Clean Energy and Transportation City of Seattle Presented by Margaret Pageler Seattle Councilmember and Former Chair of Puget Sound Clean Air Agency An.

Clean Energy and Transportation

City of Seattle

Presented by Margaret Pageler

Seattle Councilmember and

Former Chair of Puget Sound Clean Air Agency

An Urban Environmental Management Case Study

Seattle’s Commitment

• Environmental Management Office established in 1999. Role enhanced and office renamed as Office of Sustainability and Environment in 2000.

• Earth Day Resolution for clean energy adopted in 2000.

• Kyoto goals adopted in 2001.• Ongoing partnership with Puget Sound Clean Air

Agency for greenhouse gas reductions and air quality improvements.

Seattle’s Environmental Management System

● Policy: Conduct operations in an environmentally & sustainable manner■ Regulatory compliance■ Reduced use of resources & generation of

waste■ Lead by example

● Environmental Aspects■ Water and energy use – buildings and

facilities ■ Air quality – fleet emissions■ Waste generation – green, solid and

hazardous ■ Water quality – both water supply system &

stormwater management■ Land management – watersheds, parks,

rights of way, etc.

City programs target key environmental aspects

● Energy and water conservation in City facilities■ LED traffic signals■ Water filtration/recirculation at Zoo’s

Penguin Pool■ Annual cost savings ~ $575,000; simple

payback < 6 years

● Use of most toxic & persistent pesticides in City parks eliminated

● City owned electric utility■ Hydro systems operate with “fish first”

policy■ Zero net GHG emissions■ From 1977 through 1999, conservation

programs saved over 5.7 million MWh

And most of these programs deliver multiple environmental and economic benefits

●The City’s Natural Lawn program promoted mulching mowers:■ Waste reduction: mulching lawn

clippings reduces green waste

■ Water conservation, soil & water quality: mulched clippings improves lawn health – less water and fertilizer use

■ Air quality and energy savings: clean electric mowers replace polluting 2 cycle gasoline mowers

■ New market opportunities for local businesses

A focus on the City’s Fleet of more than 3000 cars and trucks

● Aspects analysis showed major environmental impacts of City’s fleet: GHGs, toxics, particulates

● Consistent with regional impacts: Cars and trucks responsible for nearly 60% of region’s GHG emissions as well as summer smog, particulates and toxics

● City initiated Green Fleet program to improve air quality and reduce GHG emissions

● Seattle joined regional program – Diesel Solutions – to tackle toxics and particulates

What’s The Problem?

● Significant air quality issues:

■ PM 2.5

■ Air toxics

■ Ozone

■ Visibility

■ Climate change

Air toxics and fine particles create significant health risks

■ National Air Toxics Assessment and local air

monitoring in Seattle show 700 in a million cancer risk while Clean Air Act goal is 1 in a million

■ 70 t0 80% of cancer risk from ambient air

is due to diesel exhaust

■ Fine particle pollution generates asthma attacks,

lost work days, early deaths and other health

problems

■ Fine particle pollution also degrades visibility of

the mountains and contributes to smog formation

Mount Rainier, Seattle, Washington,USA

Mount Rainier, Seattle, Washington, USA

Mount Rainier, Seattle, Washington, USA

What is being done? Solutions that reduce pollutants and GHG emissions and improve quality of life

● Land use policies: reducing sprawl and increasing density

● Transportation choices to reduce congestion and single-occupancy vehicles: improved bus service, light rail (?), HOV lanes

● Transportation alternatives: improved bike lanes and pedestrian safe and friendly sidewalks; Segways

● Cleaner fuels and vehicles: clean diesel, hybrids & CNG

● Technology improvements: low RVP gasoline, diesel retrofits

● The human factor – less driving!

Puget Sound Diesel Solutions

● A voluntary program focused on cleaner diesel and retrofitting trucks and buses with advanced emission control devices

● Ultra low sulfur diesel plus retrofits cut toxic emissions by 50% to 90%

● A partnership with many local governments and businesses such as Boeing

● Partnerships: ■ Accelerate market transformation■ Improve cost effectiveness■ Reduced risk for early adopters

CRTTM Particulate Filter

Unique Patented Johnson Matthey System

Advanced Emission Control System for Heavy Duty Diesel Truck

School Bus Retrofit Program

●School kids are exposed to up to 15 times the ambient levels of PM 2.5 when they ride a bus

●Seattle School District is working on a fuels and retrofit program for this fall

●We are working on funding options with Congress & the State Legislature

http:\cityofseattle.net\environment

For more information about Seattle’s clean energy and transportation programs