Surprise, AZ News blog

Surprise Council approves PM-10 measures to control dust

SURPRISE, AZ (April 25, 2008)  The Surprise City Council approved a new PM-10 Dust Control Ordinance Thursday night, in accordance with state law which requires city, county and state agencies to adopt compliance measures.
PM-10 is a term used to describe very fine airborne particles (particulate matter or PM) that have been known to cause health problems for people in areas in which the PM levels are high.   Children, the elderly, people exercising outdoors and those with heart or lung disease or asthma are at an especially high risk to ill effects from PM pollution.
Sources of PM dust pollution include off-road vehicles, driving on unpaved roads, agricultural dust, construction, vacant lands and mining. 
The PM-10 control measures in Surprise are coordinated with other cities in Maricopa County, through the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG). The objective is a five percent reduction in emissions per year until the PM-10 standard is attained.
The city ordinance regarding PM-10 compliance standards include:

• Ban off-road vehicle use in high activity areas & closed property
• Increase enforcement of vehicle trespass of private property (property owners responsible for securing their property)
• Ban off-road vehicle use on unpaved surfaces that are not public/private roads during high pollution advisory days
• Require paving/gravel/dust-free surfaces for dust control of unpaved parking areas on private property (residential properties w/ parking & driveway areas or less than 3,000 s.f. are exempt)
• Prohibit those using leaf blowers from blowing debris into public roadways
  
• Prohibit city employees/contractors from using leaf blowers during high pollution days
• City required to use PM-10 certified street sweepers only (already in compliance)
• City required to pave or stabilize public unimproved roads/alleys
• City required to pave or stabilize unpaved shoulders on roads carrying more than 150 vehicles per day
• City required to provide semiannual reports to the state and MAG describing control measures and enforcement activity

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