Directorate of Public Works

FORT HOOD, TX

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Air Quality Program

Air Program Outreach Resources

Clean air and you!

You can learn about air quality in our state by visiting the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's (TCEQ) Air quality in Texas webpage. On this site, you will be able to see today's pollution level for such pollutants as ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) around some of the state's metropolitan areas. Find out what causes air pollution and how you can prevent it. Also see how Texas is utilizing monitoring stations to implement the new PM 2.5 standards at the Airborne Particulate Network for Texas website.

Air Quality ProgramAnother area of concern for us in Texas is regional haze. Fine particulate matter causes regional and urban haze. Since new rules have gone into effect, efforts to reduce regional haze must be carried out all over Texas.

The EPA Office of Air Quality Standards and Planning offers a broad range of training material for teachers, students and the general public on their education and outreach website. A variety of links to future conferences, environmental material and technical training related items are also available. Check back often to obtain new training material.

Online Air Training Resources

DPW Environmental has an online training tool called the Learning Management Portal where you can take various short environmental training courses. These courses also include Course Libraries which are full of helpful Fort Hood specific Air resources. Visit https://lmp.hood.army.mil/lmp/login.aspx to get started.

If you have ever heard the phrase, "the local air quality today is..." and wondered what it really meant, then read the EPA's, "Air Quality Index, A guide to Air Quality and Your Health" brochure. It will explain the effects of air pollution and the impact it has on all of us.

TCEQ, Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), and Texas Department of Public Safety are undertaking campaigns to publicize important messages about air quality and the health effects on Texan's. These campaigns have the support of the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6, Federal Highway Administration and Texas Department of Health. Cars and trucks contribute significantly to harmful air emissions in the state. The "Drive Clean Across Texas" campaign is the first statewide public outreach and education campaign design to improve air quality. Every driver in our state can contribute to the campaign and make a difference to achieve clean air for Texas. EPA with the support of congress has mandated that all urban areas not in compliance with national air quality standards by 2007 will suffer sanctions. These sanctions may include loss of federal funds for transportation improvements and federal requirements to clean up the air. With nine areas of the state in non-attainment or near non-attainment status, another campaign the "AirCheckTexas" program focuses on the two largest urban areas, Houston-Galveston and Dallas-Fort Worth. Vehicles in these two areas are required to undergo stringent emissions testing during annual safety inspections. The intent of these programs is to help the public understand what's at stake if air quality in Texas continues to decline and pose health threats to Texans, young and old.

According to the Department of Transportation, the personal automobile is the single greatest polluter in the U. S., as emissions from millions of vehicles on the road add up. Vehicles account for more than 25 percent of all air pollution nationwide. Traffic congestion is no longer just a big-city problem: the time commuters spend stalled in traffic in small and medium-sized cities has more than quadrupled since 1982, costing hours of delay, billions of gallons of wasted fuel, and billions of dollars in time and fuel costs.

CClean Air Crew Video

Click HERE to view the video

Air Pollution Reduction Tips

At Home
  • Turn air conditioner up to 78-80 degrees F when not at home-There is no need to keep a house cool when no one is there. Use a programmable thermostat to raise the temperature when you leave and lower it before you get home to reduce pollution and lower energy costs.
  • Use compact fluorescent lighting-These lights have less heat output and use less energy saving money while reducing pollution.
  • Keep blinds or curtains closed to reflect sun light during the summer to keep the house cool.
  • Refuel and use gas powered lawn and garden equipment during the cooler part of the day (morning or evening).
  • Don�t burn trash-When you burn trash in burn barrels, it is extremely unhealthy for your neighbors and the environment.  This trash is usually burned incompletely and at relatively low temperatures which produces a great deal of soot and ash.  When burned, many plastics, coatings, paints, metals, and treated woods release toxic chemical air pollutants such as dioxin, lead, arsenic, chromium, and others.
  • Plant leafy trees and shrubs-Deciduous trees and shrubs (the kind that drop leaves in the fall) are excellent air filters to help reduce smog.
In Your Vehicle
  • Do not refuel your vehicle during the heat of the day (typically 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.).
  • Keep tires properly inflated.
  • Keep engine properly maintained.
  • Try to refrain from idling, unless stuck in traffic.
  • Combine errands into one trip.
  • Try to carpool.
  • Report smoking vehicles to the TCEQ at 800-453-SMOG. Obtain more information on this program at the Smoking Vehicle Program website.
  • When looking to buy a new vehicle, consider a hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle.
Alternative Fuels
  • Fort Hood has joined the Central Texas Clean Cities program to develop partnerships which will help it achieve it's federal alternative fuels and vehicle mandates. E-85 and biodiesel are two alternative fuels of interest to Fort Hood. E-85 is a motor fuel blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. E-85 will increase our domestic energy security and reduce vehicle emissions. Flex-fuel vehicles are designed to run on E-85 or gasoline. For more information on E-85 visit the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition's website at http://www.e85fuel.com. To find it if your vehicle will operate on E-85 read this brochure.
  • Biodiesel or B-100 is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel which is produced domestically from renewable resources. This fuel can be use in compression-ignition diesel engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is mixed with diesel fuel to create a variety of blends. B-20 is a blend of 20-percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel fuel. For more information on biodiesel, visit the National Biodiesel Board at http://www.biodiesel.org. For information on biodiesel handling and use click here.
  • Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) are efficient vehicles that use a small motor and an electric engine to generate the power to drive the vehicle. Hybrid technology reduces emissions of toxic air pollution. Click here to learn more about HEVs.
  • If you are interested in purchasing an alternative fuel vehicle this year, checkout the Clean Cities 2011 Vehicle Buyer's Guide. click here to view guide.

Low Emission Vehicles(LEV)

What is a low emission vehicle?  A LEV is a vehicle that produces fewer emissions than the average vehicle on the road.  All new vehicles sold in the United States must be certified as meeting emissions standards set by The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or The California standards, set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) or both.

 

As more states follow California’s lead, the following definitions have gradually become accepted across the nation:

 

  • TLEV - Transitional Low-Emission Vehicle Early standard, phased out in 2004.

  • LEV - Low-Emission Vehicle This standard was the required average for all light vehicles sold nationwide for model years 2004 and beyond.

  • ULEV - Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle Vehicles with this designation are 50 percent cleaner than the average new model-year vehicle.

  • SULEV - Super Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle Vehicles with this designation are 90 percent cleaner than the average new model-year vehicle.

  • PZEV - Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle Vehicles that meet SULEV tailpipe emissions standards, have a 15-year/150,000-mile warranty and zero evaporative emissions.

  • AT PZEV - Advanced Technology PZEV Compressed natural-gas or hybrid vehicles that meet SULEV standards for tailpipe emissions, have a 15-year/150,000-mile warranty, zero evaporative emissions, as well as include advanced technology components.

  • ZEV - Zero-Emissions Vehicle Electric and hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicles that have zero harmful tailpipe emissions and are 98 percent cleaner than the average new model-year vehicle.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, or ACEEE, routinely publishes lists of "Low Emission Vehicles".

 

To obtain additional information on green vehicles click on the link below to visit the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide website.  The greenest vehicles carry the EPA SmartWay Elite or SmartWay designations.

http://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/Index.do

 
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