The Boise City Council is hosting a town hall style meeting on Tuesday, November 27th at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the valley's declining air quality.

With the Treasure Valley experiencing one of the worst air quality years on record, Boise City Council is hosting a town hall style meeting to find out why air quality is declining and what can be done to improve conditions. The meeting will give residents a chance to ask questions to air quality experts and elected officials from Ada and Canyon County.

WHAT: Air Quality Summit (Town hall meeting)
WHEN: Tuesday, November 27th at 7:00 pm. (Doors open at 6:15)
WHERE: Council Chambers, 3rd floor of Boise City Hall

Citizens who can’t attend the Air Quality Summit are encouraged to ask questions and make comments by sending an email to airqualitysummit@cityofboise.org. The Air Quality Summit will also be aired on 24/7 network (Cable ONE, Channel 28; UHF Channel 49; and Digital Channel 7.2). The 90-minute program will air on 24/7 at 10:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 29th.

You can read about the topics that will be discussed at the meeting (items subject to change). You can also read more about the city of Boise's Climate Protection Program and find out what some of the other local agencies are doing about improving air quality.

The meeting will be moderated by political analyst and BSU professor Emeritus Dr. Jim Weatherby. Presenters are COMPASS, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, ACHD/Commuteride, Valley Regional Transit, City of Boise and the Treasure Valley Air Quality Council. Each group will present for five minutes then citizens will have a chance to ask the presenters and elected officials questions.

Officials from the City of Boise, Eagle, Meridian, Kuna, Star, Nampa, Caldwell and Middleton are invited, along with various state officials and the Ada County Commissioners.

So far this year, the Treasure Valley has experienced 131 air quality alerts according to the Department of Environmental Quality. From 2001-06, the valley averaged just under 96 air quality alerts a year.