Dallas picked as first city in the country for clean-air initiative

by PegNews wire

Dallas was chosen as the first city in the country to test a new initiative aimed at bringing cleaner air to the metro area.

The city will team up with the Environmental Protection Agency and North Central Texas Council of Governments in a joint venture called "Sustainable Skylines," one that involves completing several 3-year projects to reduce air emissions. If the Dallas pilot is successful, the initiative could be used as a model for other cities.

Dallas was selected from a pool of cities vying to field test the new initiative. Some of the projects it'll conduct under include:

• Replace taxis and rental cars with ultra-low or zero-emitting vehicles
• Encourage construction of energy-efficient, affordable homes
• Complete a reduction strategy for energy-related emissions, including small-scale wind, solar, fuel cell, strategic shading, and methane capture projects; improve the energy efficiency of city water pumping; and perform additional Energy Star benchmarking of public buildings and schools
• Teach the Dallas Independent School District and business community to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Help reduce air emissions from Dallas-area industries
• Replace lawn maintenance equipment and small utility vehicles with electric powered equipment.

Under the Sustainable Skylines initiative, a city can choose to perform projects from seven categories: stationary sources/area sources, renewable energy/energy efficiency, central city livability, green buildings and developments, land-use transportation strategies, off-road emissions, and diesel emissions. Benefits should be seen within three years. The City of Dallas has committed to completing seven environmentally beneficial projects.

"The City of Dallas is pleased to partner with EPA and the NCTCOG on our environmental sustainability programs," said Mayor Laura Miller. "Having our experts work collaboratively on complex environmental issues will lead to real and measurable environmental improvements. These improvements, specifically in air quality, will not only benefit the residents of Dallas, but other cities who use this Sustainable Skylines project as a model for their own environmental initiatives."

Learn more about the Dallas Sustainable Skylines initiative and activities in EPA Region 6.

Posted by T.G.