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Finance Unit 301 W. Jefferson St., Suite 410 Phoenix, Arizona 85003 P: 602-506-6010 E: AQFinance@maricopa.gov FY25 VOLUNTARY LAWN AND GARDEN EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAM WORK PLAN - Mowing Down Pollution MARICOPA COUNTY AIR QUALITY GOALS AND PRIORITIES Maricopa County continues to experience an expanding residential housing market and therefore, the usage of lawn and garden equipment play a notable role in the emissions profile of the County. Emissions from lawn and garden equipment are responsible for a considerable amount of all non-road emissions. Currently, the County is in non-attainment for ozone, for which the precursors are nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). According to the Maricopa County 2017 Ozone Periodic Emission Inventory, the lawn and garden equipment category accounts for 2.99% of all non-road NOx emissions and 34.47% of all non-road VOC emissions. The County was previously in non-attainment for carbon monoxide (CO) and 43.24% of nonroad CO emissions can also be attributed to lawn and garden equipment. 2017 Emissions from non-road lawn and garden equipment, as a percentage of: VOC CO NOx All non-road emissions 34.47% 43.24% 2.99% LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGIES According to the EPA, approximately 121 million pieces of lawn and garden equipment are estimated to be in use in the United States of which, lawn mowers are the most numerous.1 The advent of new four-stroke mowers has created improvements in terms of efficiency as well as reduced emissions, however, older two-stroke mowers are still in operation and most lack any type of emission control technology. The replacement of gasoline powered lawn mowers with an electric equivalent will reduce the aforementioned pollutants as well as eliminate some of the indirect air pollution that comes along with maintaining and operating a gas-powered unit. The EPA estimated that approximately 70,000 tons of gasoline was spilled in 2005 while refueling non-road equipment using portable fuel containers, which resulted in additional VOC emissions.2 1 Banks, J. L., PhD, & McConnell, R. (n.d.). National Emissions from Lawn and Garden Equipment (Environmental Protection Agency). Retrieved December 18, 2017 2 Environmental Protection Agency. (2012, June 8). Estimating emissions associated with portable fuel containers (PFCs). Retrieved December 18, 2017. Page 2 of 4 Electric lawn mowers and other electric lawn equipment have come a long way in the past decade. Their rising popularity has motivated some of the more prominent manufactures in the industry to develop cost effective options that are well within the grasp of the average consumer. Technological advancements in lithium batteries have closed the performance gap between electric and gas-powered counterparts. Cordless options are also becoming more standardized, allowing for more user-friendly operations. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) will be responsible for the overall administration, management and implementation of the Voluntary Lawn and Garden Equipment Emissions Reduction Program in accordance with A.R.S §49-474.02. MCAQD developed the program and launched it in June 2018 as the Mowing Down Pollution Program. Operations include data and document collection, financial management, outreach, necessary coordination for the retirement of replaced equipment, and providing progress reporting as described in the table below. In addition to allowing for the retirement of residential lawn mowers, A.R.S §49-474.02 also allows for the retirement of commercial lawn mowers and residential and commercial lawn and garden devices. Lawn and garden devices include leaf blowers, trimmers, edgers, and other similar equipment. Commercial devices were added to the program in FY24. All mowers and garden devices are recycled once turned in. The MCAQD Director acts as the agent of the County for all emission reduction programs. Funds are managed by MCAQD Finance, which receives and processes invoices and payments. The Grants Programs Administrator will review and confirm allocation of expenses and ensure deliverables align with the project scope and budget. All invoices will be reviewed and approved by the Grants Programs Administrator. Final authorization and the timely scheduling of payment will be completed by MCAQ Finance. TIMELINE AND MILESTONES FY25 Activity Start End Mowing Down Pollution Program Prior to start of each new FY, train program staff for launch on day one of new FY. This includes Service Centers, Transfer Station, and Home Depot staff. 07/01/2024 06/30/2025 Outreach Continue existing outreach efforts for residential mowers and residential and commercial garden devices. Explore new methods to attract commercial participants. 07/01/2024 06/30/2025 Collecting and evaluating applications and issuing vouchers 07/01/2024 06/30/2025 Page 3 of 4 Quarterly Progress Reports: 1. Synopsis of program activities for the past quarter. 2. Total number of voucher applications received per month. 3. Breakdown of total number of vouchers issued per month for: a. residential lawn mowers b. residential handheld garden devices c. commercial handheld garden devices 4. Total cost of program monies used to pay Home Depot Maricopa County shall submit the quarterly report within thirty (60) days of the end of the quarter. 7/01/2024 6/30/2025 Prepare annual reports for program including the following items: 1. The number of lawn mowers and other lawn and garden devices retired by brand and year of manufacture. 2. The cost-effectiveness of the program in terms of dollars spent per ton of emissions reductions. 3. Any recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the program. 4. The administrative costs of the program. 5. Total number of applications received by fiscal year. 6. Breakdown of the total number of vouchers issued by fiscal year for: a. residential lawn mowers b. residential handheld garden devices c. commercial handheld garden devices 7. Total tons of each pollutant reduced per year for volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and oxides of nitrogen by fiscal year. 8. Excel Spreadsheet with the following breakdown for each voucher issued: a. Device type (e.g., lawnmower, trimmer, chainsaw) b. Year of Manufacture c. Annual Usage d. Emission Factors 7/01/2024 12/1/2025 Yearly Reports: Dec 1, 2025 Page 4 of 4 ANTICIPATED PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AND MILESTONES The Mowing Down Pollution Program focuses on decommissioning old lawn and garden equipment as well as facilitating the ownership of new and cleaner operating equipment. The promotion of the program continues the Clean Air Make More website. Program posts in both English and in Spanish are posted to social media sites. Additional outreach occurs through monthly outreach events where program flyers are distributed in English and in Spanish. Additional commercial marketing is being explored. The program vendor is required to post program posters in all participating retail locations. PROGRAM BUDGET *For more efficient program budgeting, MCAQD is requesting that any remaining funds from the FY24 program be carried over into FY25. The remaining program voucher funding balance is estimated to be approximately $167,975 at the end of FY24. Estimated program usage is based on past annual program participation. Estimated FY25 Device Expected Voucher Usage Total Annual Cost Residential Mower Replacement 120 @ $150 each $18,000 Residential Garden Device 30 @ $50 each $1,500 Commercial Garden Device 20 @ $50 each $1,000 *FY25 Estimated funding usage $20,500 Remaining FY24 funds (estimated) $167,975 NEW FY25 voucher funds $0 Remaining FY25 voucher funds $147,475 SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAM MCAQD will continue to provide program outreach and management including associated costs. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality will continue to support the program by providing voucher funding per a signed agreement. It is anticipated that the Service Agreement will be amended every year or as needed to support the program. MCAQD will continue to partner with additional county departments for mower/device collection and disposal. MCAQD intends to continue the use of current grant program software (Formstack) and associated established procedures for program application and tracking.