# Clark County Department of Air Quality

Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

June 201 5Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

iiClark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

iii 

### Table of Contents

1. Introduction

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 1

- 1

2. Ozone Health Effect and Sources

................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 2

- 4

3. Program Update

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 3

- 1

4. Emi ssion Reductions

................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 4

- 1

5. Conclusion

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 5

- 1Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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### List of Figures

Figure 1

- 2. Ozone design value history.

................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 1

- 1 Figure 1

- 3. Average wind speeds at McCarran (1989

- 2012).

................................ ................................ ... 1

- 2 Figure 1

- 4. Airflow in Clark County.

................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 1

- 3 Figure 3

- 1. Energy reductions in state

- owned buildings.

................................ ................................ ......... 3

- 2 Figure 3

- 2. Renewable capacity.

................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 3

- 2 Figure 3

- 3. Renewable generation.

................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 3

- 3 Figure 3

- 4. DAQ outreach booth.

................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 3

- 5 Figure 4

- 1. Monthly SO 2 reductions.

................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 4

- 2 Figure 4

- 2. Mon thly NOx reductions.

................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 4

- 2 Figure 4

- 3. Monthly CO 2 reductions.

................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 4

- 2



### List of Tables

Table 3

- 1. 2013

- 2014 RE Projects

................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 3

- 3

Table 3

- 2. Electric Vehicle Emission Reductions

................................ ................................ ..................... 3

- 4

Table 3

- 3. Emission Reduction Comparison

................................ ................................ ............................. 3

- 4

Table 4

- 1. RE Projects

................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 4

- 1

Table 4

- 2. Inputs for AVERT Model

................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 4

- 1

Table 4

- 3. Model Ou tputs

................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 4

- 2Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

v 

### List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

Acronyms AQR Clark County Air Quality Regulation

AVERT Av oided Emissions and G ene r ation Tool

CARB California Air Resources Board

CEA Consumer Electronics Association

CEP Clean Energy Project, Inc. DAQ Clark County Department of Air Quality

EE energy efficiency

EV electric vehicle

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

HA h ydrographic a rea IRTA Institute for Research and Technical Assistance NAAQS National Ambient Air Quality Standards

PV photovoltaic

RE renewable energy

RTC Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada

Abbreviations

CO carbon monoxide

CO 2 carbon dioxide

kWh kilowatt

- hour

GWh gigawatt

- hour

MW m ega w att
MWh megawatt

- hour

NOx nitrogen oxides

pp b parts per billion

ppm parts per million

VOC volatile organic compoundsClark County: Ozone Advance Program Path Forward

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- 1 

### 1. Introduction

The Clark County Department of Air Quality (DAQ) enrolled in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ozone Advance program on June 12, 2013

. The program’s goal is to help maintenance and attainment areas ensure continued health protection, to better position those areas to remain in attainment, and to efficiently direct available resources toward actions to address ozone and its precursors

.



### C urrent Attainment Status

Clark County wa s a maintenance area for the 1997 8

- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality

Standard (NAAQS)

, and the 1997 NAAQS was revoked on April 6, 2015

, by the 2008 ozone NAAQS implementation rule. Clark County is currently in attainment/unclassifiable for the 2008

8

- hour ozone standard

. By law, t he state of Nevada uses hydrographic areas (HA s ) to define

airsheds

.

The Clark County ozone design value history in Figure 1

- 2 shows a downward trend from 200 7 through 2011 ; howe ver, the design values increased in 2012

, 2013

, and 2014

.

Figure 1

- 1

. Ozone d esign v alue h istory

.Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

1

- 2 DAQ is in the process of completing exceptional event packages for wildfires that occurred in

2013. If the Region 9 office of the EPA will concur with DAQ’s findings, the design values will

lower to near or under the NAAQS

.



### Impacts of M eteorological C onditions on O zone Co ncentrations

High ozone events in Clark County generally occur during weather patte rns characterized by high pressure

. Regional wind fields are also influenced by the local terrain

, which channel s winds through passes, slope s, and valleys. Such slope

- and

- valley wind systems are local, thermally driven flow circulations created in complex terrain areas like the Las Vegas Valley

. These systems directly affect the transport and dispersion of pollutants.

According to historical data collected at McCarran International Airport 1 , the highest average wind speeds in Clark County occur in the early spring (April

– May), the same months that ozone concentrations increase rapidly

. Figure 1

- 3 shows average wind speeds during the year

.

Figure 1

- 2

. Average wind speeds at McCarran (1989

- 2012)

.

The northwest quadrant of the Las Vegas Valley typically experience s the highest ozone levels

when Clark County experiences elevated ozone concentrations

. Often stagnant flow conditions in the populated urban areas of California increase ozo ne concentrations, which c an transport to
southern Nevada and contribute to widespread exceedances throughout the Clark County

network

. Figure 1

- 4 shows the predominant airflow in Clark County ; the general airflow enters from the south (following I

- 15) and exits to the northwest (following U.S. Highway 95).

1 http://weatherspark.com/averages/30697/Las

- Vegas

- Nevada

- United

- S tates

.Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 3 Figure 1

- 3

. Airflow in Clark County

.

Several studies directed by DAQ confirmed that there is transport fr o m S outhern California into Clark County ; however, the contribution from local versus transported ozone is difficult to quantify without extensive regional modeling analyses

.Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 4 

### 2. Ozone Health Effect and Sources 2



### Overview of Ozone

Ozone (O 3 ) is a tri

- atomic ion of oxygen. In the stratosphere or upper atmosphere, ozone occurs naturally and protects the Earth’s surface from ultraviolet radiation. Ozone in the lower atmosphere is often called ground

- level ozone, tropospheric ozone, or ozone pollution to distingu ish i t from upper

- atmospheric or stratospheric ozone. Ozone occur s naturally in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) and in most locations background ozone is relatively low, well below the NAAQS. However, at higher locations in the west, background ozone ca n be modeled at levels approaching the NAAQS. The term “smog” is also commonly used to refer to ozone pollution.

Although ozone is a component of smog, smog is a combination of ozone and airborne particles having a brownish or dirty appearance. It is poss ible for ozone levels to be elevated even on clear days with no obvious “smog

. ” In the lower atmosphere, ozone is formed when airborne chemicals, primarily nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), combine in

a chemical reaction driven b y heat and sunlight. These ozone

- forming chemicals are called
precursors to ozone.

Manmade NOx and VOC precursors contribute to ozone concentrations above natural background levels. Since ozone formation is greatest on hot, sunny days with little wind,

el evated ozone concentrations occur during the warm weather months, generally April through September. In agreement with EPA’s guidance, Clark County operates certain ozone monitors

year

- round

.



### Ozone Health Effects

When people breathe ozone, it acts as an irritant to the lungs. Short

- term, infrequent exposure to ozone can result in throat and eye irritation, difficulty drawing a deep breath, and coughing. Long

- term and repeated exposure to ozone concentrations above the NAAQS can result in reduction of lung function as the cells lining the lungs are damaged.

Repeated cycles of damage and healing may result in scarring of lung tissue and permanently reduced lung function. Health studies indicate that high ambient ozone concentrations may impair lung function growth in children and result in reduced lung function in adulthood. In adults, ozone exposure may accelerate the natural decline in lung function that occurs as part of the aging process. Ozone may aggravate chronic lung diseases such as emphysema and

br onchitis and reduce the immune system’s ability to fight off bacterial infections in the respiratory system.

Asthmatics and other s with respiratory disease are especially at risk from elevated ozone concentrations. Ozone can aggravate asthma, increasing t he risk of asthma attacks that require a doctor’s attention or the use of additional medication. According to the EPA, one reason for this

2 Text borrowed from Cumberland County, North Carolina Path Forward planClark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 5 increased risk is that ozone increases susceptibility to allergens, which are the most common triggers for asthma att acks. In addition, asthmatics are more severely affected by the reduced lung function and irritation that ozone causes in the respiratory system. There is increasing evidence that ozone may trigger, not just exacerbate, asthma attacks in some individuals.

All children are at risk from ozone exposure because they often spend a large part of the summer playing outdoors, their lungs are still developing, they breathe more air per pound of body weight, and they are less likely to notice symptoms. Children and adults who frequently exercise outdoors are particularly vulnerable to ozone’s negative health effects because they may be repeatedly exposed to elevated ozone concentrations while breathing at an increased respiratory

rate.



### Ozone Sources

Ozone

- forming pollutants, or precursors, are VOCs and NOx.

Volatile Organic Compounds

VOCs are sometimes referred to as hydrocarbons. In Clark County , large portions of precursor VOCs are produced by natural ( biogenic ) sources, primarily trees. Man

- made ( anthropogenic ) VOCs also contribute to ozone production, particularly in urban areas. Sources of anthropogenic VOCs include unburned gasoline fumes from gas stations and cars, industrial emissions, and consumer products such as paints, solvents, and the fragrances in p ersonal care products.

Nitrogen Oxides

NOx is produced when fuels are burned and result from the reaction of atmospheric nitrogen at the high temperatures produced by burning fuels. Power plants, highway motor vehicles ( the major contributor in urban are as ) and off

- road mobile source equipment, such as construction equipment, lawn care equipment, trains, and boats

, are the major sources of NOx. Other NOx
sources include “area” sources , which are small, widely distributed sources such as fires (forest

fire s, backyard burning, house fires, etc.) and natural gas hot water heaters.

Source Categories

The following lists the sources, by category, that contribute to NOx and VOC emissions:

Biogenic : Trees and other natural sources

.

Mobile : Vehicles traveling on paved roads: cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, etc.

Nonroad : Vehicles not traveling on paved roads: construction, agricultural, and lawn care equipment, motorboats, locomotives, etc.

Point : “Smokestack” sources: industry and utilities

.Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 6 Area : Sources not falling into the above categories. For VOCs this includes gas stations, dry cleaners, print shops, and consumer products. For NOx this includes forest and residential fires, natural gas hot water heaters, etc.



### Source Apportionment Modeling

DAQ has conducted several studies to characterize ozone transport

, and the results show that interstate transport significantly impacts Clark County

. Transport from Asia and stratospheric

ozone intrusions also contribute to ozone concentrations

. While it i s difficult to quantify transport contributions from any of these sources

, DAQ plans to perform source apportionment modeling in the near future, with the goal of identify ing sources that affect ozone concentrations in the county. T he new 2011 computer mo deling platform that EPA is proposing may be able to analy z e interstate transport and better characterize source contributions.

Past modeling results show that the background ozone concentration in Clark County is between

40 and 45 parts per billion ( ppb )

. Modeling also show s that transport into Clark County from

inside and outside the U nited S tates is between 20 and 40 percent, depending on the episode.Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Path Forward

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- 1 

### 3. Program Update

The initiatives described in the Ozone Advance Path Forward submittal of June 23, 2014 are still ongoing. The sections in this chapter are either updates to existing initiatives

outlined in the original submittal , or new initiative s commenced after the submittal. The sections are identified as Update or New Initiative

.

Energy Efficiency

Several agencies and businesses in Clark County promot e voluntary measures to control ozone

precursors from mobile sources and energy usage

. Government entities and private companies

both offer many different opportunities for the citizens of Clark County to engage in programs

that reduce emissions

.

I t is difficult , however, to achieve long

- lasting results from voluntary programs because they involve a behavior change

. Therefore, education and outreach are key components o f any successful program

. Recognizing this, the agencies and businesses promoting voluntary control

measu res ha ve developed set s of materials to use in outreach campaigns to actively promote and improve their programs

.



### Renewable Energy

Many renewable energy projects were initiated over the last few years. Federal grants and the

NV Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) are the drivers for the projects. The following paragraphs give a brief overview of the project s , at various levels, that were finished between 2011 and 2013 and the projects that are scheduled to be finished in the next couple of years.

State wide

- Update

Although Nevada was one of the front

- runners of renewable energy generation between 2011 and 2012 when the amount of renewable energy produced in Nevada increased by 19 percent, it

was the 2013 Legislati ve Session that helped to encour age growth in all market sectors. In 2014,

Nevada installed 339 megawatt ( MW ) of solar electric capacity , ranking it 3rd nationally. The 789 MW of solar energy currently installed in Nevada ranks the state 5th in the country in installed solar capacity.

The Nevada Office of Energy is the gatekeeper of many of the federal funds and grants available to agencies and entities in the state, distribut ing and track ing the funds it receive s for projects in

Nevada

. The office has a directive

, per the Nevada Revis ed Statutes

, to prepare a state energy plan t hat reduce s the amount of energy purchased for state

- owne d buildings and facilities

. Thanks to the efforts of the office, the energy consumption in state

- owned buildings has declined by 10.2 percent . (See Figur e 3

- 1)

.Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 2 Figure 3

- 1 . Energy r eductions in s tate

- o wned b uildings

.

Figures 3

- 2 and 3

- 3 show the 2013 c apacity installed and the 2013 g enerated

. T he n ameplate

c apacity is the maximum rated electric output a generator can produce under specifi c conditions

, while g eneration is the amount of electricity a generator produces over a specifi c period of time. There were 917 MW installed, and there were 3,730 megawatt

- hour ( MWh ) (in thousands) generated.

Figure 3

- 2 . Renewable c apacity

. 17.6 17.6 18.2

17.4 17.1

16.5 16.4 16.6

16.1

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 kWh/Square Foot

437

48%

229

25% 16

2% 13

1% 8

1% 152

16% 62

7% 

## 2013 Capacity

Geothermal

Solar

Biogas/Biomass

Small Hydro

Waste Heat Recovery

Wind

Distributive GenerationClark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 3 Figure 3

- 3 . Renewable g eneration

.

Copper Mountain 2 in Boulder City was completed in 2012 by developer First Solar. This photovoltaic (PV) project has the capacity to generate 92 MW of electricity. Another utility scale project, Copper Mountain 3 , with a capacity of 250 MW

, is currently under constructio n in Boulder City and is scheduled to come online in 2015. At 110 MW, Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project in Nye County is among the largest solar installations in Nevada and was completed in 2014 by SolarReserve

. Table 3

- 1 shows some of the Clark County projects that were completed by the end of 2014, or will be completed by the end of 2015 3

.

Table 3

- 1 . 2013

- 2014 RE Projects

PROJECT SIZE TYPE COUNTY

City of Las Vegas East Yard 100 kW Photovoltaic Clark

City of Las Vegas West Yard 200 kW Photovoltaic Clark

City of Las Vegas Durango Hills 200 kW Photovoltaic Clark

City of Las Vegas received three loans from the State Energy Office totaling $1.2 million to help

fund construction of three solar parking shade structures. The project s are expected to produce

1.2 million kilowatt

- hour ( kWh ) of power annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an

estimated 23.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide ( CO 2 ) during the first 20 years of operation

.

Spring Valley is a 152 MW project located in White Pine County, Nevada. Spring Valley is situated on approximately 7,680 acres on federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management , which granted t he project a right

- of

- way

. The project consists of 66 2.3 MW Siemens turbines that commenced commercial operation in August 2012. One hundred percent of the project's output, including electricity generation and environmental attributes, is sold to

3 2014 Status of Energy Report for the State of Nevada 2732

73% 496

13% 74

2% 55

2% 39

1% 258

7% 76

2% 

## 2013 Generation

Geothermal

Solar

Biogas/Biomass

Small Hydro

Waste Heat Recovery

Wind

Distributive GenerationClark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 4 NV Energy under a long

- term power purchase agreement. Spri ng Valley connects to the NV Energy transmission system and was Nevada's first commercial wind power project.

Moapa River Indian Reservation, Moapa

- First Solar, a leading provider of comprehensive PV energy solutions, is constructing a 250 MW alternating current (AC) solar project located on approximately 2,000 acres on the Moapa River Indian Reservation in Clark County, Nevada. Moapa Southern Paiute Solar, LLC (a subsidiary of First Solar Electric, LLC) is the project owner and will construct the project using First Solar’s advanced PV thin film solar

modules. When fully operational, the project will generate enough clean solar energy to serve

the ne eds of about 100,000 homes per year, displacing approximately 178,000 metric tons of

CO 2 annually

— the equivalent of taking about 34,000 cars off the road.

. Construction has begun and is expected to be complete by June 2016.

Clark County Department of Air Quality (DAQ)

Congestion Mitigation Projects

– New Initiative

DAQ’s used CMAQ grants to apply for congestion mitigation projects. Three proposals were

submitted and an Electric Vehicle (VE) purchase project was selected . The Electric Vehicle project has three phases . P hase 1 occurs in FY15 during which DAQ will acquire 8 EV s and 8 charging stations for inclusion in the county fleet. In t he second phase

, during FY16

, DAQ will purchase 13 additional EVs and charging stations . In the thir d phase, during FY17

, eight more EVs will be added to the fleet. The electric vehicles will be Chevy Volts. Table 3

- 2 shows the total vehicle emission reductions by 2017 over the lifetime of the vehicles , and Table 3

- 3 shows

the total emissions r eduction comparison with a mid

- size gasoline car, in this case a Chevy Impala.

Table 3

- 2 . Electric Vehicle Emission Reductions

Pollutant Emission
Reductions (kg/day/vehicle) Emission

Reductions (kg/day/all vehicles) Total Emission

Reductions over Vehicle Life(s) (kg/all vehicles) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) 0.02 0.52 2,175 Carbon Monoxide (CO) 0.14 4.12 17,151 Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) 0.02 0.51 2,103

Table 3

- 3 . Emission Reduction Comparison

Pollutant Percent
Reduction Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) 70% Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) 60%

Average: 66%Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 5 DAQ Public Education and Outreach Program

- Update

The goal of DAQ’s Public Education and Outreach Program is to enhance its interaction with the community and industry in efforts to create citizen awareness and an interest in air quality, transform behaviors and habits, and encourage voluntary air polluti on

- reducing actions.

Figure 3

- 4 . DAQ o utreach b ooth

.

To this end, DAQ has developed and distributed to the public several brochures on air quality with an emphasis on ozone. Additionally, the public can sign up for EPA’s EnviroFlash alerts through DAQ’s Web site. Every year, Clark County issues a season

- long ozone advisory that informs the public of ozone’s health effects and suggests ways to reduce ozone pollution. DA Q also provides daily air quality reports and forecasts on its Web site, along with real

- time monitoring data.

DAQ engages with external organizational committees that focus on public outreach and

communication . In the last year

, DAQ has redesigned brochu res on specific air quality topics and issues, identifi ed outreach opportunities

, reviewed outreach material other agencies , and order ed

t chotchke for outreach events. To reach a broader audience in the community, DAQ is making an effort to target events that differ from a traditional environmental purpose. Additionally, the public outreach budget was increased to accommodate all the activities above.

Thus far, DAQ parti cipated in the outreach activities listed below:

 October 2014

- Las Vegas Green Up at Las Vegas Wash

 November 2014

- Clark County Health and Wellness Fair

 February 2015

- Black History Month Celebration at the Springs Preserve

 March 2015

- March 18 Senior Expo and Health Fair

 March 2015

- Springs Preserve Annual Plant Sale and Green Expo

 A pril 2015

- Ask the Expert Day at Clark County Government Center

 April 2015

- Green Fest

- Earth day celebration at Downtown Summerlin

 May 2015

- Science and Technol ogy Expo

 May 2015

- Better Breeders Club

 May 2015

– Jazz in the ParkClark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 6  June 2015

- Jazz in the Park

Some visitors are aware of the d epartment’s presence and function in the community. They are inquisitive and ask very specific questions about a ir q uality and seem to have an understanding how air quality affects their health. At the other end of the spectrum

, many visitors a re not aware
th a t Clark County has a Department of Air quality and want to kno w more about the

d epartment’s activities and func tion.

The goal of o utreach is to commu nicate the d epartment ’s purpose to the community through public, private

, and business events in a professional, informative

, and friendly manner. DAQ

believe s it is essential to educate the public to allow them to ma ke informed decisions about their health and welfare. For example, DAQ inform s them of EnviroFlash and let s them know they can sign up for air quality forecasts . DAQ also let s them know that near

- real time monitoring

data is available on the department’s W eb site. DAQ’s m anagement believes that its Public

Education and O utreach program has been successful thus far.

Pollution Prevention Grant Program

– New Initiative

DAQ will participate in the “ Multi

- State Collaboration to Demonstrate Safer Low

- VOC, Low Toxicity Alternatives in Auto Repair and Industrial Cleaning Applications in EPA Region IX ” project. The project will focus on demonstrating safer alternative cleaners used by auto repair and industrial facilities for repair and maintenance cleaning, brak e cleaning, batch loaded cold cleaning

, and vapor degreasing. Demonstrations will be conducted in California, Arizona

, and

Nevada ( the three state collaborators ) to illustrate how facilities can convert to water

- based cleaning processes. Outreach materia ls will be prepared for the four cleaning applications and they will be widely disseminated 4

. California Air Resources Board ( CARB ) is partnering with

Institute for Research and Technical Assistance ( IRTA ) and with agencies in Arizona and Nevada on the proposed project

. S pecifically, the project will invol ve:

• Collecting and analyzing information on repair and maintenance cleaning, brake cleaning, batch loaded cold cleaning and vapor degreasing in the project participant jurisdictions ;

• Estimating emissions of VOCs and toxics in these four applications ;

• Investigating the current status of the four applications in Southern California ;

• Selecting demonstration sites in the project participant ju risdictions ;

• Equipping , arranging

, and conducting demonstrations ;

• Updating costs and conducting cost analysis of water

- based cleaning and solvent cleaning in the four applications ;

• Developing stand

- alone case studies for each application ;

• A ssisting some facilities in conversions ; and

• Preparing final report and outreach materials and arranging and holding a webinar

4 Fiscal Year 2015 Pollution Prevention Grant Program EPA

- HQ

- OPPT

- 2015

- 002

.Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 7 The ultimate goal is to convince a ffected facility owners to switch to water

- based product s , thus reducing the total VOC emissions from these facilities.

DAQ support for Club Ride program

– New Initiative DAQ will support the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada ’s ( RTC’s ) Club Ride program by providing $200,000 for an advertising campaign promot ing the program. The goal is to significant ly increase the participation in the program with television ads , pamphlets

, and other outreach materials. The projected start of the campaign is mid

- 2015.

Clean Energy Project

Clean Energy Project, Inc. (CEP) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to powering the clean energy economy through education and engagement with policy leaders, community

leaders

, and citizens on the economic benefits of fully developing a clean energy economy.

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas 5

- New Initiative

CEP and Green Chips 6 worked with the Clark County Commission to develop a solar project to power the “ Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas ” sign with Nevada’s own solar energy. The

installation allow s The Strip's most iconic landmark's legendary neon and incandescent lights to run solely on harnessed solar energy. Converting this iconic sign's power source to solar provide s an example to the Las Vegas community that clean

, renewable energy can help pow er businesses, homes

, or even signs throughout Nevada.

Three free

- standing

, sculptural s olar t rees were installed just south of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and were designed to provide the equivalent renewable energy generation

to offset 100% of the annual electrical consumption of the sign while providing much needed shade for tourists waiting to take picture s . The s olar t rees are simple and attractive and make a

visual reference to the PV shade structures at the entrance to the

new LEED /Green Certified Las Vegas City Hall . The solar trees were sited to not detract from the experience of the sign or the eclectic beauty of the historic Las Vegas Strip. The Green Chips Community Portal site includes information about the solar sign projec t and other noteworthy sustainable facilities in Las Vegas,

and it informs visitors and residents about the significant commitment to environmental sustainability that has been made in s outhern Nevada.

The high

- profile nature of the sign makes it a superb symbol and educational opportunity for visitors and locals to become more informed about the significant progress made in creating

sustainable communities in Nevada as evidenced by its 900

- plus miles of urban trails and that boast more LEED certified gree n building space per capita than any other state in the country.

5 http://cleanenergyprojectnv.org/

6 http://greenchips.org/Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 8 In April 2014 7 , C EP has released the “Buy Green List,” Nevada’s first sustainability

- driven consumer guide in observance of Earth Day and Earth Week. “ Empowering consumers by informing them about local companies, which not only support the clean energy economy, but also benefit from clean business practices, is essential to increasing demand for the clean energy economy,” said Lydia Ball, executive direc tor CEP. “With this early success, we are confident even more Nevada businesses will become Buy Green List participants as the program continues to grow and expand.”

In late March, CEP held an introductory seminar outlining the “Buy Green List” program t o interested companies and organizations. In less than three weeks more than 50 Nevada

- based companies and organizations from various industries committed to become more sustainable.

“ First Friday strives to lead in festivals becoming more environmentally conscious,” said Charles Ressler with First Friday. “We want to show that from office to outdoor, festival production companies can reduce their impact and educate their attendees, thus inspiring other companies

and festivals to do the same. ”

The “Buy Gre en List” program is intended to grow with the goal of having a majority of

Nevada

- based businesses pledge to become more energy conscious. To be listed, companies

must:

• Sign a pledge supporting clean energy practices in Nevada includ ing increased clean energy generation, increased energy saving practices

, and improved energy efficiency;

• Sign up for NV Energy’s MyAccount program to easily track energy usage;

• Sign up for NV Energy’s paperless billing service ; and

• Agree to implement a number of energy saving practices within their company and educating employees how to be more energy smart.

The following link provides information about the program, about the “Green Buy List

, ” and

how to apply : http://www.cleanenergyprojectnv.org/buy

- green

- list

.

Cl ark County Automotive Fleet

- Update

A ccording to Automotive Fleet magazine

, Clark County’s automotive fleet was rated No. 6 in

the nati on for having the highest percentage of hybrids in its fleet. No other public sector fleet in Nevada was found to be in the top 25.

The finding is significant since Clark County’s fleet is already the third largest in the state (behind the state of Neva da and the Clark County School District).

The County has 2,775 vehicles

, 539 of which are hybrid (using a combination of gasoline and electricity) . The hybrid portion accounts for 19 percent of the county fleet. DAQ believe s this is a strong indication of commitment to conserv e energy and reduc e air pollution.

7 http://cleanenergyprojectnv.org/Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

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- 9 Regional Transportation Commission

- New Initiative

The RTC is the transit authority and transportation/planning agency for southern Nevada

. One of

its major goals is to implement and update Clark County’s transportation systems to improve air quality

. In April 2015 EPA honor ed the Club Ride Commuter Services with its 2015 Clean Air

Excellence Award for its commuter program designed to improve air quali ty and encourage commute alternatives such as riding transit, carpooling, vanpooling, walking, bicycling, working compressed work weeks, and telecommuting. The 2015 Clean Air Excellence Award recognizes innovative state, local, tribal, and private sector programs that protect health and the environment, educate the public, serve their communities

, and boost the economy.

“With over one million clean commute trips reported this year, Club Ride has saved Nevadans $1.6 million in commuting costs,” said Jared Blumenfeld Regional Administrator for EPA’s

Pacific Southwest Office. “Southern Nevadans breathe cleaner air thanks to this award

- winning program.”

“ We have been working diligently with community partners to create a cleaner, more sustainable

Southern Nevada, ” said RTC's general manager Tina Quigley. “ We are proud to receive this great accolade and to share it with our partners as we continue to improve the quality of life for

the millions of residents and visitors to Southern Nevada. ”

Club Ride partn ers with nearly 300 employers and more than 24,000 registered commuters in Clark County to meet these goals. Club Ride’s efforts improve air quality and the overall quality of life. Club Ride’s additional 2014 highlights include: 59 tons of CO emissions r educed; 2,324 tons of greenhouse gases reduced; 5.9 million miles removed from the road; and 10,287 new

commuters welcomed to the program.

Club Ride recognizes the unique 24

- hour workforce in Clark County and has tailored its program to meet the needs of each employer. Outreach coordinators conduct over 650 worksite and community events every year, including health fairs, orientations, and special events such as Bike Week and Earth Day.

A network of live freeway traffic cams alert s commuters t o possible traffic gridlocks so they can avoid traffic congestion

. RTC also set up a Bike Center in downtown Las Vegas that provide s free parking for 75 bikes and free workshops on bike repair. Additionally, RTC has an extensive electric bike program for government employees in the downtown area

.

NV Energy

– Unit Shutdown

– New Initiative

In June 2013, Nevada’s governor signed a law accelerating the retirement of Reid Gardner Generating Station. Three of the plant's four units were close d in December 2014, and the remaining unit will close in 2017

.

NV Energy has announced that it is seeking proposals to acquire a new generating resource with approximately 54 MW of planning capacity resources for s outhern Nevada customers as part of

its 2015 Emissions Reduction Capacity Replacement Plan Request for Proposals for a newClark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

3

- 10 generating facility of no less than 54 MW and no more than 68 MW, and with a commercial operation date no earlier than May 2018.

Highway projects

- Update

Project Neon has six phases and is scheduled for completion in 2019. NDOT start ed Phase 1 on the project and is scheduled to be finished in 2016. The p roject is designed to alleviate congestion by providing alternatives to motorists who travel daily on I

- 15

. The project includes High

- Occupancy Vehicle lanes between U.S. 95 and I

- 15, along with better connections to

surface streets into the downtown area. This project w ill reduce emissions from NOx

, an ozone

precursor.

Boulder City Bypass project involves road improvem ents to U.S. Highway 93, a major regional commercial corridor and the single route through Boulder City. As a major urban arterial, Highway 93 carries 32,000 east

- west traffic vehicles per day. Construction of the project Phase 1 started in early 2015 and includes the Railroad Pass interchange with a project length of 2.5 miles. The second phase of the project is 12.5 miles long and will bypass Boulder City. Construction is anticipated to start in May 2015.Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Path Forward

4

- 1 

### 4. Emission Reductions

DAQ used EPA’s AVoided Emissions and geneRation Tool (AVERT) to calculate the e mission

reductions since 201 2 due significantly to renewable energy and energy efficiency programs

. The table below is an update of the completed projects and their MW capacit ies.

Table 4

- 1

. RE Projects

Type Project MW

Solar Boulder City Copper Mountain 2 92

Boulder City Copper Mountain 3 250

Crescent Dunes 110

Moapa 250

Spectrum 30
NV Energy Solar Electric Program 5

Solar Total 737

Wind Spring Valley 152

Wind Total 152

Table 4

- 2 shows the corresponding input file for the AVERT model.

Table 4

- 2

. Inputs for AVERT Model

Enter EE impacts based on the % reduction of regional fossil load

Reduce generation by a percent in some or all hours

Apply reduction to top X% hours: 0% % of top hours

Reduction % in top X% of hours: 0.0% % reduction

And/or enter EE impacts distributed evenly throughout the year Reduce generation by annual gigawatt

- hour ( GWh ) : 0 GWh

OR

Reduce each hour by constant MW: 0.0 MW

And/or enter annual capacity of RE resources

Wind Capacity: 152 MW

Utility Solar PV Capacity: 737 MW

Rooftop Solar PV Capacity: 0 MW

According to the model, the updated renewable energy generation displaced 379,600 MWh. This equals a reduction of 50,400 pounds ( 2 5. 2 tons per year ) of NOx

. During the ozone season, renewables displaced a total of 35

, 4 00 pounds ( 1 7

. 7 tons ) of NOx in Clark County (Table 4

- 3 )

. Figures 4

- 1, 4

- 2

, and 4

- 3 show the SO 2 , NOx

, and CO 2 monthly emission reductions.Clark County: Ozone Advance Program Progress Report

4

- 2 Table 4

- 3

. Model Outputs

Peak Gross Generation,

Post

- EERE (MW) Annual

Gross Generation,
Post

- EERE (MWh) Annual

Displaced
Generation (MWh) Annual

Displaced
NOx (lb) Annual

Displaced
CO 2 (tons) Ozone

Season Displaced
NOx (lb) Ozone

Season, 10 Peak Days Displaced
NOx (lb)

4,215 18,567,800

- 379,600

- 50,400

- 172,700

- 35,400

- 200

Figure 4

- 1

. Monthly SO 2 r eductions

.

Figure 4

- 2

. Monthly NOx r eductions

.

Figure 4

- 3

. Monthly CO 2 r eduction s. -4,000 0 4,000 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

-12,000 -8,000 -4,000 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

-20,000 -16,000 -12,000 -8,000 -4,000 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecClark County: Ozone Advance Program Path Forward

5

- 1 

### 5. Conclusion

Several factors out of DAQ’s control have a significant impact on ozone concentrations in Clark County

. However, Clark County as a community is trying hard to reduce VOC and NOx precursors through mandatory and voluntary control measures , including the installation and use of renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE) measures.

Many organizations in Clark County , both government and private , are making great strides to

redu ce precursor emissions through various programs , and DAQ will continue to research and

evaluate control measures.

Private companies and departments at all levels of government provid e Clark County residents with a variety of programs to reduce emissions

. Future federal regulations for mobile sources, in conjunction with scheduled highway improvement projects, will further reduce NOx emissions in the county, as will the replacement of the Re i d Gardner coal

- fired boilers and further RPS requirements.

Although the measures do not seem to have an immediate result, the change will be noticeable in the near future, and will certainly help Clark County to try to maintain the ozone NAAQS.