Ozone season begins March 1 and goes through the end of November. Some of you may be wondering what ozone season entails, and others may already know, but would like some ideas on how to help create better air quality in our region. Well, look no further. What is ozone season? Ozone season is the time when ground-level ozone, a common air pollutant, reaches its highest concentration. Ozone forms when volatile organic compounds combine with sunlight and intense heat. For example, pollution can occur when emissions from power plants, vehicles, dry cleaners and more are exposed to heat. The air quality index (AQI) is used to report daily air quality levels in the region to help better understan
Senate Bill 898 requires political subdivisions, institutes of higher education and state agencies within nonattainment areas or affected counties to set goals to reduce energy consumption by at least 5 percent each year and to report the goal and energy use to the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). To assist local governments in this effort, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is requesting feedback via an online survey to develop region-wide energy efficiency workshops and resources as part of a Regional Energy Manager Project. To access the survey, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NorthTexasEnergySurvey.
NCTCOG is seeking public input at 6:00 pm on Monday, March 11 in Arlington. Staff will present information related to funding and the start of ozone season as well as provide an update on the AirCheckTexas Program. The meeting will be livestreamed and a video recording will be available for review online at www.nctcog.org/input.
North Texans whose vehicles do not pass the emissions portion of the State inspection are required to repair the problem, or in some cases, it may be necessary for them to upgrade/replace the vehicle. For many, both can be too expensive, especially without time to plan. The AirCheckTexas Drive a Clean Machine Program was established to help qualifying motorists with these obligations. If your vehicle meets the registration requirements and your household income conforms to program guidelines, ACT NOW as you may be eligible for a voucher of up to $600 toward emissions repairs or $3,500 toward a newer, cleaner-burning vehicle. Qualifying applicants will receive a voucher and a list of particip
Valentine’s Day is full of chocolate, flowers, romance, and love. However, while you celebrate this special day with your loved ones, you can now add that it is full of sustainable actions that can help make our world a better place to live. Here are just a few tips on how to make your Valentine’s Day sustainable: Skip the restaurant and plan your meal at home. Incorporate local foods into your meal, including fruits and veggies. Consider thinking about limiting the amount of meat in your dish or removing the meat option altogether. You will find that you can save yourself money by eating at home, limit the amount of vehicle emissions given off by skipping the restaurant drive, and help redu
The North Central Texas Council of Governments in part with the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Clean Cities Coalition works with local fleets to promote practices and decisions to reduce petroleum consumption, which saves money and improves air quality. In 2017, DFW Clean Cities was able to reduce more than 23 million gallons of petroleum across 32 fleets using nearly 7,000 vehicles. This data is compiled in our Annual Report, and provided by local fleets through their Annual Survey submissions. The Annual Survey allows staff to track regional progress thanks to the participation of fleets in the area that do their part to reduce their fuel consumption and emissions. Submitting an Annual Survey not
Senate Bill 898 requires political subdivisions, institutes of higher education, and state agencies within nonattainment areas or affected counties to set goals to reduce energy consumption by at least 5 percent each year and to report the goal and energy use to the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO). To assist local governments in this effort, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is requesting feedback via an online survey to develop region-wide energy efficiency workshops and resources as part of a Regional Energy Manager Project. To stay up to date on this project and survey availability, sign up for the energy management and energy efficiency listserv.
