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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. xxxxxsxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 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