Mayor Bob Walkup recently endorsed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. By signing the Agreement, mayors nationwide support the goals of the Kyoto Treaty and pledge to work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions in their cities. So what does this mean for Tucsonans?

It means that the City is committed to finding and implementing ways to improve and protect our air quality. Tucson is already a leader in using alternative technologies and techniques to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which have been implicated in global warming. In 1997-98, the City completed a greenhouse gas inventory. Using those findings, the City of Tucson initiated several projects, policies, and programs that have been effective in keeping our skies blue:

• Methane gas generated from the Los Reales Landfill is pumped to TEP’s Irvington plant and burned to generate electricity. This has saved 100,000 tons of coal and reduced sulphur dioxide emissions by more than 870 tons and carbon dioxide emissions by more than 145,000 tons.

• Methane gas that would otherwise be emitted into the air from landfills are flared at small inactive city landfills, such as the Harrison Road and Vincent Mullins landfills (since methane traps 21 times more heat per molecule than carbon dioxide, reducing methane reduces the greenhouse effect).

• Sustainable “green” building (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design [LEED]) construction standards were adopted by Mayor & Council for all new city facilities and major renovations. Examples include the El Rio Adult Education Center, Midtown Multiservice Center, Pennington Street Garage, Clements Center.

• The City’s fleet is increasing the use clean/alternative fuels to reduce petroleum emissions. Currently, 11.6% of the City’s fleet comprises hybrids, bicycles, compressed natural gas (CNG), or liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Additionally, the city will purchase flexfuel vehicles that use E85 and is conducting tests to determine if converting all diesel road vehicles to B20 biodiesel is feasible.

• City employees participate in a regional Travel Reduction Program that encourages and rewards reduction in commuter trips through telecommuting, ride sharing, taking public transit, bicycling, etc.

• Fee waivers are available for installation of residential solar power systems.

• Mayor & Council adopted the Sustainable Energy Standard (SES) for all future city construction projects. To date, the City has spent roughly $3.9 million on energy efficiency improvements in City buildings and meeting SES for new construction will increase energy efficiency by 50% over the previously adopted standard.

• Automatic light control fixtures are used in many City facilities to reduce electricity costs when rooms or buildings are not in use.

• One percent (about $160,000 annually) of the City’s electric bill is dedicated to solar energy projects. Since 1999, the City has installed 7 solar energy systems in municipal facilities, 5 solar water heating systems, solar-powered remote data acquisition systems, and solar-powered traffic hazard signals.

As a result of these and other efforts, Tucson is in compliance (“attainment”) with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for the six regulated pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, lead, sulfur dioxide, and PM10 and PM2.5 [particulate matter of 10 micrometers and 2.5 micrometers in diameter, respectively]). The last CO violation (major source: vehicle emissions) for Tucson was in 1986, with attainment status approved by EPA in 2000. For up to the minute air quality data in Tucson, visit Pima County Department of Environmental Quality’s website, http://www.deq.co.pima.az.us/air/index.html.