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Standard Mitigation Measures for All Projects

Last Updated 08/10/04

Construction Phase Mitigation Measures

1. Mandatory: Implement the Fugitive Dust Control Plan FugitiveDustControlPlan.pdf (Adobe PDF; 165 Kb)].
    
2. Construction equipment exhaust emissions shall not exceed FRAQMD Regulation III, Rule 3.0, Visible Emissions limitations (40 percent opacity or Ringelmann 2.0). Operators of vehicles and equipment found to exceed opacity limits shall take action to repair the equipment within 72 hours or remove the equipment from service. Failure to comply may result in a Notice of Violation.
    
3. The primary contractor shall be responsible to ensure that all construction equipment is properly tuned and maintained prior to and for the duration of onsite operation.
    
4. Minimize idling time to 5 minutes – saves fuel and reduces emissions. (State idling rule, effective 02/01/2005,)
    
5. Utilize existing power sources (e.g., power poles) or clean fuel generators rather than temporary power generators.
    
6. Develop a traffic plan to minimize traffic flow interference from construction activities.  The plan may include advance public notice of routing, use of public transportation, and satellite parking areas with a shuttle service. Schedule operations affecting traffic for off-peak hours. Minimize obstruction of through-traffic lanes. Provide a flag person to guide traffic properly and ensure safety at construction sites.
    
7. Portable engines and portable engine-driven equipment units used at the project work site, with the exception of on-road and off-road motor vehicles, may require California Air Resources Board (ARB) Portable Equipment Registration with the State or a local district permit. The owner/operator shall be responsible for arranging appropriate consultations with the ARB or the District to determine registration and permitting requirements prior to equipment operation at the site.

Note: Construction mitigation measures for projects requiring a refined URBEMIS analysis or additional mitigation may be accessed here.

Recommended Area and Operational Phase Mitigation Measures to reduce impact to air quality

1. Implement the following mitigation measures from the BAMM "Point-Value List". If any of the following measures are not applicable to your project then select an equivalent emission reduction measure(s) from the point-value list, best available mitigation measure list, or a proponent-proposed measure approved by the air district for substitution:

   #23 PV=tbd,  Implement PG&E "Savings By Design" assistance and incentive programs that encourage high performance building design and construction, Or

   #48 PV=tbd,  Implement innovative Energy-Efficient Technologies or measures exceeding Title 24 energy efficiency standards by 10% or more, Or

   #49 PV = 1.0, Comply with EPA/DOE Energy Star Home energy standards, And

   #31 PV=0.5,  Design project with neighborhood serving as focal point with parks, school and civic uses within 1/4 mile, And

   #32 PV=2.0, Provide separate, safe, and convenient bicycle and pedestrian paths connecting residential, commercial, and office uses, And

   #33 PV=1.0, Implement a development pattern that eliminates physical barriers such as walls, berms, landscaping, and slopes between residential and non-residential uses that impede bicycle or pedestrian circulation.

2. For projects with estimated Area and Operational emissions at 50% or more of any threshold, implement 15 additional points from the Point-Value List or Point-Value Packages [See Point-Value Packages listed below] or work with the air district to develop smart growth measures for the project [See Smart Growth Communities below].
    
3. For projects with estimated Area and Operational emissions less than 50% and more than 25% of all thresholds, implement 10 additional points from the Point-Value List or Point-Value Packages. [See Point-Value Packages listed below].
    
4. For projects with estimated Area and Operational emissions at 25% or less than all thresholds, implement 5 additional points from the Point-Value List or Point-Value Packages. [See Point-Value Packages listed below].

Point-Value Packages

Many mitigation measures when combined offer a more complete mitigation solution. The following combinations of mitigation measures are synergistic and are assigned additional point-values. The project proponent must be capable of implementing each component of the package, otherwise the package may not be assigned the additional point-value or the maximum point value.

Landscaping and Shading Masterplan #1
[Package Maximum Point-Value = 10.0]

These measures provide energy savings, reduce heat island effect, ozone-forming emissions, vehicle evaporative emissions, and fuel-powered landscaping equipment emissions, and provides longevity to building and parking lot construction materials by reducing degradation from direct sunlight and heat factors.

Typical tree shading ordinances require that parking lots include tree plantings that will result in 50% shading of parking lot surface areas within 15 years. Even though the emphasis is on aesthetics, where zoning requirements for tree shading are enforced we expect to see benefits from vehicle evaporative emissions reductions, reduced ozone formation, and building energy savings. If we further place emphasis on low emitting, low maintenance shade trees and external electric outlets for tree maintenance, we can expect additional benefits. Zoning ordinances that incorporate the utilization of low maintenance, low emitting trees and shrubs and support requirements for external electric outlets and the use of electric maintenance equipment would be most beneficial.

Many studies support parking lot shading as an effective measure to reduce vehicle evaporative emissions. Some suggest that shade tree mitigation measures may not be cost effective in the prevention of evaporative emissions, especially when compared to emissions associated with tree maintenance. Tree maintenance emissions (fuel-powered chain saws, leaf blowers, et. al.), as well as the biogenic hydrocarbon emissions from trees themselves, may offset any emissions savings from parking lot shading. The solution to this dilemma lies in the use of low emission, low maintenance trees, the utilization of electric powered landscaping equipment, and the use of reflective paving materials.

1. Plant at least 50 percent low-ozone forming potential (Low-OFP) trees and shrubs, preferably native, drought-resistant species, to meet city/county landscaping requirements. PV=0.5
    
2. Plant Low-OFP, native, drought-resistant , tree and shrub species, 20% in excess of that already required by city or county ordinance. Consider roadside, sidewalk, and driveway shading. PV=0.5
    
3. Orient 75 percent or more of homes and buildings to face either north or south (within 30 degrees of N/S) and plant trees and shrubs that shed their leaves in winter nearer to these structures to maximize shade to the building during the summer and allow sunlight to strike the building during the winter months. #50; PV=0.5
    
4. Increase parking lot shading by 20% over code utilizing Low-OFP trees and shrubs.  If parking lot shading is not a requirement then implement a 50% canopy roadside/sidewalk/driveway shading plan. #15; PV=1.0
    
5. Provide grass paving, tree shading, or reflective surface for unshaded parking lot areas, driveways, or fire lanes that reduce standard black asphalt paving by 10% or more. #14; PV=1.0 for concrete or chip seal and 0.5 for other
    
6. Electrical outlets shall be installed on the exterior walls of all residential and commercial buildings (and perhaps parking lots) to promote the use of electric landscape maintenance equipment. PV=0.5
    
7. Prohibit gas powered landscape maintenance equipment within residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. Require landscape maintenance companies to use battery powered or electric equipment or contract only with commercial landscapers who operate with equipment that complies with the most recent California Air Resources Board certification standards, or standards adopted no more than three years prior to date of use or any combination of these two themes. PV=2.0
    
8. Provide a complimentary cordless electric lawnmower to each residential buyer. #65; 2.0

Landscaping and Shading Masterplan #2
[Package Maximum Point-Value = 5.0]

1. Plant at least 50 percent low-ozone forming potential (Low-OFP) trees and shrubs, preferably native, drought-resistant species, to meet city/county landscaping requirements. PV=0.5
    
2. Plant Low-OFP, native, drought-resistant , tree and shrub species, 20% in excess of that already required by city or county ordinance. Consider roadside, sidewalk, and driveway shading. PV=0.5
    
3. Orient 75 percent or more of homes and buildings to face either north or south (within 30 degrees of N/S) and plant trees and shrubs that shed their leaves in winter nearer to these structures to shade the building during the summer and allow sunlight to strike the building during the winter months. #50; PV=0.5
    
4. Increase parking lot shading by 20% over code utilizing Low-OFP trees and shrubs.  If parking lot shading is not a requirement then implement a 50% canopy roadside/sidewalk/driveway shading plan. #15; PV=1.0
    
5. Provide grass paving, tree shading, or reflective surface for unshaded parking lot areas, roadsides, sidewalks, driveways, or fire lanes that reduce standard black asphalt paving by 10% or more. #14; PV=1.0 for concrete or chip seal and 0.5 for other
    
6. Electrical outlets shall be installed on the exterior walls of all residential and commercial buildings (and perhaps parking lots) to promote the use of electric landscape maintenance equipment. PV=0.5

Additional Point-Value List Measures That May Be Implemented

[The entire list is available for download here (MS Excel 2002 or Adobe PDF)]

Commercial and Mixed Use Projects

1. Non-residential projects provide bicycle lockers and/or racks. #1; 0.5
    
2. Non-residential projects provide personal showers and lockers. #3; 0.5
    
3. Provide an additional 20 percent of required Class I and Class II bicycle parking facilities. #2; 0.5
    
4. Entire project is located within 1/2 mile of an existing Class I or Class II bike lane and provides a comparable bikeway connection to the existing infrastructure. #5; 1.0
    
5. The project provides for pedestrian facilities and improvements such as overpasses and wider sidewalks. #6; 1.0
    
6. Install an ozone destruction catalyst on all air conditioning systems (PV=1.5; estimated $300-$500 per residential unit).
    
7. Bus service provides headways of 15 minutes or less (1.0) or 30 minutes or less (0.5) for stops within 1/4 mile; project provides essential bus stop improvements (i.e., shelters, route information, benches, and lighting). #7;1.0/0.5
    
8. Provide a display case or kiosk displaying transportation information in a prominent area accessible to employees or residents. #8; 0.5
    
9. Provide the minimum amount of parking required by ordinance. #12; 0.5
    
10. Provide parking reduction: Office 25%, Medical office 8%, Commercial 5%, Industrial 10%, Additional 10-20% if located along transit station (special review of parking is required). #13; 2.5
     
11. Provide preferential parking for carpool/vanpools. #17;0.5
     
12. Covered carpool/vanpool spaces near the entrance to the building(s). #18; 0.5
     
13. Loading and unloading facilities for transit and carpool/vanpool users. #19; 0.5
     
14. Provide a parking lot design that includes clearly marked and shaded pedestrian pathways between transit facilities and building entrances. #21; 0.5
     
15. Setback distance is minimized between development and existing or planned transit, bicycle, or pedestrian corridor. #24/25; 1.0/0.5
     
16. Establish telecommuting programs, alternate work schedules, and satellite work centers
     
17. Implement compressed work week schedules. #56; 0.2
     
18. Promote teleworking and implement an employee telework policy. #61; 1.0
     
19. Transit pass subsidy and/or commute alternative allowance. #67; 1.5 for 100% subsidy
     
20. Provide an opportunity to receive either a complimentary bicycle or electric bicycle retrofit kit to each residential buyer. #66; 0.5
     
21. Contribute funding to the FRAQMD Pedestrian/Bicycle Infrastructure Program or the city/county Master Bike Plan or fund a pedestrian infrastructure project meeting FRAQMD/city/county approval. #96; tbd
     
22. Amenities (PV=0.2 each): design the Site to minimize the need for external trips by including services/facilities for day care, banking/ATM, restaurants, vehicle refueling, and shopping.

• Day care facilities are provided on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Restaurant or cafeteria on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Bank or ATM on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Dry cleaners on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Post office on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Entertainment (movie/video) on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Recreation facility/fitness center on site or within 1/4 mile of site

Residential Projects

1. Bicycle storage (Class I) at apartment complexes or condos without garages. #4; 0.5
    
2. Entire project is located within 1/2 mile of an existing Class I or Class II bike lane and provides a comparable bikeway connection to the existing infrastructure. #5; 1.0
    
3. The project provides for pedestrian facilities and improvements such as overpasses and wider sidewalks. #6; 1.0
    
4. Provide a display case or kiosk displaying transportation information in a prominent area accessible to employees or residents. #8; 0.5
    
5. Install an ozone destruction catalyst on all air conditioning systems (PV=1.5; estimated $300-$500 per residential unit).
    
6. Amenities PV=0.2 each: design the Site to minimize the need for external trips by including services/facilities for day care, banking/ATM, restaurants, vehicle refueling, and shopping:

• Day care facilities are provided on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Restaurant or cafeteria on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Bank or ATM on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Dry cleaners on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Post office on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Entertainment (movie/video) on site or within 1/4 mile of site
• Recreation facility/fitness center on site or within 1/4 mile of site

Smart Growth Communities

Mobile Source Emissions  Motor vehicle emissions are responsible for approximately 70% of the air pollution problem in the Sacramento Valley. Mobile source (e.g. cars, trucks, motorcycles, recreational craft, boats, trains, planes) emissions are getting cleaner each year due to fleet turnover, fuel reformulations (cleaner burning fuels), and lower-emitting engine technologies, unfortunately, the region is rapidly growing. Population growth and land-use development translates to more mobile sources, typically a single-occupancy vehicle (SOV), and statistics indicate that commuters are living farther from the workplace so more miles are traveled annually. Therefore, growth in our region provides more vehicle trips and more vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and the associated air pollution problem [Rule of Thumb: Divide the projected population growth for a community by 1.80 (Mean Auto Occupancy) to get the projected number of vehicles that will be added to the air pollution emissions inventory].

What Can We Do?  Communities designed for smart growth provide the right mix of residential, commercial, and mixed uses, pedestrian infrastructure (walking, bicycling, public transit), neighborhood employment opportunities, properly placed and sized green space (parks and open space), removal of access barriers to pedestrian and public transit infrastructure, services within walking (1/4 mile) or bicycling (1 mile) distance, multimodal "safe and convenient" commute choices focusing on reducing SOV trips and miles traveled.

Smart Growth Measures  A successful smart growth community design will inherently reduce vehicle trips and vehicle miles traveled and provide a healthier environment for its residents and those communities downwind receiving transported pollutants. All new developments, infill projects, and redesigns of existing developments should focus on smart growth concepts by implementing pollution-reducing design measures at every opportunity, and reducing SOV trips and miles traveled, thus reducing the regulatory burden on stationary sources to reduce air pollution and addressing the true focal point of regional air quality issues.

1. Join the Yuba-Sutter Transportation Management Association (TMA) and prepare an employer-based trip reduction plan for all employees to include ridesharing, van pooling, public transportation, transit subsidies, guaranteed ride home, pedestrian (bicycling and walking), alternative work schedules (e.g. 4/10's and 9/80's), and telecommuting features.
    
2. The project should be designed to minimize the need for external vehicle trips by including such  amenities as day care, banking, ATM, postal services, food services, restaurants, video rentals, entertainment, recreation and shopping onsite or within 1/4 mile walking distance of the project.
    
3. Provide adequate ingress and egress at entrances to public facilities to minimize vehicle idling and traffic congestion. Provide dedicated turn lanes as appropriate.
    
4. Coordinate with Yuba-Sutter Transit to determine public transit service and infrastructure requirements and provide necessary funding to achieve.
    
5. Coordinate with city/county planning and community development staff to determine pedestrian infrastructure deficiencies or requirements and provide necessary funding to achieve.
    
6. Establish telecommuting programs, alternate work schedules, and satellite work centers.
    
7. Include wide parking spaces or vanpool only spaces to accommodate vanpool vehicles.
    
8. Implement Bus services  that provide headways of 15 minutes or less (PV=1.0) or 30 minutes or less (PV=0.5) for stops within 1/4 mile.
    
9. The project should provide essential bus stop improvements (i.e., shelters, route information, benches, and lighting).
    
10. Provide electric vehicle charging facilities.
     
11. Provide loading and unloading facilities for transit and carpool/vanpool users.
     
12. Provide preferential parking for vanpools and carpools.
     
13. Install covered carpool/vanpool spaces near the entrance to the building(s).
     
14. Provide a parking lot design that includes clearly marked and shaded pedestrian pathways between transit facilities and building entrances.
     
15. Install loading and unloading facilities for transit and carpool/vanpool users.
     
16. Locate the project within one mile of a park and ride lot operated by a transportation agency or install a park and ride lot in coordination with the local transit authority.
     
17. Provide amenities such as personal lockers and showers, bicycle lockers and racks, bus pass subsidies and flexible schedules for employees who walk, bike, or utilize public transit to work.
     
18. Provide a display case or kiosk displaying transportation information in a prominent area accessible to employees or residents.
     
19. Minimize setback distances between development and existing or planned transit, bicycle, or pedestrian corridors.
     
20. Develop mixed-use projects predominantly characterized by properties on which various uses, such as office, commercial, institutional, and residential, are combined in a single building or on a single site.  A "single site" may include contiguous properties.
     
21. Partial Mixed-Use Credit: Have at least 3 of the following on site and/or within 1/4 mile: Residential Development, Retail Development, Personal Services, Open Space, Office.
     
22. Implement community designs with the neighborhood serving as the focal point with parks, school and civic uses within 1/4 mile.
     
23. Construct separate, safe, and convenient bicycle and pedestrian paths connecting residential, commercial, and office uses.
     
24. Implement design parameters where the project provides a development pattern that eliminates physical barriers such as walls, berms, landscaping, ditches, and slopes between residential and non-residential uses so as not to impede bicycle or pedestrian circulation.
     
25. If you have to install a fireplace then install the lowest emitting commercially available natural gas fireplace.
     
26. Install the lowest emitting commercially available furnace.
     
27. Install an ozone destruction catalyst on all air conditioning systems (PV=1.5; estimated $300-$500 per residential unit).
     
28. Install EPA "Energy Star" approved roofing materials or install "Green Roof" Technology.
     
29. Utilize innovative Energy-Efficient Technologies or measures exceeding Title 24 energy efficiency standards by 10% or more.
     
30. Comply with EPA/DOE Energy Star Home energy standards.

There are many more smart growth measures available that are equally or more innovative and effective than measures listed here. The project proponent is encouraged to utilize the most current, proven and innovative concepts for community design and development.

Additional Best Available Mitigation Measures That May Be Implemented

Residential Projects

1. Only U.S. EPA Phase II certified (EPA Certified) woodburning devices may be installed in new single-family residences.
    
2. Adopt measures to ensure that woodburning or pellet appliances shall not be permitted in multi-family developments; only natural gas heating units should be installed. If necessary, propane fired “fireplace” appliances are permitted.
    
3. Electrical outlets should be installed on the exterior walls of both the front and back of a residence to promote the use of electric landscape maintenance equipment.
    
4. Prohibit gas powered landscape maintenance equipment within residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments.
    
5. Purchase battery powered or electric landscape maintenance equipment for new residences.
    
6. Require residential, commercial and mixed use development practices that maximize energy conservation. Consider the following:

• Introduce window glazing, wall insulation, and efficient ventilation methods.
• Introduce efficient heating and other appliances, such as water heaters, cooking equipment, refrigerators, furnaces and boiler units.
• Incorporate appropriate passive solar design and solar heaters.

Commercial/Industrial Projects

1. Prohibit gas powered landscape maintenance equipment within residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. Require landscape maintenance companies to use battery powered or electric equipment.
    
2. Electrical outlets shall be installed on the exterior walls of all commercial buildings to promote the use of electric landscape maintenance equipment.
    
3. Schedule goods movement for off-peak traffic hours to reduce vehicle idling and traffic congestion.
    
4. Adopt a Vehicle Idling Policy requiring all vehicles under company control to adhere to a 5 minute idling policy. Also, enforce an onsite idling policy of 5 minutes or less including company owned, contract, vendor, and delivery vehicles. Include signage and training programs as well as contractual language.