Air Quality Initiatives

Boise City is proud of its air quality programs. Below are the air quality improvement initiatives the city of Boise has undertaken both internally and in the community.

• Air Quality Camera
  This camera was installed in 2000 to provide a visual indication of our air quality. The image is updated every 15 minutes.
• Air Quality staff
  Boise City maintains a staff person to assist with air quality issues at city facilities and in the community. 
• Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Facility
  Practice burns are carried out at the training facility only on days that have an acceptable low level of air pollution.
• Air Quality Index (AQI) Distribution
  The daily AQI is distributed to internal personnel in the Boise Fire Department, code Enforecemnt, the Mayor's Office, and administrative personnel who respond to calls from the public.
• Employee Alternative Transportation Program
  Boise City has offered an comprehensive alternative transportation program for employees since 2002 that includes bus passes and incentives for biking and walking to work. The Alternative Transportation program is part of Boise City's Sustainable Boise program.
• Biofuels
  Boise City Mayor, David Bieter, has directed that biofuels will be used city vehicles to the greatest extent possible. Biodiesel B20, (20/80 biodiesel/diesel blend) fills Public Works and Fire Department diesel tanks and is used extensively in B
  Boise supports and partners with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and others in Boise's heavy duty equipment. Over 350 gallons of E85 (85/15 ethanol/gasoline blend) is purchased every month of Boise City flex-fuel vehicles.
• Community Air Quality Project Support
  Boise supports and partners with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and others in many air quality related community projects. Boise city has partnered with DEQ on the following projects:
  •  Buy the real-time fine particulate monitor that provides data for the daily AQI.
  •  Buy a meteorological tower that was necessary to provide data for modeling the air flows in the Boise River Valley.
  •  Provide funding to continue the ozone public awareness campaign in the summer of 2008.