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CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF AIR QUALITY AWARENESS GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $6,575 FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA GOVERNMENTS (ACOG) FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS OF BICYCLISTS RIDING ON NORMAN STREETS, APPROVAL OF CONTRACT NO. K-1415-47, AND BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS FROM THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND BALANCE AND GENERAL FUND BALANCE.
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BACKGROUND: The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) was created under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991, and reauthorized under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), and, most recently, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Through Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, the CMAQ program has supported nearly 28,000 transportation projects across the country, accounting for nearly $30 billion in transportation investments since its inception in 1992.
The purpose of the CMAQ program is to fund transportation projects or programs that will contribute to attainment or maintenance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone, carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (both PM10 and PM2.5). The CMAQ program supports two important goals of the U.S. Department of Transportation: improving air quality and relieving congestion. While these goals are not new elements of the program, they were strengthened in the SAFETEA-LU and further bolstered in provisions added to the MAP-21.
Reducing pollution and other adverse environmental effects of transportation projects and transportation system inefficiency have been long-standing objectives of the Department. The strategic plans for the Department and for the Federal Highway Administration both include initiatives specifically focused on reducing air pollution from transportation sources. The CMAQ program provides funding for a broad array of tools to accomplish these goals. By choosing to fund or sponsor a CMAQ project, a State or local government, transit agency, or other eligible project sponsor can improve air quality and make progress toward achieving attainment status and ensuring compliance with the transportation conformity provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Growing highway congestion continues to rise at a faster rate than transportation investments. Reducing congestion is a key objective of the Department, and one that has gathered increasing importance in the past several years. The costs of congestion can be an obstacle to economic activity. In addition, congestion can hamper quality of life through diminished air quality, lost personal time, and other negative factors.
As part of a one-year pilot program in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) is making available Air Quality Awareness Grants to eligible applicants. A minimum of $75,000 in CMAQ funds are available for small active transportation infrastructure projects and public education programs that serve to improve and enhance awareness of Central Oklahoma's air quality.
Eligibility is limited to city governments, county governments, public schools, public school districts, public universities and tribal governments. Air Quality Awareness Grants require a minimum of 20% in matching local funds (in-kind is not accepted) and awards will be conferred as reimbursement. No single entity can receive more than 56% of the total grant award amount. ACOG reserves the right to negotiate grant awards and agreements.
DISCUSSION: Earlier in the year, the City's Bicycle Advisory Committee identified a public education program compatible with the Air Quality Awareness Grant Program and asked staff to explore the possibility of making an application for funding. The program is intended to serve as a public safety campaign to raise awareness of bicyclists riding on City of Norman roadways. The goal is to develop a safer riding environment for bicyclists and to encourage more people to use bicycles as a basic means of transportation. The campaign would utilize a specially designed bus wrap installed on one of the buses operated by the Cleveland Area Rapid Transit System (CART). The message on the wrap will be designed to remind motor vehicle operators that bicyclists have the right to occupy part of the roadway. The message will include a statement about the benefit of biking on the environment (e.g., fewer emissions). Examples of bus wraps used by other communities are included in the attachments.
Staff discussed the grant opportunity with CART and obtained a cost estimate for the fabrication of the wrap ($575) as well as the annual cost of displaying the message as an advertisement mounted on the back of one of their buses ($6,000 for a twelve-month period). During those discussions, CART officials also agreed to fund 50% of the local grant match, or $657.50, with the City of Norman providing the other 50%, should the application be approved.
An application was prepared by staff and submitted to ACOG in April of 2014, requesting a grant to fund the program. The request was reviewed and approved and now ACOG is offering $5,260 in CMAQ federal funds to pay for 80% of the program's cost. To proceed, ACOG staff is requesting that the City approve contract K-1415-47, which describes the program and enumerates the conditions the City will need to comply with in order to receive the funds. The City Attorney has reviewed and approved its content.
RECOMMENDATION NO. 1: Staff recommends approval of the Air Quality Awareness Grant Contract K-1415-47 between the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments and the City of Norman in the amount of $6,575 for development of a public education campaign to raise awareness of bicyclists riding on Norman streets.
RECOMMENDATION NO. 2: Staff recommends appropriations as outlined below to upfront 100% of the cost; 80% of which will be reimbursed by ACOG ($5,260) and 10% by CART ($657.50), upon completion of the project:
Losing Accounts:
Special Revenue Fund Balance (account 022-0000-253.20-00) - $5,260
General Fund Balance (account 010-0000-253.20-00) - $1,315
Gaining Accounts:
Miscellaneous Services/CART (account 022-5023-429.47-66) - reimbursable grant funds - $5,260
Miscellaneous Services/CART (account 010-5023-429.47-66) - matching grant funds - $1,315
Upon receipt of the ACOG grant reimbursements and CART contribution, funds will be deposited in the following accounts:
Other Revenue/ACOG Miscellaneous Grant Reimbursement (account 022-0000-331.13-64) - $5,260
Reimbursements/Other Agency (account 010-0000-366.12-39) - $657.50