by Matthew Liberati
Agency descriptor from The North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization website: The North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization covers 15 local governments in Northern Colorado. Each participating local government chooses an elected official to serve as its representative on the Planning Council. In addition, there is a representative from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Air Pollution Control Division and the Transportation Commission of Colorado. The Council allows local officials to respond more effectively to regional and state transportation and transportation-related air quality issues and needs. The Executive Committee has three members, which include the Chair, Vice Chair, and Past Chair.
The Executive Committee is responsible for direct guidance to the Executive Director, sets agendas, and speaks for the entire Planning Council on specific issues/direction with consensus from the Council.
Meeting Summary*
The Northern Colorado ozone containment area has failed to meet ozone requirements for
decades. 83% of the area ozone is non-locally controllable. A letter from NFRMPO to the EPA
asking for help laid out several points
A request for the development of an EPA approvable plan that avoids further downgrades and sanctions
Suggestions and options to reduce emissions regionally, nationally, and internationally so localized areas can account for these in their planning
A desire to account for these options in any reconsideration of the ozone requirements future implementation guidance, nonattainment designation and/or classification downgrades, and implementing policies
Planning Council Member Johnny Olson summarized these points and asked if we know where the ozone outside this area is coming from. He assumed it’s coming from the west since there are large population centers along the West Coast. Many other planning members concurred with that assumption. Fort Collins city council member Tricia Canonico asked about numbers for other areas across the country. Planning Council staff will investigate this request. Council members will review the letter and state whether they want to sign it at the next meeting.
The I-25 major construction project is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year. Dynamic
pricing for tolls is scheduled to go live in the first quarter of 2024 with a grace period before enforcement. Equipment to catch people weaving in and out of the toll lanes will also be installed and will also have a grace period before enforcement.
Latham Parkway/Colorado Boulevard at Weld County Road 68.5 had funding for realignment allocated from Surface Transportation Block Grant (a FAST Act FHWA funding program). A request was made to change the scope to just realign the southern section of the road because partner funding was unavailable to complete the northern and southern sections. Council nodded in agreement with the descope to just the southern section. A formal vote on this plan will occur during the October 5th meeting.
Next Meeting: Thursday, October 5, 2023 @ 6:00 p.m., LaSalle Town Hall
​Agency Website: | |
​Date & Meeting Time: | ​Sept. 7, 2023; 6:00 PM |
​Members Present: | Chair Scott James, Vice Chair Jon Mallo, Paul Rennemeyer, Liz Heid, Tricia Canonico, Kristin Stephens, Johnny Olson |
Members Absent: | N/A |
Others Present to Note: | N/A |
*Citizen Observers further the commitment of the League of Women Voters to its principle of Citizens Right to Know, however, we are not acting as journalists. Omissions and errors are possible. It is assumed that users of this information are responsible for their own fact-checking. This could include contacting a government clerk, conversing with an elected official or staff, and/or asking us to speak to the Observer who attended.