CC Resolution No. 1382 2626
RESOLUTION NO. 1382
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS,
ENDORSING GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR CLEANER AIR FOR THE HOUSTON-
GALVESTON REGION; AND PROVIDING FOR THE EFFECTIVE DATE THEREOF.
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WHEREAS, the eight county Houston-Galveston metropolitan area does not meet federal standards for
ground level ozone pollution; and
WHEREAS, the area is required to submit a plan by December 2000 that demonstrates how it will
reduce emissions and achieve federal clean air standards by the year 2007; and
WHEREAS, development of this plan will have profound effect on the region's economy and its
citizens' public health; and
WHEREAS, failure to develop an adequate plan or meet the standard can result in sanctions affecting
the region's industry and transportation system; and
WHEREAS, because of the regional importance of air quality issues, the Houston-Galveston Area
Council ("H-GAC") is recommending that local governments, the private sector, citizens and other groups join
together in developing a regional consensus air quality plan; and
WHEREAS, the H-GAC Board of Directors has adopted guiding principles for air quality plans; NOW
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN,TEXAS:
Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, hereby indicates its support for a
coordinated regional air quality plan, by taking the initial step of endorsing the Principles for Cleaner Air, which
is attached hereto as Exhibit"A."
Section 2: This resolution shall take effect immediately from and after its passage by the City
Council of the City of Baytown.
INTRODUCED, READ and PASSED by the affirmative vote of the City Council of the City of
Baytown, Texas,this the 11 m day of February, 1999.
daer. �
PETE C. ALFARO, Mayor
ATTEST: Q
EILEEN P. HALL, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
s
�dMACIO RAMIREZ, SR., ttorney
c:\MyDocuments\Counci]\Mmtings\February\AdoptCleanerAirPrinciples.doc
PRINCIPLES FOR CLEANER AIR
Principles to Clean Air Now
The following principles should guide the creation of a strategy enabling the region to reach
attainment of the ozone standard. A collaborative process involving the various stakeholders in
the region should be utilized to forge air quality solutions from this point forward.
• Contributions to ozone non-attainment come from every segment of the region.
Consequently, every person, government entity and all businesses of the region,
including mobile sources, off road construction equipment, permitted or
grandfathered point sources, should do their part to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) and
volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
• Control strategies should be implemented as expeditiously as practicable to realize
health benefits and prevent imposition of sanctions upon the region.
• The ozone standard should be attained at the lowest economic and social costs
considering effects on lifestyle to the citizens of the region;
• Local flexibility should be preserved to the greatest extent possible;
• Some emission control strategies are best implemented at the national level, such as
those on automobiles and consumer goods, and, hence, should be accelerated if they
contribute to attainment at lower costs and less adverse impacts than other controls.
• Control strategy options considered should include all technically feasible ones
prioritized by their relative benefit to cost characteristics,
• Economic incentives should be explored as part of the area's attainment approach.
• All reasonable efforts should be made to avoid State Implementation Plan (SIP)
disapproval by EPA. If ozone attainment cannot be reached by reducing ozone
precursors to the maximum technically feasible and cost-efficient extent, other
options to obtain SIP approval will be explored.
• Encourage TNRCC to undertake a comprehensive air quality research strategy to
provide additional scientific information necessary for design of ozone control
programs which can be reasonably expected to reduce ozone formation and public
exposure to ozone.
The public health of area residents, the vibrancy of the region's economy and continued
transportation improvements are only assured if a sound, acceptable ozone compliance plan is
developed and implemented.
Endorsed by Houston-Galveston Area Council Board of Directors on December 15, 1998.
EXHIBIT A