# Presentation: 231062

## Converting an Ozone Action Days Program to a Year-Round Air Quality Program: The New York Experience

- Presentation at 2007 National Air Quality Conference

**John Zamurs,**
**New York State DOT**

**Michael Grant**

## Program Background

- An Ozone Action Days (OAD) Program had been in place in the several New York cities since 1997** **
- Under the direction of the New York State Department of Transportation, in cooperation with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation** **
- Emphasis in New York City metro area
- Encouraged actions to reduce air pollution on OADs, and throughout the ozone season
- Variable message signs on highways
- Outreach to businesses, schools, and other organizations
- “Buy a Plant” campaign – Green Your Office
- Distributed forecasts of Ozone Action Days to over 600 employers and individuals.

## Program Goals

- 	New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) committed to **enhancing and expanding** the New York metropolitan region’s OAD program in order to achieve **quantifiable, on-going reductions in motor vehicle emissions**.

## Conformity Credit

- Transportation conformity waiver, Public Law 107-230, signed by President Bush Oct 1, 2002
- Needed after 9/11 attacks
- Waives transportation conformity requirements for 3 year period
- NYS commits to Congress, USEPA, USDOT, environmental community to study and implement emission control strategies
- Analysis shows OAD potential to be cost-effective emission strategy
- OAD benefits needed for ozone and PM conformity emission tests

## Conformity Credit

- NYSDOT worked with MPOs, NYSDEC, EPA, and USDOT to design an enhanced outreach program that qualified for emissions credit in conformity.
- Emissions reductions from the enhanced program were incorporated into the region’s conformity determinations for **ozone **_and_** particulate matter**.
- Goal to reduce VMT in the New York region **year-round** through education and public information about the connections between travel choices and air quality.
- Emission benefits credited in NYC and Poughkeepsie conformity determinations

## Transitioning to Year-Round Program

- Phase I (Summer – Fall 2006): Marketing the program under the Ozone NY name
- Using existing program logo and web address
- Conducting research and surveys to assess public attitudes and awareness of air quality issues and actions taken on OADs
- Refocused materials from “Buy a Plant” to focus on desired travel-related actions to improve air quality
- Undertook aggressive employer recruitment effort to increase number of employers participating in the Clean Air Network
- Phase II (Winter 2006-2007): Developing a new program
- Development of an integrated marketing campaign to be launched in early 2007, emphasizing the year-round nature of air quality issues and actions that can be taken.

## Phase I (Transition) Results

- Dramatically increased employer participation in Clean Air Network
- New communications to network
- Focusing on transportation actions
- Highlighting year-round air quality issues

## Phase II Program Development

- Renaming the program
- Changed notifications
- Communications
- Developing a mass media campaign consistent with the year-round theme.

**Ozone Action Days**

**Air Quality Action Days**

**Ozone season**

**Year-round**

## Marketing Goals

- To induce changes in driver behavior resulting in quantifiable motor vehicle emissions reductions in the New York metro area.
- To create an air quality ethic among metro New York residents that will encourage behaviors conducive to year-round air pollution reduction.
- To raise awareness about the routine actions individuals can take to reduce air pollution.
*Program messaging and tactics rely heavily on results of program evaluation efforts *

## Market Research: Awareness

- Air Pollution has a Personal Impact
- 42% of respondents indicated that at least one member of their household experiences negative health effects due to air pollution
- Knowledge Gap
- New Yorkers generally aware of air quality as problem, the role of automobile, and want to be part of solution.
- Yet 25% of those inclined to take action could not name a single action they could take.
- Lack of Message Penetration
- Only 24-30% recall hearing or seeing anything, even on or around alert days.

## Market Research: Potential Actions

- Trip Chaining is an Easy Action
- Combining trips** **was identified as one of the **easiest **actions to take
- Among the people who took action on alert days, 32% eliminated trips and **27% combined (linked) trips**.
- Willingness to Try Ridesharing and Transit
- 8% indicated that they carpool or vanpool at least once per week; **an additional 39% stated that they would consider doing so in the future**
- More than half (51%) indicated that they currently ride public transit at least once per week; **an additional 22% indicated that they would consider doing so**

## Key Messages

- Message Platform
*	**Conscious adjustments to your everyday choices, particularly in your daily travel routine, will improve the quality of your life, your community, and the air you breathe.*
- Proof points to support our claim of better quality of life include:
- Health statistics
- Traffic congestion statistics
- On-going actions
- Episodic actions

## Integrated Marketing Campaign

- Employer Outreach
- Outreach by the three New York-area TMAs – CommuterLink, Metropool, and Long Island Transportation Management
- Partnerships
- Developing partnerships to support the program with in-kind donations and public support for our mission.
- Public Outreach** **
***Mass media campaign, ***including radio, outdoor and online advertising
***Direct outreach ***mechanisms, including a Web site, public relations, events, promotional items, informational pamphlets and other materials.

## Integrated Marketing Campaign

## Lessons to Date

- Establish clear goals and objectives, and evaluation methods
- Outcomes: measured through surveys
- Output measures: participating employers, individuals, partners, web hits
- Working collaboratively
- Many partners involved: NYSDOT headquarters and regions, commuter organizations, health agencies, NYCDOT

***More to come!!!***