Parkland Airshed Management Zone
Saving energy can save you money!Red Deer 2011/11/09
Grants are available to help Red Deerians improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The City of Red Deer is giving away forty $50 utility bill credits to homeowners who have a qualifying energy audit performed.
This home energy audit is the first step to qualifying for more than $5000 in grants from the federal and provincial governments to do things like improve insulation, get a more energy efficient furnace, improve windows and doors, install solar systems and more.
Join us November 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Red Deer Public Library's Snell Auditorium to learn more about rebates and how to do your own home energy audits:
* Hear from someone who has had a home energy audit and applied for rebates
* Learn what rebates are available and how to apply
* Find resources to do your own home energy audit
Find details at our website: www.reddeer.ca/environment or contact myself.
Lauren Maris
Environmental Program Specialist
The City of Red Deer
Phone: 403-314-5894
lauren.maris@reddeer.ca
www.reddeer.ca/environment
Mirror Air Quality Report ReleasedMirror, Alberta 2011/10/04
Monitoring Targeted Emissions from Locomotives
Alberta Environment recently released its report “Air Quality Monitoring Near Mirror Rail Yards” that reviewed the data collected from monitoring operated as a partnership between the Parkland Airshed Management Zone (PAMZ) and Alberta Environment during the spring of 2010 and the winter of 2010/11. The monitoring was conducted in response to local residents’ concerns over emissions from locomotive activities at Canadian National’s rail yards located in Mirror, Alberta.
The monitoring program was operated by PAMZ using its Martha Kostuch Portable Air Quality Monitoring Trailer and specialized sampling equipment provided by Alberta Environment. In addition to the regular variety of compounds usually monitored by PAMZ’s trailer, the equipment provided by Alberta Environment allowed PAMZ to sample for Volatile Organic
Compounds and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.
The report concludes that given the right set of weather conditions, emissions from locomotives may impact areas downwind of the rail yards. During the monitoring conducted by PAMZ none of the monitored pollutants exceeded the applicable Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives with the exception of one single hour where the Fine Particulate Matter Guideline was exceeded. Wind conditions at the time of the exceedance indicated that rail yard activities were not the source.
“PAMZ plans on returning to Mirror in 2012 to conduct follow-up monitoring where hopefully we will see more winds that put Mirror downwind of the rail yards” says PAMZ executive director, Kevin Warren. “More data and samples collected under the right conditions will provide us a more complete picture of the impact of emissions from the locomotives.”
A multi-stakeholder non-profit organization consisting of industry, local government, provincial government departments, environmental organizations and the public, the Parkland Airshed Management Zone was formed in 1997 to monitor and manage air quality in the central Alberta. For more information about PAMZ, visit our website at www.pamz.org.
Internet link for copy of the report:
http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/8387.pdf
NEW Issue of PAMZ Newsletter ReleasedPAMZ Area 2011/10/04
Please click on the text below to view the recently published PAMZ newsletter.
Articles included in this issue:
- Clean Air Day- 2011 Action Hero Awards
- PAMZ 2nd Annual Photo Contest
- Local Air Quailty Health Index
- Martha Kostuch Scholarship Recipient
- Hydraulic Fracturing- ERCB reslease new EnerFAQ
- Member Profile- Jennifer Lutz
Martha Scholarship Recipient AnnouncedSundre 2011/09/13
This scholarship was established to assist students graduating from high schools within PAMZ’s boundaries in recognition of their outstanding environmental service and leadership as well as the promise of future achievement in environmental stewardship.
The Scholarship celebrates the legacy of Dr. Kostuch. “Martha” made a significant impact ...on how environmental management policy was developed in Alberta, advocating for effective collaboration among stakeholders. She was a founding director of PAMZ and was involved with many other organizations, including the Alberta Prairie Acid Rain Coalition, Friends of the Old Man River, and the Clean Air Strategic Alliance.
This year’s recipient of the scholarship is Colby Morris of Sundre, Alberta. Colby was the valedictorian his Sundre High School class in 2011. He will be pursuing his post-secondary education in Environmental Science at the University of Lethbridge and hopes to find employment in the environmental field of Reclamation. He submitted an outstanding application detailing his scholastic achievements along with an engaging essay explaining his passion for the environment.
Al Simcoe (PAMZ Chairman) presenting Colby Morris with the 2011 Martha Kostuch Scholarship.
Martha Kostuch Scholarship Deadline ApproachingPAMZ area 2011/06/16
The Martha Kostuch Scholarship deadline is approaching (July 1st). If you know of a grade 12 student, going for secondary education in Environmental studies and lives in the PAMZ area have them check out the scholarship on our website under the Resources Tab or http://www.pamz.org/resources/scholarship/
