Sussex Air Q=
uality Partnership
(Sussex-air)
Business Plan 2007/08
=
The=
Sussex
Air Quality Partnership (presently known as the Sussex Air Quality Steering
Group) is made up from officers of East and West Sussex County Councils, the
Sussex city, district and borough councils, the Environment Agency, the Sus=
sex
Health Protection Agency representing the Sussex PCT’s and the
Universities of Brighton and Sussex.
The=
partnership
meets every 10 weeks and works to an agreed agenda comprising of standing items, specific issues =
and
projects. At most meetings a presentation is made, often by outside
speakers.
The=
Project
Development Officer (PDO) is employed by the partnership and provides techn=
ical
expertise and advice for all the participating authorities and agencies in =
the partnership.
The PDO is based at Lewes DC and is an air quality scientist with specific
knowledge in advanced air quality modelling and monitoring.
Aims:
The=
aim of
the partnership is to improve the expertise and knowledge base for officers=
and
through them the public, in the area of air quality. The partnership aims to
provide:
Training:
·
Technical
assistance; air quality monitoring stations, data, modelling
·
LAQM
Review and Assessment (R&A)
·
Provide
workshops, lectures and technical sub-groups on Air Quality issues
Information
·
Website
management – www.sussex-air.net
·
Providing
linkage to other authorities, UK and EU bodies or expert groups.
·
Health
and Air Quality
·
Latest
Air Quality developments/information
·
Information
database and resource for Sussex.
Advice and assistance on air q=
uality
issues regarding:
·
LAQM
Review and Assessment
·
Planning,
Transport, Industry, Waste, Airports, Seaports
·
Indoor
and ambient air quality
·
Air
quality modelling and monitoring
·
Transport
planning measures and targets
Initiatives:
·
Enable
group members to become involved in accessing funding for Air Quality
initiatives and projects:
·
EU
·
Any
potential UK funding
·
Create
and enhance partnerships with bodies/ authorities
·
PCT’s,
HPA, NSCA, Educators, Health professionals
·
other
LA’s, counties regional and European bodies
·
UK
and EU government departments
·
Link
in initiatives related to Air Quality:
·
Low
emission technologies
·
Cleaner
fuels
·
Trans-boundary
pollution
·
Climate
change
·
·
Air
quality modelling
·
Emissions
inventory work
·
Training
on LAQM
·
Supporting
and providing data management for members
2006/07 outcomes.
=
Air Quality Initiatives=
.
=
1. =
Completion of Sussex Air Quali=
ty
Strategy.
2. =
Worked further with County and
Unitary authorities on local transport plans LTP2.
3. =
Worked more closely with other
Regional groups. (Kent, Surrey and Hampshire) by attending meetings and
exchanging information.
4. =
Built links with educators and
PCT’s through projects and communication links : ARMO, “air-ALE=
RT”
and “micro-project” projects, improving linkages with air quali=
ty
and health.
5. =
Made linkages in Climate Chang=
e with
Air Quality issues – by building CO2 into proposed Emissio=
ns
Inventory for Sussex and working with groups such as SECCP.
=
Technical.
=
1. =
LAQM – Updating and Scre=
ening
Assessments (USA) (April 06) and Detailed Assessments (DA) support and
training.
This was a major aspect of our work this year. The PDO assisted local
authorities in delivering this. The PDO provided:
- =
Training
on USA’s technical information and reports.
- =
Produced
a comprehensive template that reduced much of the background work each local
authority needed to undertake.
2. =
Assisted Lewes DC and Chichest=
er DC
with the air quality action planning process.
3. = Worked with East and West Suss= ex C.C.’s on development of air quality elements of LTP2. Provided data, specific modelling = for air quality targets and consulted on air quality aspects of Sussex LTP2 plans.<= o:p>
4. =
Secured SCE funding in support=
of
Emissions Inventory (EI) work for Sussex EI.
5. =
Attended
meetings/seminars/conferences regarding Air Quality, including:
- =
NSCA
annual meetings and member on the Air Quality Committee.
- =
DMUG
– AQ modelling review meeting.
- =
IAPSC
conference.
- =
DEFRA - regular Air Quality Co-ordinators
meeting.
Air Quality Modelling.
1. =
Undertook detailed modelling f=
or:
- =
Chichester
D.C.
- =
Lewes
D.C.
- =
West
Sussex C.C. LTP2
- =
Wealden
D.C.
Emissions Inventory.
1. =
Utilised ARMO project funding =
to
contract AEA Energy and Environment to import national data set for atmosph=
eric
emissions into Sussex EI (EMIT emissions inventory software). (Due to be
complete March 2007).
2. =
Supported a Masters student
(University of Brighton) in the development of scenario testing emissions
strategy for Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Lewes.
Contracted services to Sussex
authorities.
1. =
A review and capability survey=
of
companies to deliver the management contract for the Sussex Air Quality Net=
work
was undertaken in late 2006. =
The
result of the survey, due in February 2007, will assist in the determinatio=
n of
the contractor to provide the service from 2007 – 2010.
2. =
The network contract covers the
collection, verification and dissemination of air quality monitoring data f=
rom
continuous monitoring stations and the provision of air quality forecasts. =
The
Sussex Air Quality network comprises of 14 air quality monitoring stations
(AQMS) and the (1) counties’ (W&E) mobile air quality lab. Air
quality forecasts are produced for each authority’s area.
Sussex-air web-site management=
.
1. =
Sussex-air.net provided inform=
ation
and links for:
- =
Air
quality data on all pollutants monitored in Sussex.
- =
Air
Quality information
- =
LAQM
reports and information
- =
Recent
events (summer ozone events, bonfire night)
- =
Project
updates as detailed below.
Air Quality Projects.
1.
“Air Rives Manche –
Ozone” ARMO project:
- =
SAQSG
managing InterregIIIA project ARMO with partners UK - NSCA and University of Brighton,
France – Atmo Picardie and Air Normande.
- =
Co-ordinated
meetings and ongoing management of the project budget (£400k).
- =
Established
an ozone diffusion tube network, 12x ozone micro sensors and installed 2x O=
zone
AQMS in Lodsworth and Isfield.
- =
Final
ARMO conference (March 2007)
2.
“airALERT” pilot
project:
- =
airALERT
was run as a pilot service over the summer of 2006, to alert asthma suffere=
rs
before forecasted high pollution days, so to provide self health management=
information.
- =
The
service started in June and ran until September 2006. The service targeted 150 asthma
sufferers throughout Sussex and sent alerts via text message (mobile) and v=
oice
message to (home) phones over the summer.
- =
Partners
are: Kings College London ERG (supplying technical delivery and forecasting=
),
University of Brighton (research and assessment of service), PCT’s and
Breath-easy groups in Sussex.
- =
Funding
support was gained through the University of Brighton CUPP funding, which
enabled research and feed-back on the pilots objectives.
- =
A
seminar on airALERT is being held in Brighton on 22nd January 20=
07.
3.
“EU micro-project”=
- =
The
partnership in support of ESCC are undertaking a micro project with French
partners Atmo-Picardie called “Monitoring air pollution on busy roads
near schools”
- = We are utilising the Atmo-Picardie air quality mobile lab, to visit 4 schools around Sussex during February 2007(Rye, Horsham, Brighton and Eastbourne).<= o:p>
- =
The
lab will be used to promote air quality and educate students on the sources=
and
activities causing air pollution.
- =
The
lab will also visit 3 air quality monitoring stations to undertake independ=
ent
QA/QC audits for the inter-comparison of data within the Sussex and French
networks.
Training and Information.
=
1. =
Attended regular DEFRA Regional
Co-ordinators meetings and provided information to DEFRA on progress of LAQ=
M in
Sussex.
2. =
Information and consultation
documents have been circulated through linkages with DEFRA, ODPM (now DCLG)=
and
DfT departments to members. (UK Air Quality Strategy)
3. =
The partnership has provided
information on local air quality issues with talks on:
- =
New
gravimetric PM monitoring methods
- =
Climate
change and air quality
- =
Linkages
with emergency planners and AQ (post Buncefield meeting)
Proposed Business Plan for 2007/0=
8.
Spe=
cific
items proposed for 2007/08 are detailed below:
Technical.
1. =
To assist local authorities wi=
th the
next round of LAQM for 2007. To include assisting in consultation on and de=
signation
of Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) and Action Plans and related modelli=
ng
and data provision.
2. =
Develop further the Emissions
Inventory (EI) for Sussex. (AQ and CC). To provide each authority with
base-line data of emissions to air for pollutants and green-house-gases.
Projects.
1. =
Manage final year and deliver =
Interreg
IIIA “ARMO” project conference with partners in March 2007.
2. =
Develop and deliver an enhanced
“airALERT” service in summer 2007. The development will require a spo=
nsor
or funding in 2007.
3. =
Prepare a project and source
partners for Interreg IV to start in 2008.
Air Quality Initiatives=
.
1. =
Strengthen links with health
authorities on projects and health information provision (airALERT).
2. =
Strengthen links with education
authorities on projects and information provision (possible Interreg IV
proposal).
3. =
To work more closely with other
regional groups. (Kent, Surrey and Hampshire).
4. =
To further seek participation =
by the
Highways Agency and Mid-Sussex D.C. in the partnership.
5. =
Continue to work on linkages w=
ith
Climate Change with Air Quality issues.
6. =
Change the name of Sussex Air
Quality Steering Group (SAQSG) to Sussex-air the Sussex Air Quality Partner=
ship,
with new logo in to be designed in2007.
Air Quality Training.
1. =
Continue to train members in L=
AQM
techniques
2. = Updates members on on-going air quality related issues, events and legis