HomeMy WebLinkAboutresolution.council.116-03RESOLUTION NO. I~b
(Series of 2003)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO
URGING THE PITKIN COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO
CONTINUE THE COUNTY VEHICLE EMISSIONS INSPECTION PROGRAM
UNTIL CARBON MONOXIDE MONITORING CAN BE PERFORMED.
WHEREAS, Pitkin County and the City of Aspen have always taken a proactive
approach to protecting the environment and air quality of our communities;
WHEREAS, very limited monitoring of carbon monoxide levels in Pitkin
County and the City of Aspen showed carbon monoxide levels reaching the federal health
standard;
WHEREAS, carbon monoxide affects human health by depriving the body of
oxygen, which can be life-threatening to people with heart or lung disease, and since the
effects of carbon monoxide on human health may be exacerbated by high altitUde;
WHEREAS, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
estimates that at least 86% of Pitkin County and Aspen's carbon monoxide comes from
automobiles;
WHEREAS, it is estimated that 20% of the vehicles are responsible for 80% of
the vehicle carbon monoxide pollution, and the vehicle emissions inspection program
identifies those excessively polluting cars and requires them to be repaired or readjusted;
WHEREAS, vehicles that fail their initial test and then are repaired to pass the
re-test, their average carbon monoxide emissions are lowered 84%;
WHEREAS, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
estimates that the vehicle inspection program on the Front Range results in a 16%
improvement in ambient carbon monoxide levels, an effectiveness that they consider
would be similar to that achieved in Aspen and Pitkin County;
WHEREAS, new vehicles, while less-polluting initially, also experience
equipment failures and then become high-polluting vehicles, and Pitkin County has a
very high number of vehicle miles traveled;
WHEREAS, an emissions inspection program would be infeasible if not
enforced through vehicle registrations and whereas an Aspen-only program would be too
small to generate enough business to maintain enbugh testing stations, so an Aspen-only
inspection program could not be implemented;
WHEREAS, the burden on citizens is small and reasonable, and a small price
for drivers to pay to reduce their vehicle emissions and for maintaining clean and healthy
air;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ASPEN, COLORADO:
That the City Council of the City of Aspen, Colorado requests the Board of
County Commissioners of Pitkin County continue the county :vehicle emissions
inspection program for two winters while the City of Aspen pursues options for carbon
monoxide monitoring, in order to determine whether carbon monoxide levels in Pitkin
County are close to federal health standards, so the need for the program can be assessed.
The City Council further makes a commitment to fund monitoring costs up to
$5,000 so the Board of County Commissioners will have recent data on carbon monoxide
levels before making changes in the program.
RESOLVED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 15th day of December, 2003, by the
City Council for the City of Aspen, Colorado .m...-._~
- ~Mayor
I, Kathryn S. Koch, duly appointed and acting City Clerk do certify that the foregoing is
true and accurate copy of that resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of
Aspen, Colorado, at a meeting held December 15, 2003.
~h, City CI~~