Objective 3.1.1. - Air Quality.

Achieve a level of Ambient Air Quality within Manatee County that meets or exceeds State and National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to:

• Protect the health of County residents;

• Decrease atmospheric deposition of pollutants into water resources;

• Maintain healthy ecosystems; and

• Reduce costs to County taxpayers for cleaning up air pollution.

Policy 3.1.1.1. Assess the quality of the County's ambient air for compliance with County, State, and National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) through a complete air quality monitoring network and provide an air quality index to the general public.

Implementation Mechanism:

(a)

Coordinate with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Aerometric Information Retrieval System (FDEP-AIRS) to monitor ambient air quality. Also, the network shall continue to facilitate the measurement of all NAAQS parameters at least once a month, with monitoring conducted according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

Policy 3.1.1.2. Encourage and facilitate a reduction in total air emissions by all sources listed for Manatee County on the FDEP Air Pollution Inventory System.

Policy 3.1.1.3. Evaluate the appropriateness of proposed location for all land development activities which are required by state regulations to obtain a Construction and Operating permit.

Implementation Mechanism:

(a)

Review all FDEP Construction and Operating Permit applications (first-time and renewal) regarding cumulative effects upon ambient air quality and for potential land use conflicts.

Policy 3.1.1.4. Implement, within six (6) months of notification of FDEP nonattainment status for any NAAQS parameter, control strategies to achieve attainment status.

Implementation Mechanism:

(a)

Adoption by the BOCC of mandatory control strategies such as best available control technology methods, and mandatory restrictions on applications for new operating permits for air pollution sources emitting pollutants for which Manatee County is classified as nonattainment.

Policy 3.1.1.5. Reduce or stabilize vehicular emission levels through the use of traffic mitigation techniques which may include traffic flow improvements, use of transportation control measures such as Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Transportation Demand Management (TDM) and buffer zones when seeking to mitigate potential adverse air quality impacts, discouragement of emission control tampering, encouraging the use of alternative fuel vehicles and encourage transit amenity provisions.

Implementation Mechanism:

Review of development orders and traffic improvement plans to ensure consistency with this policy.

(a)

Coordination with the Manatee-Sarasota Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to implement Intelligent Transportation System projects.

(b)

Develop a Transportation Demand Management program to include achievable goals and measurable results to address nonpoint air pollution sources.

(c)

Manatee County to review cost/benefit of participation in the Federal Clean Cities program.

Policy 3.1.1.6. Require the control of erosion, fugitive dust, and air emissions related to the development construction.

Implementation Mechanism:

(a)

Erosion and Sediment Control Plan required in Land Development Regulations with Final Site Plan.

(b)

Coordination with the State Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry to potentially modify open burning regulations in the County.

Policy 3.1.1.7. Support efforts by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP) as set forth in the adopted TBEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) to reduce atmospheric depositions of nitrogen.

Implementation Mechanism:

(a)

Coordinate with the TBEP implement strategies recommended in the TBEP CCMP.

(Ord. No. 18-04 , § 7(Exh. E), 8-23-18)