PPACG is the lead air quality planning agency for the Pikes Peak Region. PPACG reviews current and emerging air quality issues and goals, and develops plans to improve air quality. 

The Pikes Peak Region is in attainment for all EPA criteria air quality pollutants -- carbon monoxide, ozone, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and lead. 

Key Highlights

• The Pikes Peak Region is in attainment for all air quality pollutants
  
• Last violation of ozone was in 1982
• Last violation of carbon monoxide was in 1989
  
• 2000-2001 represented the first season that Oxygenated Fuels were no longer required in the Colorado Springs Urbanized Area

Air Quality Trends
Air Quality in the Pikes Peak Region: Monitoring and Trends Report, October 2003 (.pdf)

The Colorado Springs Urbanized Area is currently in attainment (meeting air quality standards) for all of the six air quality pollutants. The last violations in our region were in 1988 for carbon monoxide and in 1983 for ozone. Although our region is currently meeting air quality standards, this report will show that based upon current trends, certain air quality pollutants could exceed the standards in the future. 

2004 Air Quality Data Addendum
The 2004 Air Quality Data Addendum provides an analysis of air quality trends for Carbon Monoxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Lead and Particulate Matter through 2003 and for ozone through 2004 based on air quality data available for the Pikes Peak Region.  This is the first addendum to the Air Quality Trends Report that was completed in October 2003 and provided an analyses of air quality trends through 2002.  This addendum indicates no change in temporal trends. 

Air Quality Survey Report
Executive Summary | Response & Accuracy | Purpose & Objectives | Results | Demographics | Funding | Future Activities

A PPACG Outdoor Air Quality Survey has been developed in response to direction given by the PPACG Board of Directors to determine the importance of air quality issues and concerns of citizens within the Pikes Peak Region. Click here for a PDF version of the Outdoor Air Quality Survey Report.

Executive Summary

The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) prepared the Outdoor Air Quality Survey Report based on the results of an Outdoor Air Quality Survey that was conducted in June 2002. This Report provides the results and analyses for each of the ten survey questions. The survey was conducted to address the need expressed by the PPACG Board of Directors to determine public perception of outdoor air quality in the Colorado Springs Urbanized Area and to determine if local standards for air quality should be developed that are higher than current Federal standards.

Based on the results of the survey and a number of other factors, the PPACG Board of Directors decided against developing stricter local air quality standards at this time. For more information, please contact Rich Muzzy, PPACG Environmental Planning Program Manager, at (719) 471-7080 x109 or send email to rmuzzy@ppacg.org.

Survey Response and Accuracy

A total of three thousand (3,000) surveys were sent out and four hundred sixty-five (465) were returned and analyzed, which is a response rate of about 15%. Based on this sample size, the error rate for responses to the survey is +/- 5%.

Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of the survey was to determine public perception of air quality and pollution in the Colorado Springs Urbanized Area and the need to develop local standards for air quality that are stricter than current Federal standards. 

The objectives of the survey were to determine:

     1.  where air quality ranks among other "quality-of-life" concerns;

     2.  what residents feel are the major sources of air pollution;

     3.  which programs are the most effective in reducing air quality pollution;

    and

     4.  how air pollution adversely affects residents in the Colorado Springs
          Urbanized Area.

Results

The key concerns that emerged from the survey results are summarized below according to the original four objectives.

Objective #1: Determine where air quality ranks among other "quality-of-life" concerns.
The majority of respondents (96%) feel that current air quality in our community is either "good" (65%) or "fair" (31%). Sixty-eight percent (68%) feel that air quality will be degraded in five years. As a "quality-of-life" concern, respondents feel air quality is less important than population growth, but that it is equally as important as crime, traffic congestion, and water quality. Air quality is viewed by respondents as more important than affordable housing and urban noise.

Objective #2: Determine what residents feel are the major sources of air pollution.
Respondents feel the major sources of air pollution are vehicles -- both gasoline and diesel. Gasoline and diesel vehicles represented 69% of all responses, which means they were chosen almost three-to-one over all other possible responses (industry, off-road construction equipment, power plants, street dust, wildfires, woodburning stoves/fireplaces and yard equipment). Respondents feel that wildfires are a concern, but this could reflect the timing of the survey, which was conducted during June 2002 when several major wildfires were burning across Colorado.

Objective #3: Determine which programs are the most effective in reducing air quality pollution.
Respondents feel that government regulations as opposed to voluntary programs are responsible for the good air quality we currently have, but that more voluntary programs rather than stronger government regulations should be implemented to improve air quality in the future. Respondents might prefer a free, voluntary program to a tax-supported government program to improve air quality. Respondents were divided over the need to develop local standards that are stricter than Federal standards.

Objective #4: Determine how air pollution adversely affects residents in the Colorado Springs Urbanized Area.
Respondents appear to be more concerned over issues that are not related to health. The most frequent response (26%) was "obscures mountain views", followed by "long term health problems" (21%). Many of the suggestions to improve air quality focused on improvements to the existing transportation system.

Demographics

When demographic information provided by survey respondents was compared to the 2000 U.S. Census data for the City of Colorado Springs, it was found that:

• males were over-represented and females were under-represented;
• respondents between ages 18 and 25 were under-represented;
• those between 26 to 55, 56 to 70 and 70+ were over-represented; 
• fewer survey respondents drive alone than Colorado Springs residents as a whole; and
• fewer survey respondents carpool than Colorado Springs residents as a whole.

Funding

The Outdoor Air Quality Survey Report and survey were developed with financial assistance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Future Activities

Evaluate ozone implementation strategies to determine possible methods to reduce ozone levels in the future. PPACG will review strategies that have been implemented in several cities along the Front Range and in other states to reduce ozone levels.

Revise the Carbon Monoxide (CO) State Implementation Plan (SIP) using the new Mobile 6 emissions model to determine if mandatory emissions control strategies, such as the Inspection/Maintenance Program, are necessary to maintain the Federal standard for CO. The current emissions budget will be revised as part of this process. This will be a cooperative effort with the Air Pollution Control Division (APCD).

Ozone Forecasting
The APCD will extend the current ozone alert area to include the Colorado Springs Region. Ozone forecasts will be done during the ozone season which is from June 1^st through August 31^st and all ozone forecasts will be issued by 4:00 p.m. the day before.  The ozone forecasts will be available on APCD’s web page at the following link: www.apcd.state.co.us/psi/o3_advisory.phtml   Although one alert will be done for the entire Front Range Urban Corridor, language will specify if the Colorado Springs area is also expected to have high or moderate levels. 



Ozone Levels - Real Time Data
Real time ozone levels for both the USAF Academy and Manitou Springs are now available at: www.apcd.state.co.us/psi/main.html  After you go to this website click on the link entitled “Reports” which is under the heading “Monitor Data” located on the left hand side of the screen. In the “Reports” page go to “All Stations” and select ozone. Under Reporting Stations “ACAD” stands for USAF Academy and “MAN” stands for Manitou Springs. Real time data is available for the 1 hour and 8 hour concentrations along with the corresponding Air Quality Index for that site.

Revised Carbon Monoxide Maintenance Plan
The Revised Maintenance Plan was approved by the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission in December 2003 and the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors in September 2003. A copy of the plan can be downloaded here. 

The purpose of the Revised Maintenance Plan was to use the new Mobile 6 air emissions model, which replaces the existing Mobile 5b model to remove the Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Program, if possible, and revise the transportation emissions budget.  Based on this analysis the two main revisions proposed in the Draft Colorado Springs Carbon Monoxide (CO) Attainment/Maintenance Plan are:

·         The Inspection/Maintenance Program would be eliminated because it has been found no longer necessary to maintain the CO Standard and therefore must be removed according to CRS 25-7-105.1; and

·         The emissions budget would be revised from 270 to 531 tons per day.

The previous version of the Maintenance Plan was approved by the EPA in 2000 and, contained two major revisions:

·         The oxygenated fuels program in El Paso County was eliminated; and

·         The emissions budget was revised from 212 to 270 tons per day.

The oxygenated fuels program was eliminated in order to comply with C.R.S. 25-7-105.1. In 2000, the oxygenated fuels program was eliminated, but the I/M Program remained in the Maintenance Plan because at that time (using Mobile 5b) the program was necessary to maintain the Federal CO standard.

The 1999 Maintenance Plan also established a CO emissions budget of 270 tons per day, which represents the Federally enforced, maximum allowable level or “cap” on emissions from mobile sources that cannot be exceeded in the future.  The CO emissions that are projected for transportation plans and programs must conform to the established emissions budget.



Basic Inspection/Maintenance Program
During 2004, PPACG and PPACG's Air quality Technical Committee (AQTC) evaluated the effectiveness of the Basic Inspection/Maintenance Program in El Paso County.  The result of the research and analysis is compiled in a report prepared by PPACG entitled Inspection/Maintenance Program Ozone Impact Summary Report.

On February 17, 2005 the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) held a rulemaking hearing regarding proposed revisions to Regulation No. 11 - Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) Testing Program. At this hearing the AQCC decided to terminate the Basic I/M Program beginning January 1, 2007. The changes to Regulation 11 and all AQCC Regulations can be found at - www.cdphe.state.co.us/op/regs/airregs.asp 

 The Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) and the Lead Air Quality Planning Agencies across the Front Range also signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which formed a multi-jurisdictional committee to resolve the concerns and issues of removing the Basic I/M Program. The website for this committee can be found at -www.ppacg.org/Envir/Air/IM Transition_cmte.htm

Air Quality Brochures
PPACG developed a pamphlet entitled Air Quality in the Pikes Peak Region; Important Facts about Air Quality Pollutants and Their Associated Health Effects. This pamphlet describes each of the six air quality pollutants: What they are; Where they come from; Health effects; and How we are doing.

PPACG developed a pamphlet entitled Ozone Pollution in the Pikes Peak Region. This pamphlet describes what ozone is and how it affects your health and gives strategies to reduce ozone.

Air Quality Technical Committee

For more information, please contact Rich Muzzy, PPACG Environmental Planning Program Manager at (719) 471-7080, x109, or send email to rmuzzy@ppacg.org.
 

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