News Release 044

DEPARTMENT SIGNS CLEAN AIR COMMITMENT
FOR KANSAS CITY AREA

Volume 36-044

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JAN. 30, 2008 -- Today, the Department of Natural Resources joined nine local, state and federal entities in a commitment to environmental responsibility that establishes a partnership to implement Sustainable Skylines.  The initiative is aimed at bringing cleaner air to the Kansas City metropolitan area. 

Sustainable Skylines is a joint venture that involves completing short-term projects that have long-term environmental, economic and social benefits for Kansas City. The Kansas City area is the second community chosen to participate in the nationwide Sustainable Skylines pilot program. Under the program, cities choose projects that address issues such as climate, transportation, energy, land use, resource efficiency, green building and air quality. Projects are chosen for their ability to address these issues and yield measurable environmental benefits within three years.

As part of this partnership, the Department of Natural Resources will continue its focus on protecting air quality in the Kansas City area. An idle-reduction rule is being drafted that will implement restrictions on the idling of heavy-duty diesel vehicles in the Kansas City Ozone Maintenance Area.  The rule requires all commercial, public and institutional diesel vehicles weighing more than 8,500 pounds in the affected counties limit their idling to 30 minutes while waiting to load or unload at a location. This rulemaking will reinforce the KC Idle Free campaign established as a possible project for this initiative. The idle reduction campaign would also work with public and private fleets to establish idle-free zones in the Kansas City area.

"The Department of Natural Resources is pleased to work with these partners in the pursuit of cleaner air for Missouri," said Department of Natural Resources Deputy Director Floyd Gilzow. "I look forward to seeing the positive results of these innovative projects. All Missourians benefits when steps are taken to reduce our impact on the state's air resources."

The department's Energy Center will also be working on an energy project as part of the initiative. A Solar City project is being developed that would work to install solar panels and solar hot water heaters at schools and city buildings in the Kansas City area. This project would allow the whole community to explore the benefits of energy efficiency.

The nine partners include the following:

Some of the possible projects planned for implementation include the following:

For more information on the Sustainable Sklines initiative, visit the Web at
www.sustainable-skylines.org. 

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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