 average per farmer,

assumed 20 per year

32,000

Purchasing staff- Grinding

tender Agricultural Contractor,

PO

$0 20h Staff time- assumed $30/h

$600

Mapping, Planning and GIS

Analysis

$0 10h staff time assume $30/h

$300

Communications’ staff-Com

plans, news releases, etc.

$0 120h staff time-assumed $35/h

$4,200

Total $ 158,000 $76,100

Bylaw 830

All municpalities legally bonded-by contract

STPCO Voluntary bonded-

RDCO provides the AQ service

or

Each Municipality?

Evaluation of Current And Future Needs

13

Strategies to reduce Smoke

a) Restrict burning within municipal boundaries

a) Expand Agricultural Chipping Program

a) Alternatives to burning before issue a permit

a) Increase open burning permit fees considering

pile tonneage - Fee for Agricultural Chipping

Program; Tipping Fees at Landfill

a) Stringent conditions on Venting Index

a) Specific hours to allow open burning

a) Conditions to allow open burning (without

forced air technology)

a) Conditions to allow open burning (with forced

air technology) and setbacks

a) Dryness of material to be burned

a) Ban or regulate campfires

a) Wood appliances

Program Actual

Budget

Proposed

Budget

Will Benefit:

Actual

Chipping

Program

$80,000 $60,000 30-40 (Orchard Removal:

properties with large

quantities of material)

Mow/chip

/rent it

$0 $20,000 40-80 (land clearing, non-

agricultural and

agricultural with small

volumes of wood,

prunings)

Mow/chip

/buy it

$0 $20,000

Requires

a budget

increase

20 (agricultural land

owners)

Air Curtain

Burner

$0 $80,000

Requires

a one-

time

budget

increase.

Could provide the service

to hundreds of farmers

Provincial and local

regulations changes are in

the work to allow less

stringent conditions when

using Forced Air

Technologies (FAT)

Idling Bylaw

Strategies to reduce smoke in the Okanagan:

-Open burning

-Wood appliances

-Campfires

Expand Agricultural Chipping Program

Wood appliances

a) A curtailment provision that restricts the use of wood heating appliances during air advisories

b) A sunset provision that requires old stoves to be removed or replaced by a certain date

c) Requirements on the type of fuels that are burned

d) Restrictions on appliance types

e) Ban wood appliances in new constructions

Reductions per year

14

Actual Emission reductions

Tonnes/year

Future emission reductions

Tonnes/year

Agricultural Chipping

Program

8,000m3

192-PM10 and PM2.5

391- CO

33-VOC

6,000m3

144-PM10 and PM2.5

293- CO

24-VOC

Mow/chip/rent it (80)

Mow/chip/buy it (20)

at least 1 ha

0 703-PM10 and PM2.5

1429- CO

120-VOC

Forced Air Technology (FAT)

If 10% of burning permits

(169 farmers) use FAT for at

least 1 ha

0 574-PM10 and PM2.5

1199- CO

100-VOC

Wood stove Exchange

693 exchanges so far

44.2

If 4800 uncertified

appliances are exchanged

by wood / natural gas

298/495- PM2.5 respectively

Idling Control Bylaw 0 15,142 - CO2

192

391

33

35

1,719

2,921

244

15,142

PM

CO

VOC

GHG

Possible Future Emission Reductions per year

Future Actual

Recommendations

• That the Regional Board continue to support the current service delivery model for the Regional Air Quality Program.

• That the Air Quality Service Program remains an RDCO service and not be moved to the STPCO.

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16

Questions