The JAC at Work
Success Stories and Advancement
Since Establishment in May 1996
JAC
recommendations that have been Implemented
- Distribution of seasonally appropriate gasolines in
Cd. Juarez
- Oxyfuels distribution started in 1997
- CO exceedances dropped from 30-40/yr to 2-3/yr
- Low-RVP gasoline distribution in Cd. Juarez - accomplished
- Ozone exceedances dropped dramatically
- Construction of a gasoline pipeline between EP and Jz, simplifies
distribution of seasonally appropriate Low-RVP and oxyfuels
in Juarez
- JAC - Air Pollution Research Information Clearinghouse
- Development of Cd Juarez Air Quality Plan similar to
a SIP
- State of Chihuahua Vehicle Emissions Program
- Program tests mass transit vehicles
- Next phase will test heavy duty municipal fleets
- Cd. Juarez Vehicle Inspection / Maintenance Program
- This program tests private vehicles to assure compliance
with vehicle emissions limits
- Operational since 1998
- Program is mandatory
- Vehicles not passing the test are required to show proof
of a tune-up to receive a waiver
- Designated Commuter Lane at the International Bridges
- Allows quicker movement of vehicles across the international
bridges
- Vehicle owners required to register with US and Mexican
Customs
- First DCL opened at Stanton Street Bridge in 1998
- Second DCL opened at Zaragoza Bridge in 2005
- Ecology Fairs in Cd. Juarez Maquiladoras and Malls
- This program provides emissions testing of maquiladora vehicles
and employees of maquiladoras
- Ecology fairs take place regularly at Cd. Juarez Malls to
help drivers tune-up vehicles and obtain vehicle inspection
stickers
- Auto mechanics train-the-trainer workshops
- Program teaches auto mechanics to repair vehicles for the
Juarez Inspection / Maintenance program
- Reduces the incidence of fraudulent repairs by teaching
ethics to vehicle mechanics
- Paint Body Shop Strategies
- Established solvent management workshops
- Promotes hi-volume / lo-pressure paint spray guns
- Joint Air Quality Reporting
- Linkage of El Paso / Juarez Air Pollution Monitoring Stations
- Connected Juarez CAMS to LEADS via 2-way then wireless IP
- In process of adding NMED air monitoring sites to a regional
network.
- $750,000 SCERP Air Quality Research Grant
- This project initiated a 3 yr PM2.5 characterization program
- An unexpected result of this project was the discovery of
elevated levels of lead and arsenic in soils near West-Central
El Paso
- Establishment of SINAICA Internet Site
- Mexico's version of LEADs integrating all Mexican states
air monitoring stations
JAC Recommendations and
Priority Projects Requiring Continued Attention
- Unpaved Roads
- Community road paving activities are continuing
- Traffic Control Measures
- Road congestion is managed
thru expanded single-direction roadways
- Streetlight synchronization
- Special turn lanes - European
design
- Mass Transit
- Currently over 1800 private
mass transit (school-bus conversions) circulate throughout
Juarez
- Maquiladoras offer mass transit
low-to-no-cost rides to employees
- Open Burning
- Rules/Ordinances in place to
prevent trash burning within city limits
- Environmental complaints hotline
is ongoing
- Brickmakers have committees
in place which designate who fires their kiln and when to
prevent excess smoke emissions
- Controls on Industrial
Emissions - pending
- Primarily rules on VOC controls
not established
- Promoting development of Stage
I Vapor Recovery Systems
- Infrastructure Development
- Sewage system being improved
to reduce odors caused by sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions at
one plant near the U.S. border
- Development of Colonia Anapra
just West of El Paso via road-paving, installation of piped-in
water, and secure electrical connections.
- Health Impacts and Assessments
- Ongoing studies by the National
Institute on Public Health on respiratory health impacts to
the community
- Children's Respiratory Health
study undertaken in El Paso in 2002
- Binational Tracking Network
of Environmentally Related Diseases undertaken in FY-05 thru
EPA Border 2012 grant
- Review of Legal Issues
and Regulatory Framework
- Continued modification of the Federal, State
and Local Ecology Laws
- Requirements for Importation
of New and Used Vehicle into Cd. Juarez
- Mexican Customs has implemented a program
to "Nationalize" (thru vehicle registration) U.S. pick-up
trucks and private vehicles
- Subcommittee for Supplemental
Environmental Projects
- Developed to address SEPs in
a binational setting
- Promoted the "Cash-for-clunkers"
program in 1998
- Emission Reductions Credits
Trading Subcommittee
- Brick kiln program developed
thru partnership w/ EP Electric
- Developed and supported SB
749 (77th Leg.-TX)
- Allows emissions reduction
in Juarez to be credited in Texas
- Provided assistance to TCEQ
in establishment ERC Trading Rules
- Brickmakers Subcommittee
- Following ERC Trading Subcommittee
recommendation for establishment of ERC Trading
- developed a program to begin
replacing hi-emitting brickkilns with low-emitting environmental
brick kilns (EBK-Program)
- Project is ongoing and funded
primarily by El Paso Electric Co.
- Development of an Emissions
Inventory (EI) for Cd. Juarez
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