Regional Dialogue on Clean Air and Dialogue

Delta Institute Chicago, Illinois

Overview

• Launched in 1998 to create clean air attainment strategies that work for Chicago
• Strategies are intended to support -- rather then conflict with -- economic development and redevelopment initiatives in the region

Broad-based Dialogue

• Partnership with:
• Illinois EPA
• U.S. EPA
• City of Chicago
• Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (270 municipalities)

Participants

• Government
• Environmental interests
• Industry and utilities
• Universities
• Foundations
• Transportation
• Regional/civic organizations

Issues

• Development policy
• Energy conservation and efficiency
• Better use of clean Air technologies
• Opportunities to aggregate reductions from non-regulated sources
• Use of incentives and credits

Emerging Ideas

• Development
• Clean air communities
• LEED-like system for developers
• Clean air demonstration corridors
• Energy
• Combined heat and power
• Increase investment in energy efficiency and conservation

Emerging Ideas

• Clean air technology
• Fuel cells
• Pollution prevention
• Aggregation
• Equipment replacement programs
• Model facilities programs
• consumer choices

Emerging Ideas

• Incentives and credits
• Market-based emission trading programs
• Incentives for sources that can be aggregated
• Education and outreach

Approach

• Doable strategies
• Regulatory and non-regulatory
• Integration of issues
• Development, land use, energy, transportation, pollution prevention, consumer behaviors, incentives
• Leverage involvement of government, industry/business, NGO

Process

• Planning (1998)
• Kickoff workshop (March 1999)
• Workgroup meetings (April - September 1999)
• Strategy review workshop (Fall 1999)
• Implementation

Points of Impact

• Public and private sector actions
• State implementation planning
• U.S. EPA's implementation policies
• Other federal, state, local policies

Link With Partnership for Regional Livability

• Creative opportunity to review and expand upon Regional Dialogue recommendations
• Experiment with integrated delivery mechanisms to make things happen
• Find ways to apply good ideas from Regional Dialogue to other regions

Possible Next Steps

• Make sure that Partnership for Regional Livability and Regional Dialogue are appropriately coordinated from the start
• Relationships
• Management/coordination
• Process
• Politics
• Resources

Possible Next Steps

• Convene federal partners to review initial Regional Dialogue strategies
• Design implementation process that links Regional Dialogue and Partnership for Regional Livability
• Present this at fall meeting of Regional Dialogue