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Air Quality

Spotlights

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Is Radon Found in Fort Collins?

Yes it is! In fact, approximately 70% of homes in Fort Collins have radon levels above 4 pCi/L. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that citizens whose homes show a reading of 4 pCi/L and above be fixed. Test your home today! Learn more.

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2011 Community and Municipal GHG Inventory Quality Management Plans Now Available

The detailed methodologies in these reference documents were developed to provide complete data transparency and quality assurance and control procedures to ensure data integrity for the city’s annual municipal and community GHG inventories.

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Radon Expert Explains Why Testing for Radon is Important!

January is national Radon Action Month! Listen to Environmental Planner Brian Woodruff, as he shares with Tri-102.5 FM Midday Host Paul Wozniak why testing our homes for radon is beneficial to our health. Radon cliams the lives of more than 20,000 people every year in the US, approximately 1,4000 of those cancer deaths are in Colorado alone. Fortunately, it's easy to test for radon. Learn more about radon and pick up an inexpensive radon test-kit for your home today!

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Looking for Radon Professionals?

A listing of trained and certified professionals can be found through the Colorado Department of Health and Environment.For morer information, visit our radon section.

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Think Car Idling Doesn't Matter?

Think again! Listen to Lucinda Smith, Air Quality program manager, as she answers questions from Tri-102.FM Mid-Day Host Paul Wozniak about the City's "Breathe Easy" campaign, its partnership with Poudre School District, and what we can all do reduce car idling, improve our air, and save money!

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Zero Interest Loans to Improve Air Quality

$30,000/year in zero interest loans are available to customers of Fort Collins Utilities for upgrading old wood stoves to pellet, gas, or certified wood or removal (up to $3,000), and for radon mitigation systems (up to $1,500).  Click here for details, or call 970-224-6085.

Check out this blog write-up by Tri-102.5 FM mid-day Host Paul Wozniak based on an interview he conducted with Senior Environmental Planner Lucinda Smith.

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Listen to Tri-102.5 FM Interview with Healthy Sustainable Homes Coordinator

Learn how to improve indoor air quality in uour home. Tri 102.5 FM radio personality Paul Wozniak blogs about and interviews Healthy Sustainable Homes Coordinator Mary Pat Aardrup. The first group of Fort Collins volunteers will embark in their training from October 4 through October 20.

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Breathe Easy Video

Wondering if idling your car really makes a difference to your health, wallet, and the environment? Wonder no more. Check out this "Breathe Easy" video and learn the scoop from experts.

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2011 Air Quality/Recycling Survey (PDF)

1,525 randomly selected citizens were surveyed during the summer of 2011 about air quality and recycling beliefs and actions. The survey had a 30% response rate. Results generally indicate strong support for environmental programs and show improved awareness/participation in several programs above the 2007 survey results.

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Climate Action Plan - 2010 Status Report Released in July 2011

Over a decade ago Fort Collins was among the first wave of communities in the nation to commit to reducing local greenhouse emissions. In 2008 City Council updated the community goals and Climate Action Plan.  The second progress report was released in July 2011. Click here to read the report.

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2011 Air Quality Plan - Final

Fort Collins' Air Quality Plan provides policy direction and high level implementation strategies to guide Fort Collins' progress towards the goal to “continually improve Fort Collins air quality".

The principles and policies in this document were developed and discussed as part of the extensive year-long Plan Fort Collins process to update City Plan and the Transportation Master Plan.  City Council adopted the air quality policies that are contained within the Air Quality Plan when they approved City Plan and the Transportation Master Plan on February 15, 2011. Click here for more information on City Plan. The rmainder of the Air Quality Plan was updated administratively with input from citizens, Council advisory boards, City staff, and consultants.

2011 Draft Air Quality Plan Comments (PDF) 

Thank you to all who commented on the Draft Air Quality Plan. The 2011 Air Quality Plan has been updated to reflect the comments.

Contact Us/Request a Presentation on the 2011 Fort Collins Air Quality Plan

For questions, additional information, or presentations for your civic group, church or other group contact:

Lucinda Smith
Senior Environmental Planner
970-224-6085

Air Quality Affects Us All

Did you know…

  • Fort Collins air quality plays an important role in quality of life. For citizens with asthma, respiratory or cardiovascular problems, it is even more important.
  • Adult humans breathe ~20,000 times per day; Children breathe ~ 36,000 times each day.
  • 29% of Fort Collins citizens have someone in their household who has a respiratory ailment. Read the Air Quality Survey
  • More Fort Collins citizens say they are negatively impacted by poor visibility (brown cloud and obscured mountain views) than by negative health impacts.
  • Read Fort Collins Air Pollution Trends
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Breathe Easy - Just Say No to Idling

The brown cloud - infamously ugly with the potential to cause health problems. Motor vehicles are the number one contributor to the brown cloud in Fort Collins. We can do something about it by decreasing automotive engine idling and our contribution to the brown cloud. Learn about the "breathe easy" campaign.

AIR QUALITY NEWS!

For a hot-off the press update on Air Quality developments, check out the links below, if you’re wondering: 

Current Features

Learn About Local Air Pollution Levels

  1. Register for EnviroFlash, an e-mail and pager notification system that provides subscribers with instant air quality information that can be customized for individual needs, click here.
  2. To see the Colorado daily smoke advisory and outlook issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, click here    
  3. For hourly air polllution measurements in Fort Collins, including fine particle levels, click here.  
  4. Call the State Health Department Daily Air Quality Bulletin:  1-888-484-3247 (1-888-4-THE AIR).

** Taming the Tiger: Asthma Education ** To sign up for periodic classes, contact Poudre Valley Hospital Respiratory Therapy Department at 495-8153.

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